Falling Leaves, Shifting Seasons, Changing Stories

Falling Leaves, Shifting Seasons, Changing Stories

Fall as a Metaphor for Grief Fall invites us to notice change. The air cools, the light fades earlier, and the trees release their leaves one by one. For many of us who are grieving, this season can feel especially tender. The outward signs of change in nature often...
The Spoon Theory of Grief

The Spoon Theory of Grief

Dr. Kenneth Doka reminds us that “there is little work more difficult than [that of] working through grief.” Doing the work of grief involves having to un-learn the patterns and rhythms that have governed our lives with our loved ones – the daily phone call to mom,...
What to Do When It Becomes Too Much

What to Do When It Becomes Too Much

“Life keeps going.” This simple phrase is one that is repeated over and over, especially when dealing with the death of a loved one. Though we would love for grief to pencil us in when it’s convenient for our schedule, that simply isn’t the case. As we know, grief can...
The Gift of Grief

The Gift of Grief

In her poem The Uses of Sorrow, Mary Oliver writes “Someone I loved once / gave me a box full of darkness. / It took me years to understand that / this, too, was a gift.” Your recent holiday season has likely been full of gifts – whether they came in the form of...