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"Those who do not know how to weep with their whole heart don't know how to laugh either." - Golda MeirDo you have a lid on your tears? Do you also have a hard time laughing with your whole body?Our tears are a God-given way of expressing sadness, just as laughter is a God-given way of ... Views: 4992
Believe in New Beginnings....
When we face a difficult transition or a loss we may think our life is over....that we don't have any hope, or that we don't have options.
My purpose in life is to help people embrace hope and make them believe in new beginnings. Because...this is possible. I ... Views: 1499
You just lost your job and your world has literally crumbled down around you. What's that smoldering over in the corner? Oh, just your dreams. Right next to the pile of rubble that used to be your retirement. Yeah, losing your job can certainly have an effect on the horizon of your life. But ... Views: 2219
GRIEF AND STRESS
People who are grieving will experience a wide range of emotions. Anxiety caused by the stress of grief sometimes comes as an unexpected event. People are prepared to feel sadness, but anxiety seems a little more foreign. In order to help validate this very real experience ... Views: 1432
THE LOSS
• 'God takes good ones' says mom of girl, 15, slain in Queens bus melee
A 15-year-old Queens girl was stabbed to death by a man more than twice her age during a wild fight that spun off from a typical New York moment: a clash over line-cutting at a bus stop, police said ... Views: 2448
Some of you know that I am a Medium and have helped many people who have lost loved ones to 'death'. That is, I 'speak with others' who have passed on. It's not my intent to speak about those who have passed on nor impart any information from this perspective. I do what I do, and people find ... Views: 2277
When we experience loss we immediately turn to our friends and family, expecting them to be able to help us. All too often, we are left disappointed. Friends don’t know what to say and can find it difficult to be around us. They sometimes have no understanding of what we are going through. ... Views: 1285
Creating or strengthening our spirituality can have untold beneficial effects upon us after loss. By spirituality I do not mean religion. The two are very separate. Religion is based around organised belief by an outside body. Spirituality in contrast, is individual belief created by ... Views: 2345
Loss throws us into a world of unknown emotions. Some of which we maybe had never experienced before. Understanding these emotions can be a key factor in transforming through loss. Yet it can be hard to accept some feelings. It requires us to be brutally honest with ourselves and acknowledge ... Views: 1230
Recovering from grief after a significant emotional loss is hard enough without the added pain when the death is the result of murder, suicide, or a disease such as AIDS. The feelings of being emotionally, mentally, or even socially isolated from the people and events around us,usually ... Views: 3566
The darkness I refer to is the painful and life-draining wreckage left after the loss of someone or something that is deeply significant to us. The wreckage is all the "what ifs","I wish", "If only","I should have/shouldn't haves" that remains and keeps repeating itself over and over in our ... Views: 2448
There is a tendency in our society to talk about healing loss, like it is a physical wound. It reduces loss to nothing more than an illness to be cured. Our objective is to heal it as quickly as possible and get back to normal.
This approach has failed us in our understanding of loss and made ... Views: 1407
Has the loss of a loved one, a major physical or financial tragedy or a global disaster brought your world to a screeching halt? Are you finding it hard to deal with the emotional rollercoaster, blaming yourself and feeling anger and helplessness all at the same time?
Loss from a major ... Views: 8125
Did you know that we can, and probably are, receiving messages from our passed loved ones? After Death Communications, or ADCs, are various types of communications relayed from relatives and friends that have departed this life. These ADCs serve as ways to show us, truly prove to us, that the ... Views: 3056
When faced with grief we often ask, “When will I begin to feel better? When will I return to normal? When will I be able to breathe again? When will I achieve some closure?” The idea of closure in our culture is one of tidy endings, a sense of completion. The reason we long for closure, of ... Views: 3249
I find it hard to believe there is actually a word in the English language that could possibly describe what caregivers go through. There can't be! The experiences during the process of caregiving are often a deep, emotional shift accompanied by confusion, frustration, and even resentment for ... Views: 1710
A lot of people have "heard" that you can make a lot of money by being a recruiter, however there are some personal downsides to the industry which have a more personal perspective. If you decide to enter the employment / recruitment field, here is what you are bound to see - especially in this ... Views: 942
Grief is yours to own, and no one will ever expect you to forget your grief. Grief cannot just be cured or dismissed, as the hurt surrounding grief is there because of your connection with the loved one you lost.
