While Peer Healing is a curriculum, it was made with the intent to support bereaved teens by establishing a safe and welcoming environment where they can address and process their grief. We believe that sharing experiences through different mediums can be cathartic for the creator and may help others as they grieve.
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Looking Forward Posted in: Moving Forward – Just when I thought I was beginning to work past my grief of losing my mom, a strange thing started… …
Christmas Posted in: Moving Forward – I have always loved Christmas. The Christmas after my mom died, I was sure that would change. So many of… …
Holiday Traditions Posted in: Friends and Family – There are few conversations more ritualized for me than explaining my plans for the winter holidays. The unlikely receiver of… …
Lean Into the Suck Posted in: Books – Terrible chapter heading, right? Not sweet and syrupy and “Oh, let me hold your hand while you cry.” You already… …
A Thank You Never Said Posted in: For Anyone – I was so incredibly lucky with the wonderful group of people that supported me through the worst experience of my… …
First-Hand Thoughts Posted in: We’ve Been There – I recently came across an email I wrote to my eighth-grade homeroom teacher several days after my dad died. Retrospectively,… …
Grieving Your Way Posted in: Moving Forward – For me, grieving meant learning to live without my mom. It wasn’t about going to therapy or talking about how… …
Self Care: Easy, Until it’s Not Posted in: Moving Forward – Mental health is kinda my “thing.” Ask anyone who knows me- most of my free time is consumed with with… …
On Going Back to School Posted in: Moving Forward – Everyone reacts differently to the prospect of returning to school after the loss of a parent. Unfortunately, many kids have… …
Lost and Gained Posted in: Moving Forward – Look at me. This is what I think you see. You see a girl who lost her dad. You see… …
New Beginnings Posted in: Moving Forward – My mom passed away 3 days before my sophomore year of high school started. That meant that in the time… …
Onward and Upwards: School Transitions Posted in: Moving Forward – Switching from one school to another is one of those universally dreaded teenage experiences. There will be more work, new… …At Home
Holding Onto Your Memories Posted in: At Home – Your parent is gone. You may or may not live in the same home that you did before he/she died. Does being in… …
When Your Parent Gets Married Again Posted in: At Home – You’ve lost a parent and are dealing with the sadness and grief that comes with death. But what happens when your… …
Why You Should Get A Dog Posted in: At Home – Considering buying a dog after the loss of a parent can be a good way to start to get through… …
How should one expect to feel around the holiday time? Posted in: At Home – How should one expect to feel around the holiday time? Is it appropriate to use rituals that you used to… …
Why are my younger siblings acting like nothing happened? Posted in: At Home – Whenever I’m with some of my younger siblings they act as if nothing has happened; it makes it seem like… …
How can I help my surviving parent while he or she mourn? Posted in: At Home – Sometimes I feel that I am just sitting and watching my surviving parent mourn; whenever I try to help he… …Books
Lean Into the Suck Posted in: Books – Terrible chapter heading, right? Not sweet and syrupy and “Oh, let me hold your hand while you cry.” You already… …
A Time to Mourn, A Time to Comfort Posted in: Books – Bereavement – by Rachmiel Tobesman This nonfiction guide for children explains Jewish mourning rituals and customs. It also helps children understand their… …
A Matter of Time Posted in: Books – Illness – by R. Schotter A very moving, beautifully written book about a high school girl coping with her mother’s illness and… …
Just One Tear Posted in: Books – Literature/Poetry – by K. L. Mahon A novel in the form of the diary of a 13-year-old boy who witnesses the shooting… …
After Suicide: Living with the Questions Posted in: Books – Suicide – by Eileen Kuehn This book provides a definition of suicide and describes its effects on survivors and the stages of… …
Why Me? Coping with Family Illness Posted in: Books – Illness – by Anna Kosof Ages 11 and up. A nonfiction work that explores, through firsthand stories, what it is like to… …
When a Parent is Very Sick Posted in: Books – Illness – by Eda LeShan Ages 8-18. Discusses typical feelings and incidents encountered by children when a parent is seriously ill or… …
Stick Up For Yourself: Every Kid’s Guide to Personal Power and Positive Self-Esteem Posted in: Books – Self-Help Strategies – by Gershen Kaufman, Ph.D. and Lev Raphael, Ph.D. Ages 8-12. Tells children how to stick up for themselves in positive… …
A Calendar of Wisdom Posted in: Books – Literature/Poetry – by Leo Tolstoy This is the first-ever English-language edition of the book Leo Tolstoy considered to be his most important… …
