by Janel Ruby, LBSW Does it feel like overnight the world as you know it has changed? If it does, you aren’t alone. Trying to balance the recommended guidelines for social distancing while grieving can be daunting. Does your daily life look different right now? Yes. Will this go on indefinitely? No. Taking good care …
by Janna Kontz, MDiv William Kent Krueger writes in “Ordinary Grace:” “I had been to visitations before and have been to many since and I’ve come to understand that there’s a good deal of value in the ritual accompanying death. It’s hard to say goodbye and almost impossible to accomplish this alone and ritual is …
by Heather Larson, LSW, CT You sit down with a deep sigh and soak up the few minutes of quiet and calm that are a rarity these days. Your mind has a harder time slowing down than your body. You may worry about your loved one getting hurt or lost, or whether they are receiving …
by Janel Ruby, LBSW, & Janna Kontz, MDiv We will all experience grief at some point in our lives. At its best, grieving is complicated. We may feel a variety of emotions when something in our lives has changed, been lost or has come to an end. It may be the death of someone important …
by Jennifer Messelt, LMSW, LGSW In my 14 years as grief specialist at Hospice of the Red River Valley, I’ve sat across from many grieving spouses. It’s been a privilege and honor to journey alongside them during their first year of grief. Through these interactions, I have learned about the grief reactions bereaved spouses have …
by Jennifer Messelt, LMSW, LGSW After a loved one has died, you may feel like you are consumed by your grief—and often loneliness—especially if you had a close relationship with the person who died. Even though you may be surrounded by others, the physical and emotional void left by the person’s death may be accompanied …
by Connie DeKrey, LBSW, CT As long as I can remember, music was a part of my life. My parents, during their rare moments of rest, would serenade us with accordion or pump organ. I learned to harmonize while hearing country music on the local radio station. And I fondly recall sitting beside my father …
by Connie DeKrey, LBSW, CT When I was a very small child, the favorite gift I received at Christmas was my first set of Play-Doh. Naturally I was drawn to the brightly colored lids atop enticing yellow cans. But oh, then to open them, revealing the soft, malleable mass of possibilities! I would occupy myself …
by Connie DeKrey, LBSW, CT The role of expressive arts in helping individuals move through their journey of grief is an idea that has always excited me. I have witnessed so many examples not only in my work as a bereavement specialist, but also in my personal life. While the concept of working through one’s …
by Kriston Wenzel, LBSW, CT Helping children and young adults face life challenges can be difficult, and adding a death to the mix makes it even more complicated. Communication is one of the most effective ways to help children through hard situations. Throughout my years of experience as a Hospice grief specialist, I’ve had a …
