The Broken Pack™: Wild Grief

June 08, 2024 Hello, Reader! Being the younger child, I had the smaller of the two bedrooms growing up. My single window, seemingly miles above the floor, remained a tantalizing mystery until I was a teen. Even then, my 5-foot frame required a boost from furniture to glimpse the world beyond. But I was strangely grateful for that one window, especially during thunderstorms. As a child, I was terrified of lightning. Without air conditioning, we often slept with windows open, and I was...

March 7, 2024 Hello, Reader! Grief changes shape, but it never ends.Keanu Reeves When seasons change, grief can change as well. You may see this newsletter has a new appearance! I have long loved this time of year and the change it promises. That has definitely been more challenging since Tony died. However, a small change like a new email template seems manageable. As we anxiously anticipate Spring here in the northern hemisphere, and those of you in the southern hemisphere await Fall, let's...

A weekly newsletter delivering sibling loss specific grief resources, support and validation, coping strategies, sibling loss stories, news from The Broken Pack, and much more- including exclusive content and opportunities for subscribers. Hello, Reader! I've always found the turning of the calendar as an arbitrary date with such pressure to make resolutions or to forget the terrible happenings of the year prior. The most excited I have ever been around a new year starting was in my youth....

A weekly newsletter delivering sibling loss specific grief resources, support and validation, coping strategies, sibling loss stories, news from The Broken Pack, and much more- including exclusive content and opportunities for subscribers. Hello, Reader! Do you remember three years ago in the pandemic when everyone - or at least it seemed everyone- commented at some point about how strange time felt? Did you and your siblings ever feel like summer vacations or school holidays went so quickly...

A weekly newsletter delivering sibling loss specific grief resources, support and validation, coping strategies, sibling loss stories, news from The Broken Pack, and much more- including exclusive content and opportunities for subscribers. Hello, Reader! Grief Breaks Does your grief ever feel overwhelming and heavy or hard to carry? Sometimes, grief catches us off-guard, and it feels just as it did in the moment you learned of the loss. Some days it is in the background and, while never...

A weekly newsletter delivering sibling loss specific grief resources, support and validation, coping strategies, sibling loss stories, news from The Broken Pack, and much more- including exclusive content and opportunities for subscribers. Hello, Reader! Souvenir The shelves of and rooms at my parents' home that once were the childhood bedrooms of mine and my brother's are filled with numerous items that may otherwise appear to be junk or discardable items to the unknowing observer. In these...

A weekly newsletter delivering sibling loss specific grief resources, support and validation, coping strategies, sibling loss stories, news from The Broken Pack, and much more- including exclusive content and opportunities for subscribers. Hello, Reader! You have likely heard of the five stages of grief. You may even know that it was founded by psychiatrist, Dr. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross. Here’s the thing: there are no true stages of grief. For one thing, Dr. Kübler-Ross designed the model to...

A weekly newsletter delivering sibling loss specific grief resources, support and validation, coping strategies, sibling loss stories, news from The Broken Pack, and much more- including exclusive content and opportunities for subscribers. Hello, Reader! In the United States and numerous other countries, Sunday June 18th is Father's Day. In the Australia and other countries, this day falls on other dates. You may wonder why a newsletter on sibling loss is addressing Father's Day. Let me...

A weekly newsletter delivering sibling loss specific grief resources, support and validation, coping strategies, sibling loss stories, news from The Broken Pack, and much more- including exclusive content and opportunities for subscribers. Hello, Reader ! When faced with personal stressors, I have to accept that when I am tired or have difficult interactions, like many people I have less ability to tolerate distress or function as well as when I am rested or feeling healthy. I become moody,...