Support for Parents

Coping with Loss: A Reinterpretation of Father’s Day

appreciation | Dianna Bonny Photography

As far as holidays go, Father’s Day presents a certain kind of challenge. Living in this culture of mass marketed and manufactured “celebration” days, it is somewhat hard to escape. Don’t get me wrong — I adore holidays and the way they create a space for expressing sentiments that should really be expressed on a daily basis. I just don’t…

Unraveling The Aftermath Of Suicide And Healing

A couple weeks ago, I talked about the trials and tribulations of doing video work. Today, I learned that I needn’t have been so worried about it being perfect because apparently a highly skilled video editor can remove any and all imperfections. It made me laugh to think of how hard I tried to get the lighting, sound and actual…

Offering Support After A Suicide

I had a few calls over the holidays asking for help in how to respond and offer support after a suicide, so I thought I would share some ideas on how to be a friend in the aftermath. These are things that helped my family and I share them in case this experience crosses your path. I love the A. A. Milne…

Presence Is A Rare Commodity

presence quote photo | Dianna Bonny Photography

The other night, I spent an hour chatting on Facetime with my son who is at college in Santa Cruz. My other son and I were curled up in bed, laughing and talking in front of the computer, and it almost felt like we were all together in one room, which made me smile, and reminded me of days when they were younger, long before they encountered tragedy.Read more

Talking About Suicide for Healing

Thich Nhat Hanh quote photo | Dianna Bonny Photography

As a result of Robin Williams’ suicide, I have had quite a few requests for radio interviews. I really enjoy them because it is interesting to hear what people are curious about in regards to this subject. Common themes have emerged and there have been a few probing questions that have really made me stop in my tracks. Suicide is…

Unearth Your Inner Compass and Find Your Passion

hair expression

I first posted this over a year ago and when I re-read it I thought a reprise would be appropriate because my daughter has a job at a cool salon and this past week moved into a house.  I couldn’t be more proud of her. When our lives intersected with the events in 2010, all the plans we had been…

Talking to Children About Death: Healing and Conversation

Steve Allen quote | Dianna Bonny Photography

Last week I had the opportunity to share my story with a wonderful group of people who graciously allowed me to unfurl before them. I really enjoy this kind of interaction with small groups. Answering questions forces me to dig deeper into what I have learned and how it might apply to the others dealing with loss. It is very…

Justifying Cyber Harassment as Freedom of Speech

Dianna Bonny Lotus Icon

“When another blames you or hates you, or people voice similar criticisms, go to their souls, penetrate inside and see what sort of people they are. You will realize that there is no need to be racked with anxiety that they should hold any particular opinion about you.”  Marcus Aurelius I want to share an unfortunate lesson in the adage,…

Suicide Resources: Section 504 Support for Children

proust quote | Dianna Bonny Photography

If you are navigating the aftermath of a parent suicide and have school age children, I strongly recommend pursuing Section 504 accommodations as a safety net for them. Simply put, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act guarantees certain rights to people with disabilities and applies to any agency receiving federal funds, such as a school. A child dealing with the…

Parent Suicide Resources: When Children Grieve

Dianna Bonny Lotus Icon

In the aftermath of my husband’s death, I pursued every resource I could find to aid in my children’s recovery. They were not particularly fond of their brief foray into therapy because they found talking to a stranger about such an intimate experience “weird.” One of them attended a Survivors of Suicide support group but had a hard time finding…