“I feel so lost.”
How many times have we felt that way?  How many times have we heard that from other grievers?  How many times have we just wanted to pull on a t-shirt that says …

I am continually amazed at the choreography of the dance that I experience at The Compassionate Friends national conference, and the huge impact is has on my body, mind and spirit when I walk off the dance …

I’ve been living without my wife for seven months now. I’ve had to adjust to a great many things, but the most trying has been my struggle with my faith over that time. I’ve been …

I am presenting a workshop at The Compassionate Friends national conference next month entilted: “The Bereaved Parent- Five Years Later.”  Linda Findlay of Mourning Discoveries and I originally developed the idea for this workshop to …

I love the song “Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong. I used to have it as a ringtone on my cell phone. I took it off my phone in 2008 when my son, Lucas, passed away. …

My father was an immigrant who came to the United States when he was 15 years old. As he did not speak a word of English, he joined the kindergarteners in learning the language. Each …

After any significant loss, we feel empty, lost, and engulfed with indescribable pain. One grueling process in grief work is connecting our feelings and state of being with words. However, once we get passed this …

Although a common thread connects the stages of grief, the journey of sorrow materializes differently for each person who trudges through it.  From overwhelming emotion, timeless pain and isolation to frozen reality or numbness, self-destruction …

Did you ever have a memory that rode into your consciousness on the back of a passing odor, object, or random word? It might have been something you desperately tried to forget, but it was …

There are times when, as a sole parent, I feel as if I’m carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders.  
When I say “sole” parent, I mean only parent.  There is no other …

As Mother’s Day approaches, we find ourselves thinking about the relationship that started it all, and about our need to honor the woman who helped to make the world a better place. Indeed, perhaps the …

It  was the 4th anniversary of our son’s death, and I was having a difficult time.  My husband was working out of town, and this meant for the first time we would be apart on …

What is the meaning of hope, and how can it help us through the days and nights of our despair?
For many, hope is a quality that imbues us with grace in the face of adversity. …

A sudden and traumatic death shatters your world. The changes may be readily apparent or may take months, or even years, to emerge. In 2007, my elder daughter (mother of my twin grandchildren) and father-in-law …

To all of my fellow parents of deceased children — mothers and fathers – I offer greetings.  I too have suffered this unthinkable loss and know the grief that accompanies it. 
My son, Danny, died on July …

Music has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember; music has always helped me navigate major transitions in my life. After the death of my daughter Jeannine in 2003 …