Posts Tagged ‘grief’
The Way Out of Psychic Numbing
“The Oakland fire happened basically right in my backyard,” my friend and co-doctorate-student Helena told me as we were waiting for class to begin. “And while it was so horrible,” she dropped her voice to a whisper, “I haven’t really felt anything about it. Maybe I would if I knew the people who were inside.…
Surviving the Season: Dealing with Grief During the Holidays
Sleigh bells ring, are you listening? Or are you cringing? The holidays are upon us and along with the shopping, singing carols, and drinking eggnog often come feelings of loneliness and grief. For many people the holiday season is fraught with anxiety, frustration and sadness. I see many in my practice who dread December as…
Working While Outraged
It’s only been two weeks, y’all. For me, at this point, the intensity of my own outrage is in conflict with my rationalization that we’re in a very long game. To be honest, it’s draining. Even though I’m talking about the Trumpocalypse (and yes, assuming that most readers here share my political leanings), “outrage” may…
The Mourning After, Part II: Grieving a Disturbed or Absent Mother’s Death
When your mother dies before you have a chance to heal from the wounds of childhood, it feels far from a short-lived and surmountable bereavement. You can feel sucked into a depression that seems endless and repeating, and hard to shake. In every new relationship or opportunity, there always seems to be something missing. You…
The Mourning After, Part I: Grief after Mother’s Day
If you’ve read any of my previous writing, you will know I have a great reverence for the unconscious. It shows up again today, having accidentally chosen May 9, 2016, as my publication date – the day after Mother’s Day. This may seem on the surface to have all the depth of a Hallmark card,…
Interview with Adriana Marchione: Using Art to Heal Grief
Art is an important part of healing. Read about documentary film maker, Adriana Marchione’s personal story of loss and her amazing film, When the Fall Comes.
Narcissism and the American Dream: What Donald Trump’s Presidential Candidacy Reveals about Us.
It’s the year 1985 and the self-proclaimed “richest and most powerful man in America” has arisen in the nation’s spotlight as an example of the pinnacle of American greatness. He resides in an opulent 27 story Vegas-style Casino, fashioned with his name and face emblazoned in brilliant lighting. He sits on a golden throne-like chair in…
The Gift of Loss
Loss can feel like a cruel teacher. It not only points to the holes in your life, but also the other holes that never feel like they will be filled. You can feel as if you are losing a part of yourself, your history, and your security. There are so many ways we have losses…
In and Out of the Void: Pixar’s “Inside Out” as a Map of Depression
[Movie totally spoiled herein: don’t read if you have not yet seen it!] Pixar’s “Inside Out” is so remarkable to my therapist’s eye because it really got the human mind right (which Linda McCabe’s article addresses), particularly in presenting a depiction and map of how depression happens, and what is depression’s cure. It was also…
Notes from a Survivor: The Aftermath of a Suicide
How do those left behind survive a family member’s suicide?
Flirting to Stay Alive!
Faced with the mortality of someone we love, or in the face of ongoing and imminent grief, sometimes, we learn to cope by flirting…with life.
The River of Grief: Pain That Teaches
Most of us are not very good at grieving. We deny loss, we judge emotions, we fear getting lost or stuck, or “wallowing,” or we fear judgment or unsupportiveness from others. Maybe it’s the legacy of eons of human history in which we were so exposed to disease, social chaos, natural disasters, psychological trauma, and…