By Elaine Voci, Ph.D. The sky was a bright blue overhead, and the sun shone gloriously on the campus grounds as I walked slowly...
By Elaine Voci, Ph.D. The sky was a bright blue overhead, and the sun shone gloriously on the campus grounds as I walked slowly...
When a loved one dies, we look for the perfect way to honor their life. We also want to give those left behind a way to say goodbye. Traditionally, society has turned to funeral services that are based on religious or cultural traditions as a way to pay tribute. But times change. As the world […]
My first funeral was in 2015 when I lost my grandmother. Not only was this my first funeral it was also my first real loss of a family member. I had to travel the next day from my boarding school in MA to Boston and then onto Pittsburg where the funeral was being held. While […]
If you have ever lost a pet, then you know how difficult it can be. For many people, the grief can be as intense as that experienced when losing a family member. As a friend or loved one, it can be hard to know what to say or do to help someone who is experiencing […]
When someone you care about loses a beloved pet, you want to be there to offer support. Finding the right words can be challenging. Of course, you don’t want to add to the pain your friend or loved one is feeling, but it’s easy to fall into the trap of offering clichés or platitudes. It’s […]
When it comes to modern-day funerals and memorial services you have many options. In fact, you can design exactly the ceremony you or your loved one wants. The trouble is, the process of creating such an important celebration of someone’s life can be overwhelming–especially if you are planning the ceremony while you are grieving. To […]
Death. Now that’s something we all have in common! Sooner or later we will all experience it. What we don’t necessarily share is the way we look at it. Most of us don’t like to think about it at all, much less talk about it. We just want to wait death out and then pass […]
Losing a pet can be a complicated and traumatic experience. Your grief may be complicated by the fact that those you come in contact do not understand the intensity of the pain you are feeling. You should never feel bad because you miss your pet! Our Coping with the Loss of a Pet page has […]
It has been said that the worst thing about having pets is that they don’t live long enough. If you have lost a pet, then you will certainly agree. Unfortunately, the chances are pretty good that if you have pets, you will have to say goodbye to that trusted friend at some point. Memorializing your […]
When you experience the loss of a pet, spiritual writings can be helpful in offering comfort. Writing can offer comfort, whether it is a reference from a revered holy book such as the bible or an original prayer. They put what we are feeling into words and remind us that our faith is there when […]