Grief can keep time standing still, and it is very common for people to not want ... Views: 5098
Children who have been allowed to participate in the care of loved one, including hospice care at end of life, are better prepared later in life when losses of any kind occur.
Loss of a Pet
For many children the first death they may witness or participate in, is the death of a pet. When I ... Views: 2202
I have worked on my grief for 10 years, 10 whole years. That loop of grief would get occasional relief, relief that would sometimes last a few weeks. Some of the edges were smoothed. There was hope that I would be whole again for a bit. I would fall back into that pit of grief every, single time ... Views: 2480
When you open yourself up to love, you open yourself up to loss. When you suffer a loss, you will experience the painful emotion we call grief. It's a natural response to loss yet to the person going through this afflictive emotion, the experience feels overwhelming. I would like to help you ... Views: 3155
In life, we are all survivors, whether or not we think of ourselves that way. When we experience our first love and break up, our hearts are broken and we don't think that we will ever survive. But somehow we do, and eventually we meet someone new. When we lose our first job, whether we are ... Views: 1640
Exploitation can raise its ugly head in the midst of unsuspecting situations. Such was the case with the Garvey family (not real name). Mom and Dad Garvey were about the nicest people you'd ever wish to meet. Their three adult children lived nearby; they loved to have all the grandchildren over ... Views: 1602
It had been a week since Dad's funeral, and life was getting back to normal for Sharon. Despite the sadness of the occasion, it had been nice to be with her brother and sister and their families. She hadn't been to her dad's house since he went into the hospital. She dreaded walking into the ... Views: 1411
Experts in phobias say that, for many of us, the fear of public speaking is worse than the fear of death. This is because most of us need acceptance from others and fear judgment to some extent. Although the event that necessitates a eulogy is the worst emotional experience, delivery of the ... Views: 5215
Signs and Dreams from our Children
Dreams and signs of our children. Do they really exist? Are dreams and signs a technique our deceased children use to contact us to let us know they are fine and indeed do live on? I believe with my whole heart they do. I am very fortunate and ... Views: 1888
Some say we don't have anymore heroes but I say we do. Let's take a look at what a hero is and decide if you are one.
A hero travels the hero's journey. That's when regular people such as you or me are asked to leave our routine life because something serious has occurred and we are asked ... Views: 2561
Taken Too Soon
Kristen L. Baker, M.L.C.,M.S.L.C.,Wellness Coach
Monday morning, the sun is glistening and the smell in the air is one that you would bottle up. The crisp brief smell of spring just seems to make everything better. As we drive to Boston Children’s Hospital for yet another ... Views: 2111
The approach and actual anniversary day of the death of someone loved and lost, brings to the surface an unsettling sea of emotions. As a therapist and life coach who provides bereavement and grief counseling, and someone who has experienced death at an early age, understanding grieving and loss ... Views: 4020
Throughout my entire life, I have always enjoyed creative writing and public speaking. As a species, I believe that we write because we have a need to tell our stories and connect with people. During 2005-2006, I began writing my book, “Farewell, My Friend”, which chronicles the illness and ... Views: 1186
Often, I have been asked why I wrote my book, Farewell, My Friend (FMF), so I have decided to tell you.
My husband’s battle with lung cancer was an arduous journey for both Rick and I. It is a journey that many other caretakers have or will have to take during their lifetime. FMF is ... Views: 1591
Have you ever had an experience where you said, "Wow, what a coincidence." Maybe it was more. Maybe it was a synchronicity. Let me explain through a Jungian perspective.
Carl Jung, the prominent Swiss psychiatrist, believed synchronicity meant 'more than a coincidence.' Jung, the thinker ... Views: 6079
It has been said, by those in the know, that the process of grief and loss has stages. While it is agreed these stages don’t necessarily show up in predictable patterns or in specific order, I am hear to tell you there’s much more than stages to the grief process than stages. The work of ... Views: 1738
"Life CAN be lived in a gray area between turbo and off!"
