Offering hope, comfort and support for survivors of suicide loss.
I’ve been thinking a lot about hope recently and wrestling with the thought that it’s no longer as prevalent in my life as it used to be. I feel like I have been grasping for things to feel hopeful about but falling flat. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it but challenged myself with internal reflection and conversations with my grief therapist to determine where this was all coming from, more than five years after my dad’s death.
I want to ...
Recently, a friend of mine experienced a suicide loss. This was the first time that I had someone close to me lose someone in the same manner that I lost my dad. While I am constantly entrenched in suicide both personally and professionally something made this loss different. It hit close to home. A dear friend of mine called to tell me the news asking, "What can I do?" For the first time, I was at a loss. I thought about it and told her, ...
If there’s one thing this holiday season confirmed for me, it’s that Christmastime is forever changed in my book after having lost my dad to suicide. We all know the loss of a loved one impacts our emotions and even longstanding traditions. But, in addition to simply missing my dad this time of year, I’ve come to learn his death has a lingering and significant halo effect on my view of Christmas and New Year’s Eve.
For the past few years, I’ve ...
New Years after losing a loved one to suicide can be difficult for survivors. New Years is supposed to be a time of happiness and hope. Year after year I listen to people as they talk about what they plan to do to make this year better than the last. The gym is filled with new faces, as people pour in, promising to live a healthier lifestyle. New goals are set, projects are planned, and promises are made. When I think about it, New Years ...
Five years ago (and for the entirety of my life before that point), I never would have thought that a loved one would die by suicide. I just didn’t think it would be in the realm of possibility, let alone for the head of our family. Since then, I have lived in a constant fear of losing someone suddenly again that way. Losing a loved one to suicide has left me with an unfortunate and somewhat debilitating paranoia I have to work very hard to ...
