Blog
Grief and Grief Healing, The Long Farewell
Losing someone we love to a terminal disease can be excruciating. And at the same time, having that extended time may bring unexpected blessings. https://youtu.be/Bk0pkb-ONVk Sandy Walden Master Grief Coach Master Grief Coach Certification:...
Griefs Double Burden – Navigating Stigma and Healing
Grief can feel like a double burden when someone has died in a way that society stigmatizes. They may feel shunned, as though they have no right to be sad or broken. And yet, when someone we care about dies, regardless of the circumstances, we need support. Let's talk...
Grief – The Language of Loss and Healing
Grief. The language of grief and grieving can have a profound effect on the way we feel. While this is absolutely natural and normal, it's helpful to know and really understand that we can shift some of these thoughts and feelings by becoming mindful of our language....
When the Dreaded Anniversary Nears
Guest blog by: Dawn Lauren Anderson, Master Grief Coach As I write this, in four days, it will be the second anniversary of my husband’s death. It wasn’t unexpected. But any death brings a flurry of emotion as grief’s trajectory begins its steep climb. Like the...
Grief and Grief Healing, Fog and Shock of Grief
Grief and Grief Healing. It's a lot, isn't it? Today, let's talk about fog and shock. Someone you care about has died. Do you find yourself feeling a bit fuzzy? Maybe you are having a hard time completing a sentence or holding onto a...
When We are Experiencing Grief and Grief Healing, Know, We are NOT Our Feelings!
Grieving and grief healing is complicated. Even overwhelming, at times. We might find that we are identifying ourselves with our experience, with our grief and grieving emotions. It can be very helpful to take a step back. To become clear...
Circles of Support when Grieving and Tending to Grief Healing
Grief has a way of bringing us together, or sometimes pulling us further apart. And that may be your experience with grief and grieving as well. Today, I'd like to prompt a bit more thought about this. Yes, the expected...
From Mourning to Light – 4, Free Online Grief Summit
Friends, I want to warmly invite you to an inspiring event - the upcoming free, online grief summit, From Mourning to Light. This is a precious chance to connect with your grief, find comfort, and discover hope. Gather with me and 20 wise,...
Introducing, Master Grief Coach, Reverend Kristie Figueredo
It is indeed an honor for me to introduce you to Reverend Kristie Figuerdo, Master Grief Coach. Kristie lost her son Alex to a fentanyl overdose in 2020. In fact, he transitioned in her arms. He was only 27 years...
Grieving? Listen with Your Heart
What if we simply didn't know how to support someone who is grieving? Two women, close friends who love one another. Sally had a miscarriage. The baby she already loved deeply was never to be born. She had died. Her friend Joan did her best to support Sally. Imperfect...
A Few Tips to Support During these Difficult Times of Grief and Grieving
Grieving, feeling the deepest grief. Whether it is early grief when the fog is heavy and the way forward is often hidden... or further down the path where you are finding a 'new normal'. There are times, moments, days, or sometimes longer when overwhelm visits. I have...
Gratitude – Conversations with Sandy and Manda
How does gratitude support you on your journey? Join Sandy and Manda as they discuss gratitude and how they have found it helps them as well as those with whom they work. Gratitude is so very healing. Even grief...
Navigating Grief, I Suggest Lists
Navigating grief, and walking the grief journey is complicated at the best of times. It's easy to get confused, turned around, to lose our way. Lists. Grocery lists. Hardware store lists. Lists of places I want to visit, and people I want to call. Chores that I want...
Introducing, Master Grief Coach Ashley Lyster
As a Master Grief Coach, Ashley understands profound loss and deep grief healing. ' I lost my firstborn son, Eli, to suicide on August 14, 2020. It brought me to my knees. While reading through messages in a Facebook...
Why do I Focus on Gratitude?
When grieving and experiencing deep grief, I still focus on gratitude. Namaste, Sandy Master Grief Coach Master Grief Coach Trainer Greif Healing Course Together, we walk through GRIEF, into healing. https://calendly.com/serenity-1/30min...
Coincidence or Sign?
How do you feel about coincidence? Do you think they exist? If so, what are they about? Do you believe in signs from The Divine or from our loved ones on The Other Side? If so, what has convinced you that these signs are real? My son Mike died of suicide on December...
