The first time I miscarried, I was in my home. There was tea, there was Netflix, there was someone taking care of me and, still, it was agony. No amount of creature comforts could make miscarriage easier, so it sickens me to think that there are women experiencing a miscarriage in detention centers where there…
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Something Needs To Change
Continue...I always thought that medicine was so far advanced. I thought that if I listened to my doctor, I would be told everything I needed to know. So when, out of nowhere, my son suddenly died a few weeks before his due date, to say that I was blindsided was an understatement. How could I…
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The Dos And Don’ts Of Talking To Homicide-Loss Parents
Continue...Most people don’t know how to speak to a homicide-loss parent. They’re lost for words. I get that — homicide is very frightening. So, here’s a list of dos and don’ts to remember: 1. Call the murder victim by their name. Homicide loss survivors are no different to other child loss parents or siblings —…
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We Don’t Bear The Burden Equally
Continue...In Australia, an initiative titled Close the Gap is meant to draw attention to a disturbing truth: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people do not enjoy the same good health as other Australians. Indigenous women are 1.5 times more likely to have a stillborn child than white women (Ibiebele et al., 2016). Australia isn’t alone…
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Be Your Own Advocate
Continue...I laid on the ultrasound table in the dimly lit room with my hands draped just above my belly. I had been in that position for so long that my fingertips had begun to tingle. I had only moved them a few times to wipe away tears. These ultrasounds at the maternal-fetal medicine specialist were…
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An Open Letter to the Mother of a School Shooter
Continue...From one mother whose child has never taken a breath, to the mother whose child has taken life, I have something I must very simply and plainly tell you: I see you. I pumped gasoline. How could I not? I needed transportation. I ate that lunch meat sandwich. How could I not? I needed nourishment.…
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- Advocacy
- Complicated Grief
- In the Community
- Psychology and Grief
- Supporting a Friend After Loss
- Supporting a Friend Through Loss
Part III — Crisis, Trauma and the Justice System
Continue...Part I Part II This, the third article of the four-part series on homicide loss, explores in more detail the difficulties faced by co-victims and how those in their community can help them. The first area of focus — support during the legal process — deals with the justice system and how it affects…
