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New Year's Resolution for Grieving

New Year’s Resolutions for Grieving

by Connie DeKrey, BSW, LSW, CT This time of year, we are inundated by the media with suggestions for changes we can make to greatly improve our lives in the new year. Talk shows tout weight loss strategies sure to trim us, magazines promote products and plans to perfectly organize our spaces, fitness gurus guide us to exercise nirvana, and...

Finding Peace for You and Your Child

The following is an excerpt from, The Journey Through Grief and Loss: Helping Yourself and Your Child When Grief Is Shared (St. Martin’s Press), by Robert Zucker. Published with permission. Learning to move forward after loss is more about finding peace than about establishing closure. Perhaps, as you read this, the crisis in your life seems to have subsided a...

Helping Your Parents Deal with Loss

By Janna Kontz My Dad was an amazing man. He had an eighth-grade education, but he never allowed that to hold him back. He was incredibly intelligent and loved to be challenged by things like serving on the school board and church council and being District Governor of the Lions. He was great at math and helped all of...
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Honoring Our Relationships: The Simplicity of Legacy

By Connie DeKrey, Bereavement Specialist “He served on the honor guard…” “Would you do me the honor of…” “Honor thy father and mother…” We hear the word “honor” used from time to time, and it usually pertains to something significant—an event or emotion. It can also be used to show high regard for a relationship. In this article, I have offered some thoughts...

Hospice Youth Journeys: Helping Kids Navigate through Grief & Uncertainty

Through creativity and imagery, Hospice of the Red River Valley Chaplain Tom Holtey shapes a safe and warm environment for youth to explore their grief emotions during Youth Journeys, a day-long grief workshop offered by Hospice of the Red River Valley for young people, ages 6-18, who have experienced the death of a loved one. “I’ve been with Hospice for...

A Child’s Understanding of Death & Grief: Age Matters

by Kriston Wenzel, LSW, CT From the very moment we enter this world, we are exposed to new people, things and experiences. Life is new—every day. And for most of us, when life is lost, that’s new too. No matter the age, the loss can evoke feelings of sadness, helplessness and even anger. But for children in particular, the loss of...

5 Ways to Help Children and Teens Grieve

By Kriston Wenzel, LSW, bereavement specialist As adults, we often don’t know how to process and work through our own grief; it’s common to feel even more helpless when consoling a child or teen. The grieving process is unique to each of us; however, children and teens grieve differently than adults. Youth may not be able to express or even...

Top 5 Common Myths of Grief

by Jennifer Messelt, bereavement specialist If you’ve grieved the death of a loved one, you know grief is complex. There’s no way around it. Did you feel societal expectations about the “right” way to grieve? Did you ever feel like you were grieving “wrong?” Our culture’s discomfort with grief has created many myths and misunderstandings, often inhibiting those who are...

Coping With the Grief of Sudden Death

By Kriston Wenzel, LSW, bereavement specialist As a bereavement specialist at Hospice of the Red River Valley, I facilitate support groups. The support groups vary from our teen/kid groups, to general grief groups, to grief groups for widows. As a facilitator, I am always in awe of the honesty and emotion shared by those who attend the groups. A topic of...

Coping With Grief During the Holidays: Resources for the Grieving, Tips for Everyone

Traditionally, the holidays are a time of joy, laughter, sparkle, glitter and celebrations shared with family and friends. But for individuals who are grieving the loss of a loved one, the holidays can be difficult, bringing about feelings of anxiety, sadness and emptiness. As the holidays approach, it may be helpful to think about how to take care of yourself...