By Allyson Drake Experiencing grief can bring about many challenges in our lives, such as overcoming intense emotional pain, returning to work and personal responsibilities, adjusting to numerous changes in our daily lives, dealing with shifts in relationships with family and friends, worrying about stressors such as financial concerns or future plans, and facing the…
Read MoreBy Ashley Nowell I have found myself wrestling even struggling with the concept of time especially as it relates to grief and loss. As we approach the two-year anniversary of my son Calaeb’s passing, I find myself consumed by fear. Fearful that time can move so quickly. Fearful that with each year that passes the…
Read MoreWendy Boggs, MS/G Full Circle Intern This Fall, I had the honor of facilitating a book-based support group using Megan Devine’s book, “It’s OK that You’re Not Ok,” as our proverbial north star. Each week, the group of women who participated in our discussions astounded me with their insightful and vulnerable discussions, with topics and…
Read MoreTip One: For anyone dealing with the death of a loved one, the holidays can be a time of sadness, dread, or pain. It can be difficult to cope, especially when you see the sights and sounds of holiday happiness all around you. One of the best things you can do is give yourself permission to…
Read MoreBy: Rachel Gaffin, Full Circle Intern When I was seventeen, one of my best friends died in a car crash. Two years older than me, Julia was someone I always looked up to; we bonded in a French class and quickly discovered a shared love for Chipotle, a really good belly laugh, and long conversations…
Read MoreBy: Allyson England Drake, M.Ed, CT Dia de los Muertos, also known as “Day of the Dead” is a holiday that is celebrated all over the world on November 1st and 2nd each year. This Mexican holiday is full of traditions and ways to honor our deceased loved ones. Dia de los Muertos celebrates both…
Read MoreBy: Jenny Bliley, LCSW, Bliley’s Funeral Home, Guest Blogger “Sometimes love is for a moment, Sometimes love is for a lifetime, Sometimes a moment is a lifetime.” Over thirty years ago, Bliley Funeral Home created a memorial service called Interment of Angels for families who experience a miscarriage or stillborn loss. The service was originally…
Read MoreBy: Shannon O’Neill, Guest Blogger In the last year and a half, I have lost two of the most important people in my life — my husband and my mother. Not long after my husband Daryl died in October 2020, I started an open letter to him. It’s titled “Happy Anniversary,” because I started it…
Read MoreBy: Rachel Machacek, LCSW When talking about self care in grief, yoga and meditation are excellent (and research-backed) strategies for grounding and stabilizing, especially when grief feels like a high speed roller coaster, whipping us around with no end of the ride in sight. It’s a whole body-mind-spirit experience that often takes us out of…
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