This deeply moving, but ultimately uplifting picture book follows the psychological and emotional journey of Carla van Laar after the death of her three-year-old son, Vaughn. In the form of a visual and written journal, Carla's exploration of her own grief is saturated with honesty, and a depth of feeling that will generate new understandings of maternal bereavement. The book includes reflective notes that provide practical suggestions for using the book in classrooms, workshops and groups to create soulful conversations and activities about trauma and loss. "The journey I have documented is one of personal grief, creativity and transformation. The story of transforming loss, however, is relevant not only to bereaved mothers, but to people learning to live with other life-changing losses and trauma. I encourage you, the reader, to engage with the images, text and reflective notes in this book - guided by your own creativity, courage and compassion."

Practical supportive advice for bereaved parents and the professionals who work with them, based on the experiences of psychiatric and religious counselors. FROM THE INTRODUCTION: “Certainly, in the early days after our son died, no one could have patted us on the our heads and convinced us everything would be all right. Nor will this book do that for you. It will, with the help of parents who have successfully coped and professional people who work with bereavement, offer guidelines and practical step-by-step suggestions to aid you.”

Reassurance for parents who struggle with anger, guilt, and despair after a miscarriage, stillbirth, infant death.

A compassionate resource for friends, parents, relatives, teachers, volunteers, and caregivers, this series offers suggestions to help the grieving cope with the loss of a loved one. Often people do not know what to say—or what not to say—to someone they know who is mourning; this series teaches that the most important thing a person can do is listen, have compassion, be there for support, and do something helpful. This volume addresses what to expect from grieving young people, and how to provide safe outlets for children to express emotion. Included in each book are tested, sensitive ideas for “carpe diem” actions that people can take right this minute—while still remaining supportive and honoring the mourner’s loss.

Advice from One Grieving Mom to Others When Kim’s three-year-old son tragically passed away, she found plenty of resources on grieving. She says what she really needed, though, "was someone who would give me advice for living, not just grieving . . . How do I get through the grocery store without crying? What do I do with my son’s things? When will my mind stop replaying the emergency room scene?" Now, ten years later, she’s written that book. With raw vulnerability, a deep well of wisdom, and the practical knowledge of someone who’s been there, she walks grieving moms through the life-after-death process from how to plan the funeral to how to deal with friends, family, holidays, and birthdays. This is a profound and powerful resource that’s invaluable for the mom who has lost a child—and for her friends and family who want to love her well.

A Broken Heart Still Beats Softcover

What do you do when your father dies by suicide while you are in the hospital awaiting the birth of your triplets? What do you do when you can't attend your father's funeral because physician orders include complete bed rest? What do you do when you realize that you experienced a devastating loss and that you are not alone in that experience? You write a book and dedicate your life to helping others affected by suicide! Barbara Rubel's fictional characters in But I Didn't Say Goodbye are a compilation of what individuals may experience throughout their lifetime as a suicide loss survivor. But I Didn't Say Goodbye: Helping Families After a Suicide tells the story, from the perspective of an eleven-year-old boy, Alex, and his family, as they are rocked by suicide and reeling from the aftermath. Through Alex's eyes, the reader will see the transformation of feelings after going through a death by suicide. New to the third edition, each chapter ends with Alex reflecting 10 years later on his experience, introducing family members and friends in his recollections. Barbara Rubel has combined our modern academic theories of grieving, and the research that supports those theories, and then translated them into a readable story for anyone bereaved by suicide. The revised edition is an evidence-informed and contemporary treatment of a devastating form of loss that uses the artful device of a hypothetical case study to render it in human terms. Through the story, the reader will understand what losing someone to suicide might be like for a family, how to make meaning in the loss, and ways to experience personal growth. This self-help book was revised to provide guidance and education for clinicians (e.g., mental health providers, social workers, psychologists, school counselors, and case managers) and families to help suicide loss survivors. Part 1 offers a basic understanding of suicide postvention, suicide loss survivors, complicated grief, mourning theories, the American death system, and the impact on clinician survivors. Chapters have been substantially updated, based on mourning models and the latest research. The chapters in Part 2 build upon one another sequentially, from the day of the suicide to the anniversary of the death. At the end of each chapter, there are follow-up questions to explore in counseling sessions, support groups, therapy sessions, or at home. Also, at the end of each chapter, Alex, at the age of 21, reflects back on how his father's death by suicide has changed his life, wounding him, but also helping him to grow.