Offering hope, comfort and support for survivors of suicide loss.
I wanted to share the opening letter from the August LOSS (Loving Outreach to Survivors of Suicide) support group newsletter. It hit home with me as I know it was difficult for me to see other people around me move on pretty fast after my Dad died. I thought others might be able to benefit from this reflection about moving on after losing a loved one to suicide. I remember how upset I'd be when people would say, weeks and months after my Dad's ...
This weekend marks two years since my dad took his life. Once again, I find myself saying, “I can’t believe how quickly the time has passed.” And, like most, I still have trouble believing that I am actually a survivor of suicide, living in continued disbelief that my dad made this decision. Like Lindsay just wrote, it’s been a week of bittersweet celebration for us. After a year on the market, my mom was able to sell our family home, opting to ...
In July at the Loving Outreach to Survivors of Suicide (LOSS) Young Adult meeting, I met a wonderful women named Kathleen who recently lost her sister to suicide. As Becky and I were discussing the recent launch of this blog with the rest of the group members, Kathleen asked if she could tell her story:
"My survivor story started on Saturday, May 18, 2013, when my sister succumbed to her life-long battle with bipolar disorder and suicide. I ...
This past weekend I had another “bittersweet celebration,” an event that was very exciting, but was bittersweet because my Dad wasn’t there to help us celebrate. My brother graduated college in May, and our old neighbors (some of my Dad’s best friends) threw a graduation party for him. It was such an awesome gesture, but it stung knowing that the reason they threw the party is because my Dad isn’t alive to throw the party himself.
Going to the ...
Recently, I was asked to participate in a radio panel discussion around the topic of suicide, including the way it's discussed in society and addressed by the media. A recording of my segment is now available - listen here. I first want to thank the host and producers of "The Afternoon Shift" on WBEZ 91.5 Chicago, for taking an interest in the topic of suicide. It is truly refreshing to see the media addressing a topic that has been silenced for ...
