Tag Archive for parent suicide

Suicide Resources: Section 504 Support for Children

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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…

On Courage, Casseroles and Expressing Sympathy After a Suicide

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I felt very loved during the first few weeks after the suicide. Friends and family flew in from near and far; even the best man from my wedding, who lives in Belgium, came to visit. People brought an overwhelming bounty of food and flowers and wine. I would arrive home and find breathtaking floral arrangements and casseroles on the outside…

Parent Suicide Resources: When Children Grieve

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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

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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…

Conscious Parenting: Optimizing Your Behavoir During Difficult Times

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When I began the process of disciplining my first two children, I encountered a dilemma. Normally patient and kind, I would suddenly become irrational, triggered by incidental things. I couldn’t explain or understand the behavior but it bothered me. One minute I was a calm and happy mother, the next, I was my mother, yelling.

After a Suicide: My Unplanned Midlife Freefall

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I am spellbound by pictures of rock climbers crawling their way up ninety-degree cliffs. The photos always make me think of video’s where the climber is falling, but suddenly the tethered rope halts them from plummeting to the ground. It’s a weird stream of consciousness thing, possibly triggered by my fear of rock climbing. I crawled my way out and…