Presence Is A Rare Commodity December 15, 2014 • 0 Comments 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 September 1, 2014 • 0 Comments 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…
Talking to Children About Death: Healing and Conversation June 23, 2014 • 2 Comments 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 May 21, 2014 • 2 Comments 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 May 5, 2014 • 2 Comments 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…
Parent Suicide Resources: When Children Grieve February 12, 2014 • 5 Comments 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…
How to Talk to Children About Suicide: The Power of Conversation January 27, 2014 • 8 Comments When I dreamt of becoming a mother, I never imagined that one day I would look into the eyes of my children to begin a discussion about their father’s choice to end his life. But that is exactly what happened. As I searched their faces for clues during those first few days, I realized I was going to have to…