The Mourner’s Bill of Rights
A gentleman shared this with all of us at the monthly Grief Conversation and Support Group which I facilitate. As you read through these words, I encourage you to feel them out, what feels right for you? Take that which does and share it with others, especially your...
Grief Anger and Healing
When we are experiencing grief, it's not at all unusual to feel anger. Along with other emotions, it can be complicated to say the very least. It's helpful to have the opportunity to sit with that anger and discover what...
Question and Answer series: What do I say?
Way for Hope is beginning a question and answer series of blog posts tackling some of the most immediate issues people face in the early days after suicide or other traumatic loss. Each person's experience may be different. Even within a family, grief could affect...
Evidence
Guest blog by Jan McDaniel I've always been fascinated by old photographs and films. Last Spring, when a cough was keeping me awake at night, I watched several historical documentaries. I knew the people I was seeing in black and white film on the television screen...
Vulnerability and Healing Grief
Whew, let's talk about vulnerability and healing grief. Several years ago I was part of a business networking group that met regularly. I enjoyed it tremendously and looked forward to these gatherings as they were productive and the people there genuinely cared about...
Changes
Guest blog by Jan McDaniel Suicide changes everything. Yet, not all of the changes to come are negative. Trust that the pain will soften, that life will be worth living again. Since I can’t do anything to influence the passage of time and cause these things to happen...
You’re So Strong – How does that Land while You’re Grieving?
Grieving. A heartbreaking experience for those who are going through grief. For those doing their level best to support someone with a grieving heart, I understand full well that you are not always sure just what to say. So very often, especially when feeling...
Grief and The Contract
When we are dropped into grief, we begin our own grief journey. Grief healing happens along that journey. The words you are about to read are an excerpt from my book, 'The Acorn Journal: Messages of Connection from The Other Side'. I'm sharing this because Mike has...
When Does Grief Healing Begin?
How will we know when grief healing begins? Namaste, Sandy Master Grief Coach Master Grief Coach Certification Greif Healing Course Together, we walk through GRIEF, into healing. https://calendly.com/serenity-1/30min...
‘Why’ Has Been Visiting – This Is Grief and Grieving
Going through grief and grieving, so much is experienced and it can be complicated. I've been going through some old writings, reviewing, and in some ways even reliving what my journey has been up to this point. When I came across the message below, it felt important...
Understanding Grief and Grieving
Guest blog by Jan McDaniel Information brings knowledge, knowledge brings understanding, and understanding brings peace. While it is not possible to understand everything about the complexities of suicide, it helps to know the following. Suicide crosses all...
Grief and Grief Healing – Anniversaries, Special Days and Events
Grief and Grief healing is complicated, isn't it? Let's just imagine for a moment. Perhaps a holiday is right around the corner. It may be a loved one's birthday, the anniversary of the day that they died, or maybe there is a gathering that you are invited to attend....
Grief, Grieving and The Blurt Factor
While deeply grieving and beginning my journey of grief healing I wrote about The Blurt Factor. Tthis waaaaaaaay back on February 5, 2011. It was around 7 weeks after the suicide death of my son Mike. I'm sharing it with you now, so many years later because I think...
Grief – What IS Grief?
What is grief? Grief is the feeling that we experience when we have a loss. Deep sorrow and hurt. It may be accompanied by shock, lack of focus, loss of energy, and feelings of overwhelm. We quite naturally think about feelings of grief when we experience the loss...
How can I Support Someone Grieving?
How might we best support someone grieving? That's an excellent question and I'm so glad that you asked. (wink) When someone's heart has been broken, when they are grieving, we want to help. It's human nature and let's face it, you are a really good human! The problem...
Grief Healing and The Acorn Journal: Messages from The Other Side, One Acorn at a Time…
A very important part of grief healing for me has been getting clear about the signs that my son Mike has sent from The Other Side. This message is incredibly personal. I'm sharing because this is something that I imagine all of us have dealt with or will deal with at...
Grief And A Life Well Lived
Grief and grief healing. He completed his earthly journey 5 years ago. But this isn't about his death, this is about the life that he lived so very well. My dad, or as the rest of the world knew him, Art Raith entered the world in November of 1942. Over the years I've...
Grief, How Connection Heals
This is a Guest Blog written by Jan McDaniel. LegacyConnect members sum up what they do as follows: "grief support groups & expert advice on coping with loss, writing condolences, attending funerals, mourning death and celebrating life." A sense of community and...