I Wasn’t Ready To Say Goodbye: Surviving, Coping, and Healing After the Sudden Death of a Loved One Posted in: Books – Bereavement – by Brook Nowl and Pamela D. Blair, PhD Each year about eight million Americans suffer the death of someone close… …
Coping When a Parent Has Cancer Posted in: Books – Illness – by Linda L. Strauss Ages 13 and up. Offers suggestions for teenagers who have a parent with cancer …
What Makes Me Feel This Way? Growing Up with Human Emotions Posted in: Books – Self-Help Strategies – by Eda LaShan Ages 8-18. A wise book about feelings—what they are and how they work —that may be difficult… …
Lost and Found: A Kid’s Book for Living Through Loss Posted in: Books – Bereavement – by Marc Gellman and Monsignor Thomas Hartman Ages 8 and up. The authors explain how loss, of all sorts, can… …
The Grieving Teen: A Guide for Teenagers and Their Friends Posted in: Books – Self-Help Strategies – by Helen Fitzgerald The author focuses on the special needs of adolescents, offering clear and concrete help for living with… …
The Journey Through Grief and Loss: Helping Yourself and Your Child When Grief is Shared Posted in: Books – For Adults – by Robert Zucker, M.A., L.C.S.W. When adults face a significant loss, they must grapple with their own profound grief, and… …
My Anxious Mind: A Teen’s Guide to Managing Anxiety and Panic Posted in: Books – Self-Help Strategies – by Michael A. Tompkins Can you spare 30 minutes to feel less anxious? Go ahead. Think about how your life… …
Never the Same: Coming to Terms with the Death of a Parent Posted in: Books – Self-Help Strategies – by Dona Schuurman Children and teens who experience the death of a parent are never the same. Only in the… …
You Are Not Alone Posted in: Books – Bereavement – by Lynne B. Hughes Words of reassurance and strategies for coping with the loss of a parent, by the director… …
The Burden of Light: Poems on Illness and Loss Posted in: Books – Literature/Poetry – by Tanya Chernov The Burden of Light: Poems on Illness and Loss by Tanya Chernov (2013) The first poetry anthology… …
A Real Emotional Girl: A Memoir of Love and Loss Posted in: Books – Bereavement – by Tanya Chernov A Real Emotional Girl tells the true story of young Tanya, growing up in the wonderland of… …
If Only Posted in: Books – Literature/Poetry – by Carole Geithner This coming-of-age novel shines a realistic light on bereavement in adolescents. This is a moving and sometimes… …The First Year
Celebrating Mother’s Day Without a Mom Posted in: The First Year – How do you celebrate Mother’s Day when you don’t have a mom? There are tears in my eyes as I… …
Getting Through the Anniversary of a Parent’s Death Posted in: The First Year – This Sunday is the anniversary of my mom’s death. Although I’ve pretty much healed over the past 6 years, I… …
Peekaboo Posted in: The First Year – No matter where in the world you grew up or what your first language was, you can be pretty certain… …
Newly Acquired OCD Posted in: The First Year – From my personal experience, when my mother was sick, I became obsessive about a lot of things. After her death,… …
Family, Friends, and Psychologists Posted in: The First Year – When things are hard, we all need somebody with whom to talk. Death is hard; there’s no getting around it.… …
After a Month Posted in: The First Year – It might seem really difficult to be a good friend at this point. Because of the delicate situation, you don’t… …
Birthdays, Anniversaries and Parent Days Posted in: The First Year – These can be rough. Just when we think we are finally stable, we find ourselves having a fierce desire to… …
First Birthday Without Posted in: The First Year – I am writing this with a full, but very personal and idiosyncratic understanding of this subject, because today is my… …Friends and Family
Holiday Traditions Posted in: Friends and Family – There are few conversations more ritualized for me than explaining my plans for the winter holidays. The unlikely receiver of… …
Remembering who Remains Posted in: Friends and Family – In the face of the earth-shattering event that is the loss of a parent, often the… …
How to Help a Grieving Friend Posted in: Friends and Family – So someone close to you has lost a loved one, and you feel that you owe it to them to… …
Talking to Someone Who’s Lost a Parent Posted in: Friends and Family – It isn’t easy to talk to someone who has lost a parent, even when you’ve been through it yourself. …
How To Help Someone Who Is Sad Posted in: Friends and Family – When a friend or loved one is feeling down, what do you do? …
The First Conversation Posted in: Friends and Family – This is quite possibly the hardest and most awkward thing a friend of someone who has suffered a considerable loss… …
How to Listen Posted in: Friends and Family – During such a hard life experience, reliable and trustworthy friends are one of the most important things a teen who… …
