Dealing with Grief and Fears

Despite great advances in medical care, humans still have a 100% mortality rate. Yet fewer than 30% of adults do any end-of-life planning: wills or trusts, advance medical directives and pre-need funeral planning…
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We all know that challenges are a part of life. Yet we are never prepared for them when they appear at our door. “Why are you here, things are going well, leave me alone.” We all get those knocks – the knocks of life…
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If you live to be over 60, loss is inevitable. I anticipated the loss of my parents, knowing the day was looming when they would pass on as part of the natural order of life. What I didn’t prepare for was losing my sister, Linda…
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Recently, I arranged a funeral for the husband of a woman named Arlene. The couple did not have cemetery property. Nor had they discussed where they wanted to be buried. They were, in other words, like too many others who haven’t…
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Most of us would probably answer yes to that question, although there really isn’t any definitive physiological connection between psychological stress (fear) and premature aging. If you’re looking for a definition of fear…
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The Christmas displays go up, holiday music fills the air. It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, everywhere you go. Except at your house. Because when you’re grieving, the holidays can hurt…
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Half a year after the Napa and Sonoma wildfires from a couple years ago, NBC Bay Area reported on the plight of a homeowner locked in a dispute with one specific insurer. Thinking they were on to something, they partnered with Telemundo 48…
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The holiday season is often marked by the loss of loved ones, so it’s a good idea to be prepared for the inevitable. I am a well-published writer, so it seems that when a close friend or family member dies, I’m asked to write the eulogy.
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As a life coach for widows, I often talk with people who are using gratitude against themselves. Self-inflicted, forced gratitude is how many people attempt to kick themselves into a better emotional state. It isn’t effective…
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Nothing in my life – barring news of the accidental death of my dad – has twisted me so much as the murder of my hair stylist. She was only 37 and a beautiful spirit. I met her about five years ago, when she was going through a divorce…
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