Blogs

by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. When Someone Loved Dies Adults grieve. So do children. As an adult or child, experiencing grief means to “feel,” not just to “understand.” Anyone old enough to love is old enough to grieve. Even before children are able to talk, they grieve when someone loved dies. And these feelings about…

by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. A child or young adult has died. Everyone who loved the child is now faced with mourning this tragic, untimely death. The child’s parents are heartbroken. But what about the grandparents? How might they be feeling? How can you help them with their unique grief? This article will guide you…

by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. Historian Arnold Toynbee once wrote, “There are always two parties to a death; the person who dies and the survivors who are bereaved.” Unfortunately, many survivors of suicide suffer alone and in silence. The silence that surrounds them often complicates the healing that comes from being encouraged to mourn. Because…

by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. The Adult as Role Model and Helper A child you care about is grieving. If you, too, loved the person who died, you are now faced with the difficult but critical task of helping both yourself and the child heal. Throughout the coming months you will be both a role…

by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. Teenagers Mourn Too Each year thousands of teenagers experience the death of someone they love. When a parent, sibling, friend or relative dies, teens feel the overwhelming loss of a someone who helped shape their fragile self-identities. And these feelings about the death become a part of their lives forever.…

by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. A friend or family member has died of a drug overdose. Death and grief are always hard, but when someone dies from drug use, understanding your feelings and knowing what to think and say about the death can be especially difficult. This article offers compassionate guidance for coping with your…

by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. A friend has experienced the death of someone loved. You want to help, but you are not sure how to go about it. This article will guide you in ways to turn your cares and concerns into positive actions. Listen with your heart. Helping begins with your ability to be…

by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. Raise your hand if you’ve heard that funeral ceremonies help you achieve “closure.” It’s a common misconception. When someone we love dies, the death indeed ends—forever—our experience of live, bodily presence with that person. The body is dead. It’s true—something essential is finished. It is over. A door has closed.…

Welcome to the Griefwords Online Library Brought to you by the Center for Loss and Life Transition – Alan Wolfelt, Ph.D., Director The Misconception of the Funeral as a Rite of Closure by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. Raise your hand if you’ve heard that funeral ceremonies help you achieve “closure.” It’s a common misconception. When…