Four and a half years ago, my world shifted forever when I lost my brother in a way that shattered my heart and changed the shape of my life. I have been learning, sometimes stumbling, through the daily work of living alongside grief. And then, this year, grief returned. My stepfather, someone who had been
When Grief Meets Grief: Navigating Loss Within Loss Read More »
Some days just stop you in your tracks. Today was one of those days, the kind that pulls you right back into the center of your grief without warning. No time to prepare. No heads-up. Just… here we are again. It was a dark, snowy Monday morning, the kind where most people probably wanted to
An Unexpected Gut Punch Read More »
On April 24, 2025, the Impacted Survivors team—Kristina Faulkner, Tina Chevalier, and Michael Vinton—presented their topic, “The Combination No One Wants to Talk About: Murder-Suicides,” to a packed room of attendees. This presentation was part of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s annual Suicide Prevention Conference, held just outside the Boston area. More than 200
Go to the Conference Read More »
Every year around my birthday, which falls toward the end of the month, I get a little weepy. I imagine it’s for many reasons—and no, not the obvious “Oh no! I’m getting older.” Age doesn’t bother me. If anything, I see getting older as a rite of passage. I’m another year wiser, and like aged
After 31 Years, I Still Miss My Grandma Read More »
In the aftermath of my brother’s death, there were so many things that needed to be done. When I was able to finally shake off the shock of what had happened, one of the first things that came naturally to me was to go straight into “work” mode. My priority was getting into his condo
“……I was afraid to dream because my dreams were broken.” My brother died on a Monday afternoon as did his mother in-law, whose life he took that day. From the moment that I got the call from my father, about what had transpired earlier that day, my heart exploded into pieces. It was only
To Dream the Impossible Dream Read More »
Grief is one of the most complex emotions we experience. It’s a never-ending journey filled with ups and downs, windy unpredictable roads. One minute everything feels peaceful and then BOOM, a crashing wave of overwhelming sadness ensues. To understand grief is to understand its dialectical nature—a constant tension between opposing forces that coexist, often in
The Dialectics of Grief: Navigating Contradictions in Loss Read More »
This blog was written by Dr. Christine Malone and published on December 16, 2024 after the ISMS team joined her on her Good Grief Podcast. Many thanks to Dr. Malone for the opportunity to share our stories. Murder-suicide is a profoundly tragic event that leaves families, friends, and communities grappling with grief, confusion, and unanswered
Murder-Suicide: A Tragedy That Demands Compassionate Awareness Read More »
So often, I hear the question, “Which year is/was the hardest?” This is impossible to answer. Every individual is different, just as every loss is different. Grief is not linear, and it is so unpredictable. There are moments when you feel like you are “normal” and going about your daily life, and then something can
A Personal Answer to a Common Question Read More »
