Search Results for: grief

Few of us escape the losses that come with aging. If we’re lucky, and we live a good long life, it’s inevitable that friends and loved ones will pass away before we do, leaving us with the turmoil and trauma that are part of the grieving process. What’s not inevitable…

By Kathleen M. Rehl, Ph.D., CFP®, CeFT® Emeritus   The last few minutes of my late husband’s life were the most intimate we ever experienced—quiet moments where words were unnecessary, replaced by the warmth of holding hands and a shared presence that spoke more deeply than language. Just a month…

By Lance A. Slatton   When a loved one is diagnosed with dementia, it presents a significant shift for both the individual and his or her family. Unlike traditional aging issues that might require help with activities of daily living (ADLs), such as dressing, bathing, or eating, dementia care requires…

English writer Virginia Woolf once wrote, “Some people go to priests; others to poetry; I to my friends.” In fact, Ms. Woolf was ahead of her time in understanding the essential importance of friendships in your life. Even more than spouses and relatives, friends are the essential relationships for our…

By Louise Applebome   Sadly, violent storms have wreaked havoc on towns and communities across this country in recent months and years. My hometown of Dallas was in the crossfire on May 28, when strong winds and rain blew through. Emergency alerts on cell phones urged residents to take shelter…

None of us leaves this world alive, and as Dame Cicely Saunders once said, “How people die remains in the memory of those who live on.” We are therefore fortunate to live in an era when the option of having a “death doula” has become more commonplace in helping individuals…