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Another School Year Begins

Posted on August 19, 2014 - by Elizabeth Brady

We hosted a college graduation party at our house for our nephew last weekend. My husband’s family was here, including our 95-year-old great-grandmother, all four grandparents in various levels of physical health. This made five generations gathered to hear my brother-in-law speak of his three children, who have now all graduated from college, and we toasted their accomplishments. I sat on the porch with my beautiful daughter Izzy, 16, listening to the toasts and thinking that it won’t be too long before she is graduating high school and heading to college. But our sweet Mack, who died suddenly of sepsis […]

On Robin Williams’ Death

Posted on August 14, 2014 - by Anne Hamilton

On Robin Williams’ Death Robin Williams had a life force that he shared with everyone. It is clear, from his outpouring of words and actions as an actor and comedian, that his inner life was fast and furious. Sometimes the body just can’t contain the pure frenzy of your inner life and you can’t calm down. Depression isn’t always paralysis and inactivity. Sometimes there is so much going on on the inside that you get paralyzed because you can’t process the thoughts, impulses, and urges with what turns out to be the woefully inadequate resources of your body. No […]

Dream After Husband’s Suicide Reassures Wife

Posted on August 13, 2014 - by Luellen Hoffman

Reprinted from the book, Special Dream, by Luellen Hoffman, following the death of Robin Williams Introduction: My husband suffered from what is now recognized as an obsessive-compulsive bipolar disorder. Greg committed suicide in 1987, when he was thirty-two years old. In his unfortunate brilliance, he was able to hide his problems from the psychiatrists with whom he worked at a well-known university hospital. Greg’s inner turmoil was tragic. It was during the year after his death that the following dream gave me much reassurance. The Special Dream: I am sitting at our old oak table in the dining room area. […]

Loss, Bereavement and Robin Williams

Posted on August 13, 2014 - by Sheri Perl

I have been a Robin Williams fan since he appeared on television as the funny alien in Mork and Mindy, “Na Nu, Na Nu.” As the years went on, I came to see that there was a deep and sensitive side to Robin, because it came through his work and yet I, like many of you, was unaware of the depth of his suffering. I began exploring the spirit realm when I was 20, and an amazing spiritual healing experience with the late British spiritual healer Harry Edwards, woke me up to the presence of an invisible realm. From that […]

Sleeping Habits After a Child’s Death

Posted on August 13, 2014 - by Sandy Fox

by Sandy Fox Has your sleep pattern changed since the death of your child? Do you wake up every few hours? Do you toss and turn for hours trying to get to sleep? Do certain dreams wake you up, particularly if your child is in them and you can’t get back to sleep? Do you get enough sleep or do you get too much sleep? Do you fit any of these patterns? I asked many bereaved parents what they do at night if any of these situations fit them. Hopefully, some ideas from others may work for you. Zoey: Many […]

Robin Williams’ Legacy: Opening a Conversation about Suicide

Posted on August 12, 2014 - by Nina Bennett

Robin Williams was brilliant, and his death leaves a void that does not and cannot make sense to anybody but him. Williams talked openly about his addiction issues and struggle with depression. Perhaps part of his legacy will be opening these difficult conversations about taboo topics-mental health and suicide. It would be an honor to him if sincere, honest conversations took place.

Robin Williams’ Suicide Brings Back Difficult Memories

Posted on August 12, 2014 - by Lisa Khuraibet

The headlines scream, “Coroner: Robin Williams Death Ruled Suicide by Asphyxiation.” I suppose there’s a bit of a morbid fascination that comes from the death of a celebrity; particularly when the celebrity is young or dies in a particularly salacious way. Robin Williams’ death is one of those. He was both young and his death was by his own hand, a death which carries with it a certain stigma. Undoubtedly, the public is questioning how one who was such a comedic genius could fall victim to a depression so deep that he could commit suicide? And yet, he was more […]

Robin Williams’ Death: When Living is Hard

Posted on August 12, 2014 - by Julie Nierenberg

Robin Williams’ apparent death by suicide is especially hard for me to fathom. His jocular, insightful, heart-warming and spirit-lifting public presence brought much joy to my life. His creative expressions of talent and spontaneity inspired many throughout the world to bring forth their own unique artistic abilities. Robin had a profound influence on our society’s evolving sense of humor and on the art of being an artist. And he took that art to many new frontiers and extremes. “Robin, we love you and your many gifts. You will be missed.” Suicide. Bummer. What am I going to do about it? […]

Message of Robin Williams’ Death: Mental Illness Can Kill

Posted on August 12, 2014 - by Marilyn Burns

Robin Williams got the world’s attention by making us belly laugh. He was also able to bring tears to our eyes by the meaningful messages he would leave us in a profound line of a movie or a conclusion of a stand-up comedy act. Now that our country is in a crisis due to drug-related deaths, he is leaving us with a message that mental illness, drug addiction, and alcoholism must be taken seriously because they can kill you. This death is untimely for Robin and his family. However, it is timely for those fighting for their lives. My son […]

Honoring Robin Williams

Posted on August 11, 2014 - by Tambre Leighn

Experiencing sadness or grief can come from feeling that something is missing, something has been lost. When you think about someone now gone who inspired you, made a difference in your life – or, like Robin Williams, someone who made you laugh – ask what qualities of that person you can embrace. Perhaps it is Robin’s compassion, his humor, his creativity, or his spontaneity. Choose the quality you most admire and now ask: How can I bring that into my life more each day in honor of him and to make the world a better place? This, I believe, is […]