Articles about Loss
Martha, Can You Believe?
Brenda Spina, M.S., LMFT, LPC
Martha was unique in her refusal to not question God. She pursued Jesus in hope of receiving answers and comfort in her time of grief and loss. Using her life we will see the utilization of her skills and God's merciful response to her pain.
Deprivation and Anger
Brenda Spina, M.S., LMFT, LPC
Feelings of anger often cover many different primary emotions: hurt, confusion, fear, and rejection. Deprivation, often based in fear, is a part of life. Placing our confidence in the Lord's availability may not reduce deprivation but can help increase our ability to be comforted.
Detours in Relationships
Brenda Spina, M.S., LMFT, LPC
There are ways of thinking and acting that seem right only to discover they have detoured us off the path of right relating. God has it in his plan for us to become aware and work towards resolution those patterns that keep us from relating to others in a manner pleasing to Him.
Allowing Grief
Brenda Spina, M.S., LMFT, LPC
Resisting the existence of grief robs us of the comfort available in our relationship with the Lord. A brief example of one girl's grief is shared.
Redeeming Our Life Stories: Narrative Family Therapy
Mary Lambrecht, M.S. LMFT
Our lifetime experiences can have positive and negative impacts on us. Narrative Family Therapy can be a tool in allowing Christ's redemptive love, and other positive stories of our lives, to "re-author" our painful past.
God's Presence in the Midst of Suffering
Christine Vander Wielen, M.S.W., LCSW
Moving account of experiencing God's presence in the midst of horrendous suffering
Life Transitions
Suzan Myhre, M.S.S.W., LICSW, LPC
This article explores the task adolescents and their families face when leaving home. It describes the delicate balance between support and autonomy parents must give their emerging adult.
Grieving As An Act of Reconciliation
Suzan Myhre, M.S.S.W., LICSW, LPC
This article addresses grieving in light of a process of reconciliation instead of a one action decision of acceptance.
Serve Your Generation
Brenda Spina, M.S., LMFT, LPC
Meeting the challenge of any new year keeps us mindful of how we have opportunity to be all that God would have us be. A personal look into the life of one serving in the face of loss is described beautifully and challenges us to look at those around us in a new way.
Words When It Matters
Lynda Savage, M.S., LMFT, LPC
Our hearts go out to those who have just experienced loss. What can we say to them? This article explains the importance of words to the grieving person and gives five great ideas of what is helpful to share.
Coping With Holiday Grief
Compiled by Brenda Spina, M.S., LMFT, LPC
Adapted from "Ten Ways To Cope With Holiday Grief" by L.B. Schultz, this handout provides information that is both practical and helpful for anyone who experiences renewed grief during the holiday seasons. Grief knows no time frame. Because of that fact, knowing what is normal and helpful may aid in alleviating and normalize the grief responses.
Things To Remember When Grieving
Compiled by Brenda Spina, M.S., LMFT, LPC
Following guidelines originally written in "How To Grieve" by KAIROS, these steps help the grief stricken person what to remember. Each of these ten statements move the grieving individual towards the strength of God and moving forward into the future with renewed focus.
Understanding Grief When A Child Dies
Compiled by Brenda Spina, M.S., LMFT, LPC
Reprinted in part from "Compassionate Friends", Copyright 1980, the death of a child has unique stresses that impact the remaining family members. Guilt, grief, depression, and strained relationships are not unusual. This handout is especially helpful for parents who have had to say good-bye to a child prematurely.
Validation is Not Agreement
Suzan Myhre, M.S.S.W., LICSW, LPC
This article describes the difference between validating another person's communication and agreeing with it. Examples are given.
Chronic Disease: A Life Altering Condition
Christine Vander Wielen, M.S.W., LCSW
Each year many people are diagnosed with having a chronic disease. This article discusses some of the common grief reactions patients may have when first diagnosed.
Gifts of the Heart: Ideas for Giving at Christmas
Suzan Myhre, M.S.S.W., LICSW, LPC
This article addresses how families can be creative about giving during times of economic shortages.
Christmas and Family Attachment
Lynda Savage, M.S., LMFT, LPC
Some children find attachment difficult. Adopted children may have an especially hard time attaching to parents and siblings. Christmas is a time when small steps may be taken to promote a sense of belonging and attachment. A description of this situation is provided here along with ideas to begin to promote attachment in families at Christmas time.
When A Father Dies - Preparing For The Holidays
Brenda Spina, M.S., LMFT, LPC
The death of a family member creates a kind of stress that one does not understand until they experience the loss themselves. Add the holidays to this and the multiple levels of grief increase. There are a few basic truths that become real in the face of such a loss around the holidays. This article, written to encourage as well as remind us of these truths, utilizes the author's own personal experience to bring the reality of what it means to celebrate living in the face of grief.
Let There Be Peace in the Home: Helping Children Manage Stress During the Holiday Season
Christine Vander Wielen, M.S.W., LCSW
Children are just as vulnerable to experiencing holiday stress as adults. This article gives parents nine practical tips to help children manage stress associated with the holiday season.
Coping with Change at Christmas
Mary Lambrecht, M.S. LMFT
Change is often difficult for families, but changes during the Christmas season can be especially tough. Article looks at four practical and spiritual ways to manage changes: based on Mary, the mother of Jesus, and her response to the birth of our Savior.
