For many of us, Mother’s Day stirs something deeply loving. For others, ambivalent feelings abide. You see, after thirty-three years in the counseling field and drying the tears off many faces, I can accurately say that not every woman feels … Continue reading
No one wants to see a friend suffering from grief but when our friend has lost someone they care deeply about they will have to grieve. Grieving is the natural emotional response to loss. It’s a painful emotion to observe … Continue reading
On September 11, 2011, we remember the 10th anniversary of the day when nearly 3,000 victims were killed after two airliners were crashed into the Twin Towers in New York City, another plane hit the Pentagon, and a final plane … Continue reading
My Grandpop was a legend in my small hometown mostly because of his many “unusual hobbies” – like counting how many flies he could swat on a front porch glider on any given August day. As scores of commuters rushed … Continue reading
Yesterday was a wonderful day. While standing in line at the pharmacy, the gentleman behind me smiled. I don’t go to the CVS to make friends, but somehow yesterday I did. This older fellow’s smile, along with his vet’s hat, … Continue reading
After the death of someone we love, our grief experience and overall healing has everything to do with our relationship to the deceased, the intensity and depth of the love we felt for them, and our degree of faith in … Continue reading
In my younger days, I was naive enough to think I could control change. I’ve learned, but not quickly enough, that no one can control or stop change. And, here is an interesting little fact: Charles Darwin believed that those … Continue reading
Many are mourning the death of Elizabeth Edwards. I would like to share some thoughts of my own about why we are gripped by her life’s story. I believe Elizabeth Edwards embodies two archetypes: the mother and the hero. I … Continue reading
Mary Jane Hurley Brant’s book, When Every Day Matters, is available at amazon.com.
When you lose someone you love, Thanksgiving Day feels burdensome and painful. When a brain tumor took away our precious Katie’s life, I dreaded that holiday. For seven years, we served no rutabagas because they were Katie’s favorite vegetable. The … Continue reading
It was 1992. Four years had lapsed since my daughter Katie’s diagnosis of a brain tumor. She was now healthy and back working in New York City. Because my maternal stress levels were greatly relaxed, my professional dreams began to … Continue reading
When you open yourself up to love, you open yourself up to loss. When you suffer a loss, you will experience the painful emotion we call grief. It’s a natural response to loss, yet to the person going through this … Continue reading
Some say we don’t have anymore heroes, but I say we do. Let’s take a look at what a hero is and decide if you are one. A hero travels the hero’s journey. That’s when regular people such as you … Continue reading
My daughter, Katie Brant, was my hero. She was given an overwhelming challenge which she met valiantly, fearlessly and always with a greater good in mind. I witnessed Katie’s bravery early on when she marched down the hallway of Children’s … Continue reading
By Mary Jane Hurley Brant, M.S., CGP – This month, let’s talk about the four seasons of marriage: Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter. Usually we think of marriage as a relationship with our partner but it can also be the … Continue reading
Have you ever had an experience where you said, “Wow, what a coincidence.” Maybe it was more. Maybe it was actually a “synchronicity.” Let me explain through a Jungian perspective. Carl Jung, the prominent Swiss psychiatrist, believed synchronicity meant “more … Continue reading
The holidays have arrived. Normally they are a time for family fun and celebration but when you are grieving the loss of someone who has died, the season is different: it is painful. Grieving is a long process. It takes … Continue reading
The holidays are here. Normally, they are a time for family fun and celebration but when someone you loved has died, the season may be painful and lonely. When grieving ,we can feel completely overwhelmed with sadness. We miss the loved person … Continue reading
In my younger days, I thought I could control change. I learned, and not quickly I would add, that no one can control or stop change anymore than one can hold back the tides or halt the autumn leaves transforming … Continue reading
By Mary Jane Hurley Brant, M.S., CGP – Fear is big these days and, like wildfire, it spreads easily and quickly. Fear is a primal emotion; it triggers our reptilian (more primitive) brain to fight or flee. When the reptilian … Continue reading
By Mary Jane Hurley Brant – The month of February focuses our attention on love. Cards are bought, candy is given, kisses abound. So what is it about love? We simply cannot get enough of it. ”I love you” and … Continue reading
By Mary Jane Hurley Brant — Continue reading