The Grief & Trauma Healing Network Blog

Our grief could be compared to an overgrown garden. We know it's there, but we don't really want to face it. For a while, we might be able to put it out of our minds but it's still there getting more daunting the longer we ignore it. ‍Traditional grief work encourages...

A Step-by-Step Instruction by Anne-Marie Lockmyer On page 43 of my book, When Their World Stops: The Essential Guide to Truly Helping Anyone in Grief, I mentioned that the Blanket of Comfort a friend made for me was the best gift I could have ever received.  I...

Divorce causes grief. And it should. It is a loss of hopes, dreams and expectations you had for a marriage. There can be feelings of anger, resentment, shame, betrayal. You can feel like it is now your identity. You can be disappointed in yourself and feel others are...

I received calls from companies this week after the sudden death of Kobe Bryant. His death had a powerful impact on many employees and the companies were not sure how to respond. People can experience grief over Kobe's death even though they didn't know him and that...

The first anniversary or deathiversary of someone's passing is tough.The pain is still raw and the memories most vivid. Your grief can be strikingly reawakened and intensified. ‍All sorts of feelings may be experienced - sharpened sadness, tiredness, anxiety or...

Thanksgiving. A day meant for families, friends and traditions, great food, memories and celebration. But it sure wasn't like that for me after my husband died. That first Thanksgiving was like a knife in the heart turning round and round. I was already hurting but...

Grief is heavy enough on its own but add the holiday season to it, and it gets even worse. Most grievers dread the first holiday season after they have a lost a loved one, or even the second or third holiday season after. These are all tough times. WHY? Because: Grief...

As Mother’s Day approaches, with the blooms and freshness of springtime, we usually think about flowers, cards, serving breakfast in bed or going out for yummy brunches and lunches to celebrate. It’s a day to make our moms feel special. But not for everyone. It is...

How to Create Bright Moments in the Midst of Grief You know if you have experienced an excruciating loss, you are not the same person you were. We tend to long for those things that we can no longer have and the things that may have once brought us joy, may not any...

SOMETIMES we need to simply be there. Not to fix anything, or to do anything in particular, but just to let others feel that they are cared for and supported. That is the gift of PRESENCE! And it can be the hardest gift to give. Because we want to DO something...

My son will be missing his dad this Sunday.  Is there someone that you know that may be missing their beloved father?  Maybe this is their first Father’s Day without them.  Is there a way you could reach out to them to show them that you care...