After we lost our son, we had no idea what we wanted to do in the way of a memorial/grave for his ashes/ or ??? We sold our house, figured out how to retire early, and spent a few months wandering around the city we had relocated to (with our son) and had found little […] The post Music In the Cemetery appeared first on Alliance of Hope for Suicide Loss Survivors ..read more

“You will not always hurt like this.” These words are true. If they do not reach your heart today, do not reject them: keep them in your mind. One morning – not tomorrow perhaps, but the day after tomorrow, or the month after next month. One morning, the dawn will wake you with the inconceivable […] The post Note to Self and for Those Who Need to Read This Today! appeared first on Alliance of Hope for Suicide Loss Survivors ..read more

Is suicide selfish? It’s a question I am asked frequently in my work as a trusted advisor within the military and veteran community. This question was posed to me during media interviews following the news of the tragic deaths of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain. “Suicide undoubtedly leaves behind a trail of devastation, profoundly affecting […] The post Is Suicide Selfish? Understanding the Suicidal Mind appeared first on Alliance of Hope for Suicide Loss Survivors ..read more

Sometimes I cannot believe I am almost through the second year of grieving the loss of my handsome, clever, funny, first born son, Matthew. I went to a Buddhist day retreat seeking peace. Throughout the first year, I felt as if I was clinging onto the edge of my life, submerged in grief, my thoughts […] The post Survivor Experience: Closing In On Two Years appeared first on Alliance of Hope for Suicide Loss Survivors ..read more

Ignorance is bliss … so they say. You don’t know … till you know. After being thrust into tragedy, a whole new world of knowledge opened up for me. Knowledge I, in some ways, wish I was still blissfully ignorant of. But knowledge that opened up my eyes, nonetheless. I finally understood the shallowness of […] The post The Things I Understood After Grief appeared first on Alliance of Hope for Suicide Loss Survivors ..read more

WHY STAYING CONNECTED WITH A LOST LOVED ONE IS A HEALTHY WAY TO GRIEVE In the acclaimed Netflix comedy series After Life, Ricky Gervais plays Tony, a widower consumed by his grief following the death of his wife. Tony makes it his mission to alienate his friends and family but strikes up an unlikely friendship […] The post 5 Tips for Continuing Bonds with People We’ve Lost appeared first on Alliance of Hope for Suicide Loss Survivors ..read more

During February, we celebrate Valentine’s Day. That can be a very painful day for people grieving the suicide of a loved one. Survivors often express that there was tremendous love between them and their loved one who died by suicide. They sometimes question why their love was not enough to keep their loved one alive. […] The post From the Desk of Father Rubey: They Were Loved appeared first on Alliance of Hope for Suicide Loss Survivors ..read more

“His disease killed him as surely as breast cancer killed my college roommate, as mercilessly as a heart attack killed a good friend.” He was here only moments ago, and yet, it’s been an eternity since he’s been gone. My husband died six months ago as of this writing, and some part of me still […] The post Along the Way – 6 Months: “I Love You Now and Forever” appeared first on Alliance of Hope for Suicide Loss Survivors ..read more

Asking “Why did my loved one do this?” is the question that haunts most survivors of suicide. The outside world demands to know from us, yet we don’t know ourselves. For some of us, there were definite clues that our loved ones were depressed or that something was wrong. We either knew that they were […] The post Asking the Question Why? appeared first on Alliance of Hope for Suicide Loss Survivors ..read more

When survivors of loss resolve to make some meaningful contribution, their path begins to alter. Last week, one of our forum members posed a question that we’ve all asked at one time or another: “How the heck do I get through this and come out the other side? How will I ever heal?” The member […] The post Making a Difference: Emotional Healing After Loss appeared first on Alliance of Hope for Suicide Loss Survivors ..read more