365 Days Down… Posted in: Friends and Family – Crazy, right? I bet I can read your mind – Has it been a year already? Or the other alternative… …
Yelling into Pillows Posted in: Friends and Family – When you have an especially bad day, sometimes all you want to do is scream. But, if you scream at… …
Stay Brave (What It’s like Having a Friend Who Lost A Parent) Posted in: Friends and Family – I have started and restarted this brief paragraph, looking for the right words to express my experiences and thoughts. But… …
183 Days Posted in: Friends and Family – Seems like a lot, doesn’t it? I bet it went quicker than you expected, too. That’s what usually happens. There’s… …
Dealing with You First Posted in: Friends and Family – Supporting your friend immediately after the loss of their parent can be very difficult, especially when you have a personal… …Tips & Tricks
Top Ten Inspiring Quotes Posted in: Tips & Tricks – These are some motivational quotes that give me the extra boost of strength when I need it. I hope they… …
Coping Strategies Posted in: Tips & Tricks – These are the way to go when you are dealing with any kind of anxiety or sadness and you don’t… …
What can I do that might help with feeling depressed? Posted in: Tips & Tricks – It has been a little over six months since my mom suddenly passed away after 7 years of being sick… …
Corn Chowder Recipe Posted in: Tips & Tricks – Whenever times get hard, I find my mood considerably lifted when I get a nice, warm, homemade meal. This is… …
Tips on Lasagnas (Commonly Brought to Homes in Mourning) Posted in: Tips & Tricks – 1. They are sometimes disgusting. Taste the lasagna before you commit to eating a large piece. Better yet, get a… …
How do you tell the school about parent loss? Posted in: Tips & Tricks – How do you recommend telling the school about parent loss? How do you recommend acting once everyone already knows? If… …
Triggers Posted in: Tips & Tricks – There are going to be conversation topics, movies, words, songs, scents, items, and places that bring you back to the… …
How am I supposed to calm down, quiet my mind, and focus? Posted in: Tips & Tricks – Losing a parent is a very traumatizing situation; afterwards many children begin to form new and different fears, which can… …
Annoying Relatives Posted in: Tips & Tricks – If you’ve recently lost a parent or both of your parents, you may be encountering the “swarm.” That’s the family… …
How To Get Lipstick off Your Face Posted in: Tips & Tricks – At your parent’s memorial service or times that follow, there will most likely be a fair amount of strange old… …We've Been There
First-Hand Thoughts Posted in: We’ve Been There – I recently came across an email I wrote to my eighth-grade homeroom teacher several days after my dad died. Retrospectively,… …
I Got Lost This Christmas Posted in: We’ve Been There – The holidays can be not so great when you’ve lost someone you loved …
My Story Posted in: We’ve Been There – Six years ago today, I gave the eulogy at my mom's funeral. I wanted to share with you the condensed… …
Allison Gilbert: Parentless Parents Posted in: We’ve Been There – Allison Gilbert, author of Parentless Parents: How the Loss of Our Mothers and Fathers Impacts the Way We Raise Our… …
It’s Ok to Cry Posted in: We’ve Been There – Crying is sometimes seen as a sign of weakness – it’s not. After losing a parent, crying can help release… …
Different Forms Of Therapy Posted in: We’ve Been There – If you have decided that loss is too much for you and you need someone to help you sort through your… …
Jake Kaufman: Life’s Like a Bicycle; You Need the Front Wheel For Direction and the Back For Drive Posted in: We’ve Been There – Jake Kaufman Hometown: Albuquerque, New Mexico. Age : 21 Major: At UChicago, I study Philosophy as well as Fundamentals/Issues &… …
Lost A Parent…You’re NOT Alone Posted in: We’ve Been There – You are not alone in your grief – other people understand …
Ally and Bridget Posted in: We’ve Been There – Names: Bridget Goedke Allison Goedke Hometown: Park Forest, IL Age: 20 Major/profession: Bridget: Communication/Journalism Ally: Elementary Education …
New Memories Posted in: We’ve Been There – Michelle Linn-Gust is, without a doubt, one to persevere through the multitude of hurdles that life can present us. An… …
Heart to Art Posted in: We’ve Been There – Brett Batterson is currently the Executive Director of Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University in Chicago Illinois. He resides in Aurora… …
MaryPat Moeller Posted in: We’ve Been There – A Story of Resilience “Sometimes I wonder how my life would have been different if he hadn’t died when I… …
Walter Egerton Posted in: We’ve Been There – To Walter Egerton, success is measured not by the grades you make, or the awards you acquire, but by the… …
