Newsletters & Articles

---

From the Desk of Father Rubey
3 days ago by Father Ruby

During the month of October we celebrate two rather different events in our history. The first one is Columbus Day when we celebrate the man who discovered America.

Restoring Family Stability after a Suicide
3 days ago by Cynthia Waderlow MSE, LCSW

Every family has various needs for structure. As they grow, families will create the rules and routines that support their ability to function. We know that families have different resources and various amounts of structure supporting day-to-day living, but if they have inadequate structure and routine for too long there can be emotional and behavioral reactions.

From the Desk of Jessica Mead
Friday, April 01, 2016 by Jessica Mead

“We humans are social beings. We come into the world as the result of others’ actions. We survive here in dependence on others. Whether we like it or not, there is hardly a moment of our lives when we do not benefit from others’ activities. For this reason it is hardly surprising that most of our happiness arises in the context of our relationships with others.” –Dalai Lama – 

Attending to Family Grief
Friday, April 01, 2016 by Cynthia Waderlow MSE, LCSW

Grief really is a family process.  It is private, but also influenced by and shared with family members.  When families use our LOSS Program for Children and Youth we meet unique configurations of individuals that are differentiated by birth order, temperament and personality, gender and age, family role and relationship with the person who died.   After a suicide the caregiver or parent is faced with a sense of need on the part of all of her children at once; yet each one may be presenting differently.  And there is a range of grief responses among children as well as adults that are influenced by developmental stage as well as the attributes I’ve mentioned.  So, how do you attend to the different needs of your bereaved children?  They are watching you in your grief, and you are setting an example for authenticity, hopefulness and the ability to compartmentalize your emotions as your care for those who depend on you.  You begin the process of rebuilding your family by questioning and attending to each child’s loss needs and developmental tasks.  You can reflect to each child what you see and hear as they respond to their loss, and also model self-care, and valuing of genuine grief expression.