It is not uncommon for couples to experience a loss of intimacy when grieving the loss of a loved one. There are several factors for this: · The relationship each person had with the deceased. Was this their child? A parent? An in-law? A close friend of one of the partners? · Spiritual/ religious beliefs […]
Read More...Drugs and Alcohol Increase Suffering After Loss
Following a funeral or celebration of life, people often gather to share food and drink, which can include alcohol. It’s a tricky thing to do when emotions are running high and /or people have not been sleeping well and are out of routine. It’s always better to err on the side of caution when consuming […]
Read More...Minimizing Grief is like a Spinning a Spider’s Web
“I’m fine.” “Everything is back to normal.” “I was down for a day or two, but it passed.” These statements are used by someone who is denying their pain or sorrow. They are pushing away their grief with the intent that if they don’t make a big deal out of it, it will all go […]
Read More...United States Unemployment could result in Displaced Grief
Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Labor reported that 14.0 million Americans are unemployed and the unemployment rate has held at 9.1 percent. Losing a job has tremendous impact on an individual and their family. The added stress of trying to pay rent or a mortgage, pay the monthly bills and feed or clothe children on […]
Read More...Is Your Chronic Pain Actually Somaticized Grief?
The Institute of Medicine recently reported that nearly 1/3 of all Americans (116 million) live with chronic pain. Chronic pain can include joint pain, stomach aches and headaches and the impact it can have on an individual’s day-to-day life cannot be dismissed. Not all chronic pain is related to grieving; however, it does have the […]
Read More...The Internet and Complicated Grief
What do grief and the internet have in common? For starters, both grief and the internet can be overwhelming. As well, CNN reported there are nearly one trillion pages on the internet. That’s a lot of information presented in a lot of different ways! Grief is like that too… it presents itself in many ways. […]
Read More...StarTribune reports on Families Postponing Funerals
Postponing grief is not that uncommon. It’s not healthy, in my opinion, but it’s not uncommon. In fact, the StarTribune recently ran an online article about families postponing their loved one’s funeral or memorial service for several reasons. Sometimes it is because they are busy (e.g. vacation planned) or because they want to tie it […]
Read More...Deaths of the Russian Ice Hockey Team
The horrific plane crash of the Russian Ice Hockey team on Wednesday, September 7 claimed 43 lives, which included players and coaches from 10 nations. As reported in the Huffington Post, the Yak-42 aircraft slammed into a riverbank shortly after taking off. As one can imagine, this tragedy will have a tremendous impact in the […]
Read More...Sadness
Feeling sad is a normal emotional response following loss. For example, when a loved one dies it’s normal to feel lost, empty and emotionally flat for quite a while. Grief attacks us on all levels: emotionally, physically, spiritually and socially. It’s overwhelming, exhausting, frightening, and unpredictable. A real problem is that others tend to want […]
Read More...Remembering 9/11
Sunday, September 11, 2011, marks the tenth anniversary of 9/11 when approximately 3,000 innocent people lost their lives in the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, and in the crash of Flight 93 in Pennsylvania. Naturally, the families and friends of those who lost their lives in this […]
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It is an honor to share my journey through grief with you. Although my story is that ~ my story~ it is important for me to acknowledge that many people shared in the losses that I share here. Each of us had a different experience and each of us grieved and mourned in a unique way. While I empathize and truly shared in the pain of others who were also affected by these tragedies, I can only speak for myself and share...