What Doctor Who Teaches us about Grief
Today I welcome Elizabeth Thoma on Wanted Chosen Planned for a special guest post. The power of storytelling is this: We realize we are not alone. We see that other people have survived what seems insurmountable. We learn how to cope and even thrive after loss. I am grateful for all the vulnerable guest stories shared on WCP. I am grateful – today specifically – for Oberon and his short but precious life. Oberon’s Story: Three years ago at this time, my son Oberon was home in hospice care. We knew he was going to die, but we didn’t know when. If you saw our home now, decorated for the holidays, you’d probably think everything was OK. It isn’t. Yes, there is joy in our house, but there is still heavy sadness and grief. We have “two under two”...
Read MoreA Healthy Grief Movement
I want to bring people together to create a “Healthy Grief Movement.” Will you join me? What I see as some of the “manifesto points” of this movement: People are encouraged and feel comfortable talking about their own losses and speaking with others who are grieving. Sharing stories of life and death that help both the storyteller and the listeners. Children are brought up understanding that death is a natural and beautiful part of life. There is a healthy vocabulary to discuss challenging topics. There are cultural rituals to support the bereaved and remember the deceased. These are just some ideas. Do you have others? Though I am not entirely sure what this “Healthy Grief Movement” will look like, I have made some graphics to...
Read More6 Holiday Memory Making Ideas for Bereaved Parents
If your heart has been broken by the loss of a child in miscarriage, stillbirth or any time after delivery, the holidays may be tough. It’s a season that emphasizes children, family and togetherness. All the things bereaved parents yearn for. When a baby dies, no matter what the age of the fetus or the child may have been, parents are left shaken, shattered and searching for hope. When my son, Zachary, passed away in my arms just moments after entering the world, I felt like my heart was torn in two. Even though those moments I had with him were heartbreaking, I also treasured each and every one. Nothing, I discovered, could part a mom and dad from the love they have for their child. What I didn’t learn until later, however, was that losing a baby very...
Read MoreHealing Art for Mourning Moms – Register Today
I am incredibly proud to announce a course I will be teaching called Healing Art for Mourning Moms. The course is only a few weeks away. Registration is now open. If you feel the pull, please sign up right away as the class maxes out at an intimate twenty participants. Healing Art for Mourning Moms Taught by Alexis Marie Chute, MFA, BFA A four week art-based course designed to help you grieve and heal from the pain of miscarriage, stillbirth or early infant loss. In WEEK 1 participants will be welcomed into a judgement-free space to express and discuss their losses. The group will use creative writing to look at grief from different angles and uncover each individuals’ unique healing vocabulary. In WEEK 2 participants will use their writing from the previous...
Read MoreBaby Steps Memorial Walk: Dates
Save the Dates for the two upcoming Baby Steps Memorial Walks. This year there are two locations, and I am honoured to give the keynote speech at both. Here are the details: SHERWOOD PARK, ALBERTA: Sunday, August 30th, 2015 Festival Place Peace Park 100 Festival Way, Sherwood Park, AB T8A 5T2 – And – EDMONTON, ALBERTA: Sunday, October 4, 2015 Rundle Park 2909 113 Ave NW, Edmonton, AB T5W 0P3 Mission of the events: “A special time to recognize all our babies who have died during pregnancy or anytime after birth. Walk with us to remember, with love, the precious moments of your little one’s life.” Click here to visit the Baby Steps Memorial Walk website. Learn more about the Walks by clicking here. There will be a teddy bear donation at the...
Read MoreWhat books have you found helpful?
Books can be tremendously helpful after loss. When we read the stories of others – in memoirs, blogs and personal essays – we can feel less alone in our own experiences. Self-help books do just what the category name suggests – they help us get out of the rut we cannot seem to escape on our own. I love books. On the journey after the death of a child, they can be great companions. What books have you found helpful? I have added a new section to the resources on Wanted Chosen Planned. You guessed it: a BOOK LIST! Happy reading! ...
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