When Grieving, Don’t Just DO Something – Sit There
Grieving and grief healing, are exhausting, and sometimes overwhelming. We may believe that it's about taking action and 'doing the work'. A powerful part of that grief work is allowing the opportunity to feel, journal, and even meditate....
Does Their Death Bring Relief As Well As Grief?
Grief, it seems that most of us have tremendous expectations and judgment all wrapped up in grief and grieving. Let's dive into one aspect of this, the feeling of relief. I was having a conversation with someone who is very early in their grief. They are heartbroken. ...
Holidays and Other Significant Days
Tips for difficult or significant days when grieving There are days when the fog of grief is heavy, and the way forward may feel hidden. There are times, moments, days, or sometimes longer when overwhelm visits. This may be prompted by a...
Shame, Stigma, Taboo and Blame Have, No Place In Grief
Shame? Stigma? Taboo? Blame? They are NOT yours - let them go! Your precious child left this planet for reasons that you may or may not know. Even all of these years after my son died, I still don't know and have accepted that I never will during this lifetime. What...
Grief is Hard. Messy. Complicated. Make Room for Healing
Grief. It's hard. It's complicated. It's messy. And so very often there are misunderstandings. I've been thinking quite a lot lately about the times of loss and grief that I have experienced. I found myself becoming quite emotional as I considered the death of someone...
Unacknowledged Grief, Can We Heal A Relationship After Death?
Unacknowledged grief is still grief. Grief healing begins with awareness and acknowledgment of that sadness, that pain, and grief. Sometimes we might find ourselves surprised by the grief that we feel. That can make grieving something we try to deny or ignore and yet...
Fear, Deep Pain, Grief – I Didn’t Know How To Do This
At 4 am on December 18, 2010, two sheriff's deputies knocked on our front door. When I answered, one of them began with those infamous words, we regret to inform you... My youngest son, Mike was dead at the age of 23. And yes, it was by his own hand, suicide. I...
When Grieving, Live For Loved Ones AND For Ourselves
We walk this path, through grief and into healing one step at a time. It’s easier when we are accompanied by those with caring hearts. Your journey through grief and into healing is just that – YOUR journey. When you are ready to begin...
Grieving The Death Of Our Child
Grieving the death of our child is excruciating! It's unfair! It's wrong, just so very wrong. It's as though our world has been turned upside down as everything within us expects our child to outlive us. They bury us, not the other way around. To say goodbye to this...
When Grief Supporters Suggest to Us ‘Don’t Feel Bad’ – Yikes!
We want, need, and appreciate grief supporters. Those who call and show up to be our companions on this grief journey. There are times that we hear things that hurt - just plain hurt! - Don't feel bad, remember the good times. Really, why shouldn't I feel bad? The one...
Grief Still Hurts Even If You’ve Got Your Faith
Grieving and grief healing are not eliminated because we have faith in something greater than ourselves. When we are grieving...
Grief Healing Guided Meditation – Grief Healing, Step by Step
Grief and grief healing is exhausting. Is it okay to practice some self-care? Are you ready to close your eyes and spend a bit of time releasing some of the pain of grief? Is it okay to welcome grief healing? Join me. Namaste, Sandy Master...
Grief Is Natural. Grieving Is A Process
Grief is natural and grieving is a process. Grief is a noun. Sometimes I think about the word grief and I feel almost as though the word describes a thing, a place, a state of being. Grief. I wonder what it would look like if I could visualize it... You've experienced...
When Grieving, What to Do with Anger and Frustration?
Grieving and grief healing, oh my. The pain of grief is real and deep it seems as though grieving should be all about...
Grief Changes But Does Not End Us
Grief changes us but does not end us. How does that sentence land for you? I doubt that any of us would choose to be walking the path through grief and into healing. And yet, life happens. More correctly, I should say that death happens. And there we are, smack dab in...
When Grieving, Become the Observer
On December 17, 2010, my son Mike ended his life on this planet. Yes, he died of suicide. And so began my journey of walking the path of grief into healing. Now this walk is not one that any of us have chosen. Many were hurled here without warning, those that did have...
Suicide Grief, Why, Their Suicide Death IS NOT Your Fault
Suicide grief. Complicated doesn't begin to express the experience, the thoughts feelings, the questions, and the guilt. So...