Loss of a Family Member

Bereavement

Hurting and in pain and looking for hope? In times of bereavement watch, read and listen to stories of hope and recovery.

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Articles

  • Embracing Mother’s Day without Mom

    Posted on May 29, 2023 - by Dr. Carol Leibovich Mankes

    Embracing Mother’s Day without Mom Losing my mother is one of the hardest things I have gone through. I still remember that day like it was yesterday. That day, I […]

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  • Understanding Compounded Grief and Ways to Cope

    Posted on May 23, 2023 - by Jacqui Coombe

    There are so many things to enjoy about life. Hand in hand with this enjoyment is the fact that there will sometimes be tough periods in life. These periods will […]

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  • Deciding to Let Go

    Posted on May 23, 2023 - by Stan Goldberg

    Recent discussions of whether California Senator Dianne Feinstein should retire ignore one of the most important elements that affect decisions about retiring: The willingness to assume a new identity. Identity […]

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  • Compassion for Grieving Moms on Mother’s Day

    Posted on May 17, 2023 - by Judy Lipson

    Grieving Moms on Mother’s Day Happy Mother’s Day Month to all the mothers, grandmothers, and great grandmothers. I want to acknowledge and show compassion to those who have lost a […]

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  • Putting Your Grief Wisdom to Work

    Posted on May 8, 2023 - by Colleen Friesen

    People living with the loss of a significant relationship often find themselves buried beneath avalanches of advice and information. Additionally, when we suffer, we tend to seek out material that […]

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  • Does Everything Happen ‘For a Reason’?

    Posted on May 2, 2023 - by Greg Adams

    Does Everything Happen For a Reason? Somewhere in adolescence, certainly before young adulthood, I heard the saying, “everything happens for a reason.” It seems like I’ve always known this phrase. […]

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  • Finding Purpose During Grief

    Posted on April 30, 2023 - by Colleen Friesen

    When someone we love leaves this world ahead of us, we are left feeling lost and confused. We grapple to find ways to make sense of what has happened. Finding […]

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  • Positive Attitude and Faith in Grief

    Posted on April 27, 2023 - by Dr. Carol Leibovich Mankes

    Positive Attitude Little did I know that my life experiences would bring me to the understanding of the utmost importance of solid, loving, supportive parenting and its role in a […]

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  • Wise Old Owl: Daughter’s Favorite Stuffed Animal

    Posted on April 24, 2023 - by John Beerman

    Wise Old Owl Most every morning, after I brew my half-caf coffee, I make my way to our second-story porch overlooking massive oak tress in our back yard. A brackish […]

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  • Making Good Things from Grief

    Posted on April 20, 2023 - by Harriet Hodgson

    Making Good Things from Grief When my husband John died, I didn’t know how to go on living. Rather than existing, I wanted to flourish and savor life. That meant […]

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  • Understanding and Working through Grief

    Posted on April 17, 2023 - by Ilana Estelle

    Understanding and working through grief isn’t without its challenges. Although you may have weeks or months to prepare, knowing you’re going to lose a loved one. It isn’t something you’re […]

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  • Saying Goodbye to His Body

    Posted on April 14, 2023 - by Kim Pierce

    LOSING MY FIANCE When my fiancé died suddenly in 1998, I had the heart-wrenching task of identifying him at the funeral home. Wildly, madly I wanted it not to be […]

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  • Common Reactions to Sibling Loss

    Posted on April 6, 2023 - by Sue Trace Lawrence

    Common Reactions to Sibling Loss What are the most common reactions to sibling loss? How do siblings react at different stages of childhood? Here are some generalities: Reactions Among Infants […]

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  • Fear After Sibling Loss

    Posted on April 4, 2023 - by Sue Trace Lawrence

    Fear After Sibling Loss Fear is commonplace in children after a sibling’s death.  Many times, the surviving child may not state their fear directly, but an astute parent can detect […]

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  • Open to hope

    Gratitude While Grieving

    Posted on March 31, 2023 - by Judy Lipson

    Gratitude While Grieving I do not believe in making New Year’s resolutions, but believe in stating what I am grateful for. After all that we have lost, how are we […]

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  • Anger after a Sibling Loss

    Posted on March 29, 2023 - by Sue Trace Lawrence

    Anger after a Sibling Loss When a child loses a  sibling, the surviving child may be overwhelmed by anger. As with guilt, anger can be conscious or unconscious and is […]

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  • Spring Holidays May Trigger Grief

    Posted on March 27, 2023 - by Janice Bell Meisenhelder

    Spring Holidays May Trigger Grief Our springtime spiritual holidays and rituals hold memories and significance which enriches our lives. But they may also be difficult waters to navigate following the […]

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  • Is Grief a Natural State?

    Posted on March 3, 2023 - by Brian Smith

    Consider this. If we didn’t love, we wouldn’t grieve. Your grief is a sign of your love. Your love didn’t die when your loved one’s body died. Love endures. The […]

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  • Will I Ever Feel Again? Numbness and Suicide

    Posted on February 27, 2023 - by Brian Smith

    During the early stages of grief, you might notice that you can’t feel, and you may ask yourself: Will I ever feel again? This emotional numbness is normal and will […]

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  • Why We Grieve

    Posted on February 24, 2023 - by Brian Smith

    Why do we grieve? If loss is a part of life; if death is normal, why do we mourn? I’ve heard grief described as being similar to withdrawal from drugs. […]

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  • Are Psychics and Mediums Real?

    Posted on February 18, 2023 - by Linda Zelik

    Are Psychics and Mediums Real? I had never gone to a psychic before and, honestly, did not believe in them. I now feel differently. Back then, I had just lost […]

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  • About Your Room: Letting Go of a Son’s Belongings

    Posted on February 16, 2023 - by Elizabeth Brady

    Dismantling the Room Your blue camo backpack hung on the back of your desk chair with your Pittsburgh Penguins baseball cap on top of it for eight years. It was […]

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  • Grief Journaling for Valentine’s Day

    Posted on February 12, 2023 - by Bunny Bennett

    Grief Journaling for Valentine’s Day Valentine’s Day, like every holiday while grieving, is a difficult time to get through, especially after the loss of our “Valentine” or spouse.  All of […]

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  • Valentine’s Day and Grief are Connected

    Posted on February 11, 2023 - by Kelly Grosklags

    Valentine’s Day and Grief Valentine’s Day and grief can be a very tender combination. This is a commercialized holiday, and it has a strong presence in the stores, social media, […]

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  • Valentine’s Day Triggers Mother’s Grief

    Posted on February 8, 2023 - by Janice Bell Meisenhelder

    From the author of  Surviving the Unthinkable: The Loss of a Child: Meisenhelder, Janice Bell: 9780979651120: Amazon.com: Books My firstborn, Melissa, was a hopeless romantic! She loved Valentine’s Day ever […]

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  • ‘Are We There Yet?’ and Other Grief Questions

    Posted on February 7, 2023 - by Beth Marshall

    If you took road trips as a child, you probably remember the question parents forever answered: “Are we there yet?” As you begin to regain your equilibrium after loss, you […]

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  • Writing When Life Hurts

    Posted on February 1, 2023 - by Beth Marshall

    After losing three close family members in five years, I remember feeling overwhelmed as waves of unanticipated emotions would roll in like a storm. How long would this intense sorrow […]

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