One of the more disorienting parts of adulthood is realizing that maturity gives you perspective you simply did not have as a child. Many people grow up believing their family dynamics were normal because, for them, those dynamics were normal. Children adapt to the emotional environments they are raised in. They learn what gets approval, … Continue reading Sometimes Adult Children Stop Trying to Be Understood by Their Parents
For many years, grief was often described as a process of letting go. The message, sometimes spoken and sometimes implied, was that healing meant detaching from the person who died in order to move forward. For many grieving people, that idea never quite fit. The love did not disappear, and neither did the relationship. Continuing … Continue reading Continuing Bonds: Staying Connected After Loss
A framework for understanding the work of grief Many people worry about whether they are “grieving correctly.” They wonder if they are stuck, behind, or doing something wrong because the pain hasn’t eased the way they expected. John Worden’s Tasks of Mourning offers a helpful reframe. Instead of seeing grief as a set of stages … Continue reading Worden’s Tasks of Mourning:
National Grief Awareness Week arrives each year as a reminder of something most people walk through quietly. For many, grief lives underneath everyday life, shaping how they move, what they notice, and how they connect with others. In my work with families who have lost a child suddenly and without warning, grief is not an … Continue reading National Grief Awareness Week: What It Means To Me
A gentle look at the five stages, how they actually show up, and why the model is both helpful and misunderstood The five stages of grief are something most of us hear about long before we ever experience a loss that cracks us open. The words float around in conversations, books, movies, and social media … Continue reading Understanding the Kübler-Ross Model in Real Life
As Thanksgiving approaches, many people focus on being thankful. We hear it in conversations, around the table, and throughout the season. There is another idea that reaches deeper: gratitude. While the two sound similar, understanding the difference can support emotional wellbeing during a time of year that can feel both meaningful and heavy. Thankfulness vs. … Continue reading Gratitude During Thanksgiving
Grief is a deeply personal experience, yet it is something every human will encounter. When someone important to us dies, the world changes in ways that often feel disorienting, emotional, and sometimes impossible to put into words. Many people search for something that helps them understand what they are feeling. Over the years, several grief … Continue reading Understanding Grief: A Gentle Introduction to the Theories That Shape How We Heal
Amanda Brindle, LCSW 