Parent Suicide

Self Healing: A Few Things I Have Learned

Dianna Bonny Lotus Icon

This is a repost that still feels as true as the day I wrote it nearly two years ago. My how times flies when you aren’t looking! If you have been thrown into the fire of loss, then you will know the feeling of treading upon the anniversary of these things with care. These days demand a certain kind of…

On Robin Williams’ Death and the Suicide Epidemic

Be Kind Plato Quote | Dianna Bonny Photography

Robin Williams’ death, and the subsequent media storm, rendered me wordless last week. I tried to write, but couldn’t find words to express the sadness I felt. From the moment I heard about his suicide, I was lulled into a kind of trance, watching the media swirl around, offering up vacuous commentary and opinions. Why did a news feed need…

On Blaming Others: The Insidious Nature of Blame

unhealed | Dianna Bonny Photography

There are a lot of pieces to my story that I have not shared yet. Some things are in the book, others I am still working through and processing. It continues to amaze me how long it takes to make sense of the emotions and pain that go along with suicide. One aspect I have not spoken much about here…

My Story, Your Story: On Coping with Loss and Beginning Again

Philip Pullman photo quote | Dianna Bonny Photography

I have been revisiting some of my blog posts this summer and when I came across this one I knew I had to re-post it. I wrote it at the beginning of this blogging journey. It clearly details my “why” and comes straight from my broken heart and wounded soul. I needed to be reminded of these precious things and…

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…

Reinventing Your Life After Loss: The Heartbeat of Devotion

Lotus Logo

One of the remarkable things I remember the most about those first few moments and days was my heart, as though it was pounding its way out of my chest. No amount of Xanax could slow it down. As revelations came to light about my life and shards of the facade fell away, it was my heartbeat that I could…

Emotional Healing: The Benefits of Honoring Emotions

John Lennon quote | Dianna Bonny Photography

I used to love driving my kids to and from school. Elementary school was fairly close, but for middle and high school, I was one of those parents who chose schools that required going the distance. As it turned out, those long drives were encapsulated moments of amazing connection and discovery. The time was precious — we were enclosed in…

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…

Life After Suicide: Reflections on Healing & the Suicide Epidemic

be kind quote | Dianna Bonny Photography

The news has been full of rather grim stories lately. Although I’m not one to watch much television, I got hooked a couple weeks ago trying to learn a bit more about Oscar Pistorius. After a week of obsessing over the mysterious disappearance of the Malaysian jet, my thoughts have turned to the family of L’Wren Scott. I have to…

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…