Blended Families and Teens
Mary Lambrecht, M.S. LMFT
Blended families can be challenging for everyone, especially a teenager. Article describes these challenges and ways to help your teen navigate the ups and downs.
Rebuilding After the Storm
August 18, 2005. A record breaking day in the history of Wisconsin with 27 confirmed tornadoes in one twenty-four hour period. In one moment, debris was strewn everywhere and the destruction left behind on that day was well into the millions of dollars. Addiction is destructive, like a tornado, and you are left to deal with the aftermath of a person struggling with addiction. Whether the addiction is food, alcohol, drugs, gambling, or pornography, a trail of wreckage is left behind and rebuilding needs to begin.
My First Christmas Alone
Brenda Spina, M.S., LMFT, LPC
Holidays are unique in that they tend to awaken emotions many would rather avoid. Facing your first holidays without a loved one means the development of a new awareness of ourselves along with the loss of our loved one. Brenda candidly shares her experience of her first Christmas without her parents and the reality of our Heavenly Father's understanding.
Coming Home
Lynda Savage, M.S., LMFT, LPC
Home is a powerful word. This article speaks to the yearning for home whether one is physically home or not. Where is home? If we do not have a sense of home, where may we find it?
Fear and Anxiety: Steps to Restoring Courage and Stability
Mary Lambrecht, M.S. LMFT
The new millenium brings added stressors to our lives including ever-present technology, limited family communication and bonding, overwork, and addictions. This article will explore causes and treatment for fear and anxiety to restore a Godly sense of courageious well-being for ourselves and our families.
Honor Widows
Brenda Spina, M.S., LMFT, LPC
Widowhood is one of those transitions that is easily dismissed and greatly misunderstood. As someone who watched her mother work through the varied tasks of this transition, the lack of availability in those around her for her situation was striking. Yet, James exhorts us to care for the orphans and widows as an expression of our pure and faultless expression of faith. The author expresses lessons learned from her own experience of coming along side her mother when facing widowhood.
Women, Grief, and Jesus
Mary Lambrecht, M.S. LMFT
Women experiencing grief and loss can also know deep comfort, individual attention, and a life-giving future through the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ’s loving attention to a mother who lost her only son from the gospel of Luke, is explored in this article.
Helping Ourselves through the Holidays
Holidays challenge us on every level: emotionally with the memories of family or stressors of getting together, physically because there seem to be so many more activities and details to attend to, spiritually we are stretched thin between honoring our faith and all the demands we face. This handout is designed with those stressors in mind. The ideas suggested are just that...suggestions. Underneath it all we trust each will find ways to care for themselves as God would have.
Picture Perfect: How God "Sees" Our Troubles
Mary Lambrecht, M.S. LMFT
Even Jesus' disciples struggled to picture certain promises that Jesus reassured them of. This article will outline scriptural truths in getting beyond our circumstances, to trusting and believing in His peace and His path for our lives.
Trauma: Caring for Ourselves
Brenda Spina, M.S., LMFT, LPC
Each of us experiences situations and events that run the risk of leaving us traumatized. Traumatic events may not be completely avoidable. Yet if we find ourselves on the backside of a traumatic event there are some specific things we can implement to help ourselves through the resulting emotional upheaval. This article outlines each of those helps and, surprisingly, they sound familiar.
How to Talk about Trauma and Loss with Children
Lynda Savage, M.S., LMFT, LPC
This article gives tips and insight for adults in explaining trauma and loss to children. Important points and understanding for both adult and child are given here. If you are a part of a child's life and you need encouragement for difficult conversations because of a loss a child experiences, this article will help you prepare in practical ways.
Tears In My Ears: A Conversation of Failure and Honesty
Lynda Savage, M.S., LMFT, LPC
Failure and loss is hard. This article describes how to get through the difficult times after defeat.
Trauma and the Body
Lynda Savage, M.S., LMFT, LPC
Normal physical stress responses to traumatic events: The symptoms of traumatic stress are not just emotional—they’re also physical. It’s important to know what the physical symptoms of stress look like, so they don’t scare you. They will go away if you don’t fight them: ◾Trembling or shaking ◾Pounding heart ◾Rapid breathing ◾Lump in throat; feeling choked up ◾Stomach tightening or churning ◾Feeling dizzy or faint ◾Cold sweats ◾Racing thoughts There are emotional responses to trauma as well yet it is equally important to understand how the body reacts to these events.
A Rock Through the Front Window
Christine Vander Wielen, M.S.W., LCSW
Have you ever felt as if someone threw a rock through the front window of your life? The Lord promises to bind up and care for our wounds.
Transitions
Carrissa Pannuzzo, M.A., LMFT, LPC
A job loss. A broken relationship. A move. When things change we're put off balance. We can be confused, apt to make rash decisions, and be highly sensitive. It's important to give ourselves time to adjust and grieve. Postpone big decisions. We'll get our balance back in due time and will be able to move clearly and steadily forward.
Our Grief
Lynda Savage, M.S., LMFT, LPC
Sometimes we judge our sorrows. Do you feel you don’t get to be sad because others have better reasons to be sad? It is not true that because you don’t have it as bad as other people that you don’t get to grieve. Stop comparing. Walking through your personal grief is natural and important.
