with Marcia Epstein, LMSW
M.Epstein.LMSW@gmail.com
Lawrence, Kansas, USA

Because of my extensive work with suicide grief, I realize that few of us have learned what healthy grief looks like.

Grief is natural.

All beings will die. We will either outlive, or be outlived by, every being we love.

Grief is not an illness to be cured.

There are no stages, timetables, or closure.

Grief is Love.

Grief is multi-layered. We have grief for the person or animal we love and/or respect, who is no longer alive. We are shattered until we bring ourselves back together in a new, but not less than, way. And our future has changed.

Just as each of our relationships is unique, our grief is unique.

Grief may include learning hard things about our person that we did not know while they were alive.

It may include re-structuring our own life in major ways, if we have been a primary caretaker for the person who died. It may include relief.

Grief is an “And Also.” We are not impacted in only one way. We can feel profound sadness as well as gratitude that our lives had intersected.

Grief is Love.


SOME GRIEF RESOURCES
Note: Resources specific to suicide grief are at Suicide Grief Support
https://marciaepstein.biz/counseling-services/suicide-bereavement-support/

To help people learn how to be supportive of someone who is grieving:
1) From Megan Devine, on social media as @Refuge In Grief, “How Do You Help A Grieving Friend?”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2zLCCRT-nE

About Grief:

Center for Loss and Life Transition
Alan Wolfelt
www.centerforloss.com

Compassionate Friends
Support for parents & other family member of children of any age, who died by any cause
https://www.compassionatefriends.org/

Donna Ashworth Poetry
https://donnaashworth.com/poems-quotes/

Dougy Center: The National Grief Center for Children and Families
www.dougy.org

Grief.com
David Kessler
https://grief.com

Grief Yoga by Paul Denniston
https://griefyoga.com/

For Grievers who have Alzheimer’s
~ https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/get-support/help-dementia-care/supporting-person-dementia-during-bereavement
~ https://pathwayshealth.org/dementia-care/dementia-patients-and-grief/

Grieving Beloved Pet(s)
~ Center for Loss and Life Transition
“When Your Pet Dies: The Six Needs of Mourning”
by Alan J. Wolfelt, PhD
https://www.centerforloss.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/MM_2021_12_v2-Wolfelt.pdf
~ Heal Grief Online Pet Memorial Site
https://healgrief.org/pets-count-too/
~ Lap of Love Veterinary Hospice & In-Home Euthanasia
Helpful info on their website & services in many areas
https://www.lapoflove.com/
~ Paws Chicago, Coping With Pet Loss
https://www.pawschicago.org/news-resources/resources/coping-with-pet-loss
~ Pet Loss and Grief info from Kristin Buller
https://www.vetvine.com/forums/topic/1068/pet-loss-strategies-for-grief-and-mourning#global_content
NO LONGER at kristinbuller.com/pet-loss-grief
~ Pet Loss Psychotherapy, see articles on home page
https://petlosspsychotherapy.com/
~ Veterinary Social Work Program at University of Tennessee
See resources on pages 2-3 of their Grief Packet
https://vetsocialwork.utk.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/UT_VSW_GriefPacket-Jul-Dec-2021.pdf
Their Veterinary Social Work Program includes training on supporting people
who are grieving their pet(s)
https://vetsocialwork.utk.edu/

HealGrief
www.healgrief.org

Refuge In Grief
Megan Devine
https://refugeingrief.com

Still Standing Magazine
for all who are grieving child loss & Infertility
https://stillstandingmag.com/

The Columbia Center for Prolonged Grief
Center Director: Katherine Shear, MD
https://prolongedgrief.columbia.edu/

The Grief Toolbox
https://thegrieftoolbox.com

What’s Your Grief
www.whatsyourgrief.com/


If you’re able to read about grief:
The book I most highly recommend is Megan Devine’s It’s OK You’re Not OK.  Summer 2021 she also released a journal style book How To Carry What Can’t Be Fixed.

If you are at a point with your grief when you realize that you would benefit from support:
And you’re near Lawrence, Kansas, please consider reaching out to me. The best ways to do that are in Support Services


Take really good care!