Diabetes, Bi=Polar, Ulcerative Colitis … and more
Here is a case of a male in his fourties who was considered a lost case by many. The overall profound changes in his physical and emotional well-being you are going to hear about ... Views: 1081
One of the most difficult phases in any life transition is the space of the unknown between a loss or change, and healing or new beginning. All life changes, even positive ones, entail a sense of loss or grief. For example, there is a sense of loss in giving up addictive behaviors like ... Views: 1329
After a that time you buried your beloved husband, you will be called now as newly widowed. But faith will tell you that you would get through it. And here are the 8 things you have to bear in mind not to forget: 1. Do not forget to take good care of yourself-- wash your face, comb your hair, ... Views: 1317
People often tell me that they don't know what to say when someone experiences a loss. I explain that often times the person experiencing the loss simply needs to talk. You don't need to say anything; just be there to listen and support the individual. However, most people are still ... Views: 1972
Coping with stress related to bereavement in a positive way does not just happen easily and naturally. Bereavement due to death, loss of a job, loss of a relationship or any loss that severely changes our everyday world is happening more frequently as we face recession and other life ... Views: 1238
Several researchers state that suicide is depression left untreated. Suicide rates have diminished over the past decade many thanks to new treatments for depression. It ranks 11th as the leading cause of death, and suicide is a very serious subject to deal with and talk about. There are 500,000 ... Views: 886
Loneliness is a state of mind rather than a measure of how many people you interact with. You can be overwhelmed with a feeling of loneliness in a bustling restaurant or a cheering football stadium, in a business meeting or a family gathering, even while having sex. You can feel contented, ... Views: 5873
The most basic experience that all human beings have, which begins in the birth canal if not before, is that of pain and suffering or affliction. The fact of suffering, and how to deal with it and its effects, prompted the Buddha to present the Four Noble Truths. I like to refer to these as the ... Views: 1405
Though the holiday season is thought to be a joyous time by all, many find the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas to be stressful and emotional. As a helping professional, I have observed the approaching holiday season as both a joyous time, as well as a time filled with heartache and ... Views: 1202
Living from the heart, throwing logic and practicality to the wind, and following the voice of love and inspiration takes strength and courage. But, as we break free from the chains of reason to follow our soul’s callings, a universe of possibilities opens up to us. Unforeseen assistance guides ... Views: 2300
At one point or another, tragedy will affect our lives. At the time that it happens, you will think that the bad feeling will never go away, but there are certain things that can be done to help you move forward and resume your life. You need to acknowledge and accept that the unfortunate ... Views: 3478
It is very essential to understand and realize that recognizing or admitting the grief promotes the healing process. Grief in itself is a natural and normal reaction or response to loss. It happens in response to the loss of something or a person most especially close to you. The Stages of ... Views: 1449
The intense and painful experiences of grief are generally considered "normal." However, when those experiences are extremely distressing, unduly interfere with day-to-day functioning or do not subside to a manageable level over time, the bereaved may be experiencing complicated or traumatic ... Views: 5669
Holidays can be difficult for widows. Whether it is a birthday, anniversary, Thanksgiving or New Years, the memories of past holidays can keep widows stuck in the past and unable to move forward in their life.
It can feel impossible to even consider participating in a holiday without one's ... Views: 5120
A woman was shopping when an adorable little statue caught her eye. It was fun, and she had to have it! Once at home, she examined the purchase more closely and realized it was a metaphor for her life. She had bought a “Woo” doll, and the attached tag read:
“The Woo is a benevolent force ... Views: 1579
Sympathy for the Younger Widow
Sometimes the unexpected happens. The young wife or husband loses their spouse before their life even had time to get started. This is one of those times where you must be extra careful of what you say. While you may have mixed feelings yourself, you should ... Views: 3591
A friend of our family just lost her husband to cancer. She has several adult children who no doubt have been there for her. They helped with all the arrangements of the funeral, helped her sort through all the paper work that needed to be taken care of and kept her busy with family events. ... Views: 1220