by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D.  “Wish not so much to live long, but to live well.” — Benjamin Franklin A simple truth is that from the day we enter into this world, we start to age. To be human means to grow older each day we are on this earth. We begin and we end. However,…

Identifying and Asking for the Most Effective Grief Support for You by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D.   When it comes to our mourning and how others can best help us, there’s no one right way. That’s because every person and every loss is unique. Not only are each of us singular individuals with unique histories…

by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. “In every heart there is an inner room, where we can hold our greatest treasures and our deepest pain.”  — Marianne Williamson Sadness is a hallmark symptom of grief, which in turn is the consequence of losing something we care about. In this way you could say that sadness and…

by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. Grief is everything we think and feel inside after someone or something we care about is taken away from us. Grief can be sadness. Grief can be anger. Grief can be shock and regret and confusion. Grief can be these and many other possible emotions and thoughts. When we are…

by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D.   When a loved one dies, many important decisions must be made. How the person’s body will be cared for and where it will be placed are among these decisions. Especially if you have chosen cremation, this article will help your family understand the many benefits of choosing a final…

by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D.   “Healing takes courage, and we all have courage, even if we have to dig a little to find it.” — Tori Amos   We meet here, on this page, because your heart is broken. You’re hurting. You’re suffering life’s most painful experience: loss. Whatever your loss may be, please…

by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D.   “One of the hardest things you will ever have to do is grieve the loss of a person who is still alive.” — Jeannette Walls   If you’re caring for a loved one with dementia, you are no doubt experiencing grief. Like the hundreds of millions of other dementia…

by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D.   If you are feeling overwhelmed by too much loss, this article is for you. Loss and unwanted change are unavoidable parts of everyone’s life, but sometimes people experience a disproportionate number or degree of bad things. Sometimes the losses stack too high, creating a sorrow that seems too great…

by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D.   Miscarriage is a Significant Loss It is normal and natural to hurt deeply after miscarriage. While others may imply or outright tell you that miscarriage happens too early on for you to be attached to the baby, or that miscarriage is so common it’s nothing to get upset about,…

by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. Through the years I have learned a great deal from many grieving children and their families. They have taught me which words work best when talking to children about death. Here are some general concepts I suggest companions use when talking with children about death, dying, grief, and mourning. Talk…