Grief & loss are guaranteed. We all face them as conscious, self-aware beings. No one is exempt. We come to mourn family, friends, pets, homes, aspects of ourselves lost through aging or illness -- all of which we have loved and cherished over the years. Grief remains a universal experience, visiting its pain upon all socioeconomic strata, creeds, and races. Yet no two losses in life are … [Read more...]
When the hero takes a fall
While post-traumatic stress disorder is experienced by many, PTSD resulting from combat has an enduring impact on veterans. This emerges in hidden, profound and sometimes shattering ways. Combat veterans typically are regarded by their communities as heroes and heroines. Invincible protectors. It is an order of the broadest and highest expectations. Yet it often leaves these heroes destined to … [Read more...]
Trauma on the world stage
Israel. Gaza. Ukraine. Violent divisive protests across the globe. Rising antisemitism. A killer hurricane on Mexico’s Pacific Coast. Threats of nuclear war. Of late, the world has seen an unprecedented series of events evoking trauma states within individuals. These traumas manifest in various ways. Some overtly. Others subtle or hidden. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is not only … [Read more...]
When grief is complicated
Grief, we are often reminded, is a process, a journey that we are called to embark upon uninvited -- with the hope perhaps of accessing and integrating painful, sometimes agonizing and world-shattering feelings of loss. Grief comes even when loss is a choice, a conscious decision -- for example, the ending of a professional relationship that may have been positive or negative. Saying goodbye to … [Read more...]
Why do we mourn celebrities?
There are a few celebrities whose lives and deaths touched us in ways that we can't always put into words. Year after year, as the anniversaries of their passings come around, we take a moment to pause, reflect and mourn the loss of such lives. John Lennon was mourned once again last month on the 30th anniversary of his death -- a day always recalled by radio and the media. Hearing such … [Read more...]