Understanding Grief
Finding Strength and Resilience After Loss
After a major loss, it’s normal to find it hard to function for at least a short amount of time afterward. But even the most devastating loss can be an occasion for growth. For some people, the path towards resilience comes easily—usually people who both already had an optimistic mindset and who don’t see their…
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When Will I Get Better After a Loss?
We like to fix things, including ourselves. If you’ve recently experienced a loss, you might be wondering when you’ll feel “normal” again. There is a short and long answer to this question: Research does show that most people start to see ‘acute grief’ symptoms decrease around the six-month mark after their loved one’s death. The…
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What to Expect When Caring for a Parent
Nothing truly prepares you for caregiving. And when you become a caregiver for a parent, your life can feel far from normal. One of the last things you thought you might be doing was putting your life on hold to put your parent first. But when your parent is aging, losing their cognitive or physical…
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Understanding Loss & Grief as a Caregiver
Being there for a loved one when they need us is a matter of both privilege and overwhelm. It feels rewarding to be able to serve your loved ones, but the role of a caregiver can often feel like an emotional rollercoaster. Caregiving can be isolating or demanding, straining on your limited resources (financial or…
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If you make good choices, bad things won’t happen
One of the more insidious parts of our culture is a tendency to view almost everything as a result of our choices. For example, when good things happen to you, it means you made good choices… but when bad things happen, it’s your fault too. Everyone knows that bad choices can sometimes have consequences. But…
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Grief and the Overachiever
One of the hardest things when writing about grief is that everyone’s experience of grief is so different, and depend on everything from the person’s temperament, life situation and their relationship with the person who died. If you’re used to excelling in life, however, grief can pose some specific challenges might not be as troubling…
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