After the passing of a loved one, many people can feel burdened by grief and bereft of understanding. However, a support group can provide some much-needed relief. Often, it’s common to want to find a way to honor your loved one’s memory, as well. Social media can be an excellent platform for a loving tribute. You can reach their family and friends with ease, as well as have a space to celebrate the person’s life together. Additionally, social media gives you the ability to memorialize them in a meaningful and artful way. If you want to honor the life of a loved one on social media, he ..read more

Dear Wynonna and Ashley, I lost my momma in the same way you lost yours. When I heard Naomi passed on Saturday and read what you wrote about losing her to “Mental illness,” my heart sank for you both. That night, as I was going to bed, I said a little prayer for each of you because I remember what it was like that first night. I remember wanting that nightmare of a day to be over but also knowing that once the clock struck midnight, the day I last saw, spoke with, and touched my mom would be over as well. There would never again be any new days with her, no new memories made, no more hugs or l ..read more

  Losing a loved one to suicide is devastating. While any kind of grief is difficult to bear, grieving the loss of someone who took their own life can come with another level of pain. Along with asking yourself “why?” repeatedly, some people may feel uncomfortable reaching out to you or show less sympathy for a “self-inflicted” death. If you are denied comfort, it can lead to severe loneliness. That said, the shock, confusion, and anguish don’t have to consume you. You can begin taking practical steps today to process your grief the healthy way. The Gift of Second has provided a few tips ..read more

Living on after the passing of a loved one is incredibly difficult; dealing with finances adds to the stress, and this is especially true for the survivors of suicide victims. The Gift of Second is a place for anyone suffering from this tremendous loss to find hope, encouragement, understanding, and community. Reach out to find out more today.  Four Ways You Can Help a Grieving Widower Deal With Financial Affairs The loss of a spouse is one of the most difficult experiences to go through, and the stress to the nervous system can even increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes accordi ..read more

We sat on the front porch all night long. My youngest 2 children and my sister beside me. I still remember the thickness of the air that night. As the sun came up and I was all alone I remember the silence. It was the quietest I’ve ever heard my house but yet it was deafening. Sitting there feeling everything & nothing was the most surreal feeling I’ve ever felt. It’ll be 5 years next month and the silence is one aspect of my wife Misha’s suicide that I’ve never even gotten close to being comfortable with. Some days it’s quiet like a church mouse and other days the absolute nothing in the ..read more

I was never prepared for it to be six years post loss. With each year it has gotten easier. In fact, I rarely think of him now. Of course, there are always small things that sneak up out of nowhere. My mind and body know the anniversary of his passing is creeping up without looking at a calendar. I can literally feel it in my bones in the weeks leading up to August 14. Let’s talk about relief. No, I am not relieved he’s gone. Not that kind of relief. I am relieved to not live that dysfunctional lifestyle any more. I do not miss his drinking, the fighting, the cheating. I will never miss my wan ..read more

I work in the field of suicide prevention and postvention. Every day I work alongside colleagues doing everything they can to prevent future suicides and help in the healing process for those whom have lost a loved one. I help launch LOSS Teams all across the country. I am an author and a licensed therapist doing grief work for new survivors. I am also a two-time suicide-loss survivor myself. My professional life is all about suicide and I am passionate about it. My personal life; however, is more, well, personal. And there is a reason for that. I am a writer and have shared personal feelings ..read more

This beautiful poem was discovered by one of The Gift of Second’s readers and passed on as she felt so many of us could relate.    To Honor You To honor you, I get up everyday and take a breath. And start another day without you in it.   To honor you, I laugh and love with those who knew your smile And the way your eyes twinkled with mischief and secret knowledge.   To honor you, I take the time to appreciate everyone I love, I know now there is no guarantee of days or hours spent in their presence.   To honor you, I listen to music you would have liked, And sing at t ..read more

I was asked months ago to write a blog for this site and I tried many times but I couldn’t find the right words. That is until now. Right now it is 3am in the morning sitting in my kitchen on a snowy night. As all of us know, when you lose a love one to suicide, sleep can be sporadic, sleep can allude us. I lost my son Sean, two and half years ago, to be exact 881 days ago. He was 23 years old. Sean was a great kid. He was six foot four, blond hair, blue eyes. A tremendous athlete, a three time Academic All American, played in March Madness for the University of Delaware, a college graduate wi ..read more

In December of 1990, my mom bought four hand-crafted Christmas ornaments at a local craft-fair. Each one had our names written on it. My mom and I had matching green stocking ornaments and my dad and brother had matching red. They were part of a set and adorable as could be. We hung them on our tree that year in our brand-new home we had just moved into earlier that summer.  Just months after Christmas, my mom ended her life. My brother and I were still kids. We moved out of that big house because my dad could no longer afford it on a single-income.  When Christmas came that year, we ..read more