“My mother just died and all I want to do is have sex.  Is this normal?”  These were the first words I heard over the phone after hello. Is this a joke was the first thought that went thought my head?  I simply answered, “Yes, this is a completely normal...

Going Back We all know what that means: going back to school. This year, it will be a little different. Pandemic! Wear a mask! Don’t wear a mask! Wash your hands! Check your temperature! Don’t touch your friend! How do we clean our area? Teachers are scared. Parents...

The Grieving Experience Something happens to us when we experience a loss.  A loss of any kind.  We responded to the loss with various emotions.  Friends this experience is called grief.  A time of deep sorrow. This experience is inevitable no matter who we are.  If...

Yesterday, I was challenged to put up a black and white photo of myself on social media. I don’t know about you, but I have a love hate relationship with challenges. I did it. I searched for a cutest picture of myself and turned it black and white. I love black and...

  For the Mother without her Child This is the last Mother’s Day post Donovan wrote for to me and when it shows up in my FB memories It’s always bittersweet. I miss him so much! Each year that passes holds dreams I will never see him or his bother achieve.  I...

Put Your Phone Down – Feel the Feelings Here is what had happened to me when I was grieving. I would have a thought about Austin or remember a conversation that I had with him. Then, BAM! It would be followed by this intense pain in my heart. I would experience an...

Tragedy Happens. Something horrible happened and you’re not coping. cop.ing /’kopiNG/ to face and deal with responsibilities, problems, or difficulties, especially successfully or in a calm or adequate manner: After his breakdown he couldn't cope any longer. Coping...

After the death of a loved one, you may experience anxiety because…   You are trying to avoid unpleasant thoughts, memories and emotions.   Then add in all of the family and friends that show up with the perfect idea on   how you should handle your...

~ Triggers How many times have you heard this word? What is a trigger? Are they helpful? Can we use them for good? Are all triggers painful? Are grievers the only one effected by triggers? Some examples of common triggers are: the anniversary dates of losses or...

Today, I was listening to a radio program, in which a teacher from the school where the recent  shooting took place was being interviewed.  The reporter asked,   “How are your students so resilient?” “These are smart kids,” he said. “But honestly, I have never hugged...

This seems like a simple question. The truth is so many of us cannot answer it. Feelings my friends and emotions go together like peanut butter and jelly. It is the contrast of salty and sweet. It is the contrast of positive and negative feelings that makes all...

Did you know that we all have a grief story to tell? Everyone’s story has a uniqueness to it. Some tell the story of pain. Some tell the story of love and loss. While others tell the story of a past that never got to be.  The story of a lost childhood. Some of the...

  The best thing ever invented.  The internet.  How it has changed all our lives.  I am a grandmother of three amazing grandchildren. My two youngest grandchildren live out of the state; how awesome it is to open Facebook and see their shining faces.  Their daily...

Is it possible to have a relationship with someone you have never met? Yes. What did you do today?  I spent the entire day thinking of the families that will be forever changed after the helicopter crash. I did not know any of them.  I have never even gone to a Laker...

As a Grief Specialist, I know that tears may or may not be a sign of grief. You may absolutely be crying non-stop. Keep in mind that grief is normal part of our human experience  and this sign of emotions pouring out is okay. What about the times when the tears do not...

    She is not your friend She will come in like a thief in the middle of the night Most days you will hate her so much You will do everything you can to avoid her There are days when you will think you need her Trust me I know Some days you will hold on to...

New Year New Me Or is it?  Today is December 30, 2019, this is the time when all of us are celebrating the joyous passing of another year. But not everyone feels this way. I remember what it was like for me when my loss occurred.  The thought of going into the new...

Three years ago my oldest daughter Lauren and I were in Kohl’s at Christmas time we came across An Elf On A Shelf, in the box complete with book and story $39.95. We both looked at each other a laughed aren’t we lucky we don’t have to that! Thinking she would never...

  I can’t say that I remember being told to grieve alone. I never really saw anyone in my family grieve. The first death that I ever experienced was an Aunt that died when I was 16 years old. What I saw my parents do was “stay busy”.  Keep involved with the...

We are putting the Self-Care Blog up this month because we need this so much right now during the holidays.  Thank you. What is self-care? Webster Definition: Self-care is any activity that we do deliberately, in order to take care of our mental, emotional, and...