Offering hope, comfort and support for survivors of suicide loss.
“Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don't resist them; that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like.” ― Lao TzuChange is inevitable in this life. Change after suicide is impossible to avoid. Whether we want it or not, change will occur and our lives will never be as they once were. For me, my life was forever changed on December 27th, 2011, when my father decided ...
As a survivor of a suicide loss I know the isolating feeling that accompanies the loss. People don't know what to say, so often times they don't say anything at all. Translation to the person who just lost someone to suicide: "I don't care." "Are they judging me or the person I lost?" "I am all alone." "Nobody will understand so why should I even talk about it." These beliefs often lead to isolation, and I will tell you one thing we actually ...
A couple weeks ago, I wrote about the differences between depression and grief. While depression and grief can look similar, they are not the same. I wanted to share a recent interview I gave on The Gift of Second site where I talk about complicated grief. After losing a loved one to suicide, many experience symptoms that look similar to depression as you search to find your place in a world that no longer looks familiar. For most, the ...
After the fog lifts and the finality of your loved one's death sets in, many struggle with the belief that they have become depressed. We live in a society that expects someone to "get over it" quicker than we are capable. I see many survivors of a suicide loss criticize themselves for not moving forward in the allotted time that those around them expect, leading them to question whether they have become depressed. Even clinicians who are not ...
As a grief therapist and survivor of a suicide loss I often struggle with the word acceptance. I have yet to meet another survivor who doesn't ask me about acceptance. Suicide leaves you in a state of disbelief. How did this happen? And most importantly, "How did this happen to ME?" When I am asked about acceptance, I often turn the question around, asking the person what acceptance means to them. In my opinion, acceptance means something ...
