Have you ever dreamed of someone who died? “Grief dreams” (dreams of the deceased) have not been extensively studied, yet what research exists shows they are common. 53-75% (Black et al. 2019) of recently surveyed bereaved individuals had one or more dreams about someone important to them who has passed away; they reported both positive and negative dream imagery, but overwhelming appreciated and felt helped by the dreams. Even reliving trauma related to the death seemed to have a positive impact in most cases, helping the dreamer to process and incorporate the loss ..read more

Losing a friend can be a shattering event, one that we will likely experience more than once over the course of our lives. Because friends can take on multiple roles in one relationship (how often have we heard, "She was my best friend, but she was also like a mother/mentor/sister to me"?), we can feel this loss experientially on many different levels.  We may be surprised at the depth and strength of our feelings and be uncertain about how to move forward and begin to cope after a friend dies ..read more

On the anniversary of A’s passing, I found myself sitting on a blanket facing the beautiful white cross that marks the sacred ground that now holds his body. He is buried on a mountain, in a quiet and peaceful space surrounded by tall trees about an hour away from the city I live in. On that morning, the sun was warm and the leaves were swaying softly in the wind around me and I felt profoundly grateful for the physical proximity I felt to A’s earthly body ..read more

Grief can feel like such a singular experience and while it is undoubtedly unique for each person, it does not need to be carried alone. In the immediate aftermath of a devastating loss, it may feel as though our life is irrevocably changed while the world keeps turning. Added to this, we may encounter unrealistic expectations from others, usually around how much time it will take for us to return to certain parts of our lives. This can make for an isolating experience, which is why having support to counteract this is key. One form of support is that of peers who have experienced loss too. Wh ..read more

As human beings we often judge ourselves harshly, even in the aftermath of profound loss. Instead of kindness we offer ourselves criticism thinking this will somehow spur us toward letting go of the grief that weighs upon us like a too-heavy coat. But it does not – instead it makes it harder to move forward with our grief ..read more