Nikki Lewis Posted in: We’ve Been There – Nikki, aside from being a 24-year-old blonde beauty living in the Bay Area, is a young entrepreneur and visionary who… …
Dr. Cunningham Posted in: We’ve Been There – When I met Dr. Cunningham at the new Wolfgang Puck Express in one of the University of Chicago hospitals, he… …
Damien Proby Posted in: We’ve Been There – After losing a parent, many of us worry about how our lives will change, the new responsibilities we will acquire,… …
Dawn Quyle Landau Posted in: We’ve Been There – It’s been 40 years this past June, June 9th to be exact, since my father was killed in an accident,… …Moving Forward
Looking Forward Posted in: Moving Forward – Just when I thought I was beginning to work past my grief of losing my mom, a strange thing started… … Christmas Posted in: Moving Forward – I have always loved Christmas. The Christmas after my mom died, I was sure that would change. So many of… … Grieving Your Way Posted in: Moving Forward – For me, grieving meant learning to live without my mom. It wasn’t about going to therapy or talking about how… … Self Care: Easy, Until it’s Not Posted in: Moving Forward – Mental health is kinda my “thing.” Ask anyone who knows me- most of my free time is consumed with with… … On Going Back to School Posted in: Moving Forward – Everyone reacts differently to the prospect of returning to school after the loss of a parent. Unfortunately, many kids have… … Lost and Gained Posted in: Moving Forward – Look at me. This is what I think you see. You see a girl who lost her dad. You see… … New Beginnings Posted in: Moving Forward – My mom passed away 3 days before my sophomore year of high school started. That meant that in the time… … Onward and Upwards: School Transitions Posted in: Moving Forward – Switching from one school to another is one of those universally dreaded teenage experiences. There will be more work, new… …
It’s Not Replacing Them Posted in: Moving Forward – It’s something that is kind of insanely difficult to think about. You’re working on getting past losing one of the… …
A Day of Remembrance Posted in: Moving Forward – There’s nothing quite like waking up and thinking, “Today, I’ve lived another year of my life without my mom.” There’s… …
Scared to Move Forward? Posted in: Moving Forward – After receiving help and support after a traumatic and life changing experience, a thought that would be… …
One At A Time Posted in: Moving Forward – For my blog on WordPress, I wrote a poem. It was a challenge that all the words be one syllable… …
Memories of the Heart Posted in: Moving Forward – You’ve lost a parent. Your world may feel upside down, turnaround, and filled with so many different feelings you don’t… …
What I Really Lost When My Mom Died Posted in: Moving Forward – The loss of a parent means more than just a loss of their presence in your everyday life. One day… …
Trying to Fill My Mom’s Shoes Posted in: Moving Forward – When my mom died, suddenly I felt like the weight of the family was on top of me. Even though… …
Radical Acceptance Posted in: Moving Forward – Radical acceptance is an important first step in any problem a person is trying to overcome. …
Fight Back and Find Happiness Posted in: Moving Forward – Death has the power to turn your life upside down. When my mom died, I felt lost, alone, sad, and… …
My Numbers Game Posted in: Moving Forward – I can tell you how many birthday or holidays have passed since my mom died, or how long she’s been… …
Jessica Lamb-Shapiro: On Grief, Coping, and Moving Forward Posted in: Moving Forward – Jessica Lamb-Shapiro is the author of the book Promise Land (http://www.promiselandbook.com). Months before she turned two, Jessica Lamb-Shapiro’s mother committed… …
Guilt: It’s a Part of Loss Posted in: Moving Forward – Do you feel guilty? It’s ok. Guilt is a natural feeling to have after losing a parent. …
Ways to Cope Posted in: Moving Forward – There are five stages of grief; denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. …
I can’t stop feeling that my mom’s death was preventable and my fault. Posted in: Moving Forward – I lost my mother in a very sudden incident, and I can’t stop reliving the situation on how she could… …
How can I stop being angry at my dad because he died serving in the military? Posted in: Moving Forward – My father died in the line of duty, and I can’t help but feel that what he did was both… …
My parent died from severe illness; how do I know that I won’t die from the same thing? Posted in: Moving Forward – My parent died from severe illness; how do I know that I won’t die from the same thing? …
How do I convince myself that she’s really gone? Posted in: Moving Forward – I keep thinking that my mom is going to come back, that when the phone ringing it is her calling,… …
This Kind of Life Posted in: Moving Forward – In the blurry, awful period immediately after my father died, the house where I’d spent half my life no longer… …