By Tanni Haas, Ph.D. | Cotributor Death is an inherent and unavoidable part of life, but that doesn’t make it any less challenging for parents to discuss with their kids. Here are some of the best books to help you broach this important but difficult topic with your toddlers, young…
By Family Features | Contributor When someone you know loses a loved one, finding the right words can be difficult. A bit of compassion goes a long way and knowing the right thing to say matters. According to funeral professionals who guide families through loss daily, the approach matters. Here…
By Cheryl Maguire “Now I’ll never know the answer.” I’ve heard my mom say this many times since her parents passed away. Often, she has a question about a childhood memory or a possible genetic medical issue that she wishes she had asked her parents while they were still alive. After…
By Peg Conway | Contributor Everywhere we go, starting in early November, Santa Claus confronts us, and Christmas tunes envelop us. Although meant to inspire cheer and excitement, for many people these and other cues evoke dread. Our culture’s expectation that we’re all joyful during the holiday season can be…
By Sheryl Lilly Pidgeon Several years back I wrote a piece about the positive lessons we can learn from our pets. Yesterday, our sweet, funny, gregarious, loyal, beloved Labrador Retriever Aspen lost her valiant battle with cancer. So today, I offer up a few more PAWS-itive life lessons that I…
By Elizabeth Lenart | Contributor Invite Resources and St. Andrew United Methodist Church invite the community to “Coping with Loss and Grief: A Panel Discussion,” an in-person event featuring Julie Yarbrough, author of Present Comfort: Meditations on Modern Loss and Grief, and Rev. Jennifer Powell, pastor of congregational care at…
By Deborah Dobbs, MA | Contributor In A Grief Observed C.S. Lewis wrote, “Grief is like the sky. It covers everything,” and he was describing how it feels on an average day. The holiday season has a way of magnifying our grief. If you’re facing your first holiday without your…
By Dr. Dean Beckloff Grief is more than sadness – it’s pain that feels deep and hard. Sometimes it comes in tiny packages over a smaller loss, and other times it can be the overwhelming kind that is beyond pain. Grief means we’ve come to the cold, hard fact that…