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Grief and Loss Articles

Historical Secrets to Happiness

Has the latest fad, "positive psychology," increased our happiness? Not according to a British author and cultural historian. Positive psychology, defined as "the study of optimal human functioning," has gained enormous popularity in the past decade. ... Read more... »

What is Existential Depression?

When people talk about depression, sometimes they refer to different types based upon what they think may have caused their depression. One such possible cause is existential in nature, that is, a person ends ... Read more... »

Surviving a Life Crisis

That some good can be derived from every event is a better proposition than that everything happens for the best, which it assuredly does not. —James K. Feibleman No matter how hard we wish it otherwise, ... Read more... »

Future Planning for Your Intellectually Disabled Adult Child

If you are in your mid to late 50s or older and have an intellectually disabled adult child living at home, you are part of the first generation whose disabled kids may well outlive them. ... Read more... »

The Pain of Losing Your Faith

Our faith -- whether a religious conviction, a commitment to human rights, or another set of deeply-held beliefs -- informs many of our life choices. So what happens when we lose these guiding principles? Although ... Read more... »

Grandparenting a Disabled Child

Grandparenting is a delicious second chance for nurturing a child. Chances are you looked forward to using hard-won lessons from your experience as a parent to do it better this time. Chances are you looked ... Read more... »

Coping with the Death of a Coworker

Our co-workers are very much like an extended family. We spend most of our waking hours with them, forging special bonds of trust and friendship that are unlike our other relationships. So it’s not surprising that ... Read more... »

Moving Beyond “Why Me?” in Cancer

If you have recently been diagnosed with breast cancer or any other cancer, you may be experiencing a wide variety of emotions: fear, anger, sadness, guilt, helplessness, and anxiety. You may wonder, "Why me?" Often ... Read more... »

Facing Regret in Life

"Think of regret as like looking in the rear view mirror when you're driving. To drive forward well, we often use the rear view mirror; we do need to look backwards. That doesn't mean that ... Read more... »

Reduce the Stress of a Divorce

No matter how frustrated you may have become with your partner, the decision to divorce never is an easy one. Strong emotions often arise on both sides. But there are healthy ways to cope. Making the ... Read more... »

Children and the Death of a Pet

For many children, their first real experience with loss occurs when a pet dies. When a pet dies, children need consolation, love, support, and affection more than they need complicated medical or scientific explanations. ... Read more... »

Children and Grief

When a family member dies, children react differently from adults. Preschool children usually see death as temporary and reversible, a belief reinforced by cartoon characters who die and come to life again. Children between five ... Read more... »

What is Forgiveness?

Forgiveness is letting go of the need for revenge and releasing negative thoughts of bitterness and resentment. If you are a parent, you can provide a wonderful model for your children by forgiving. If they ... Read more... »

Finding the Courage to Cry

When my mother died, a friend came up to me as I was holding myself and crying, and told me I had a lot of courage to let myself feel so bad. At the time ... Read more... »

Tips for Talking to Students About a School Shooting

During the tragedy of a school shooting, many times people are uncertain what to say or how to react to teens and young adults when faced with the enormity of the situation. People are dead. ... Read more... »

When humor goes, there goes civilization.
-- Erma Bombeck

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