This brief video was a very good overview of how we handle grief. When my father died, I went right back to work instead of participating in the days of mourning (shivah) which is traditional in Judaism. I have learned that there is no standards in the grieving process- everyone will go through it differently. Thank you
Thank you Tara,
My friend of five decades just died.She had been struggling with Parkingson’s, a debilitating condition for 13 years She showed courage throughout to meet each physical and mental setback. I believed the love she had for her devoted husband mitigated her pain. I miss her deeply and feel grateful she is resting in peace now. My grief feels tempered by my being able to hold my memories of our dear friendship in my heart. I experienced her as my anam cara-my soul friend. Your video deeply touched me.
I have witnessed clients throw themselves into work, blame others/victim mentality, and use food or other substances to numb out. I have also seen others lean into their spiritual beliefs such as looking for signs from loved ones, and clients who were able to talk about their feelings.
Thanks for yours timely video. We are being hit with grief on a daily basis in our world. Your talk was very helpful with reminders of the gifts of grief as well and the importance of compassion. It is challenging with so much environmental and political grief as well as personal, local grief to not be overwhelmed by it. The only caution I heard in your talk is to not compare oneself to all those super grievers who seem to face grief with such courage, grace, and fearlessness. That the intent is to inspire and share the gifts that can arise in going through the pain. I have found alan wolfelt’s work to be very helpful in my own grief and supporting others. Thinking of starting a grief support group. Thank you for this video and offering ways to support ourselves through the pain of grief.💔🌹♥️
Matthew Grace, Another Field, Fall River, MA, USAsays
I had taken care of my mom for 3 years navigating her diagnosis, her finances, services to come to her house, placement into a rehab center, then into a full time nursing home. I then had to deal with all of her funeral arrangements and take care of her remaining estate affairs when she died this past February. While going through this I lost my job of 25 years this past December of 2025. The losses have been overwhelming and I have become extremely anxious and depressed as a result. So many changes happened so quickly. I also had to clean out my parent’s apartment and get it rented so that was another major change. I’ve always dealt with anxiety and depression but I think the long term stress and the numerous losses have really overtaxed my brain function and sent me into this major anxiety and depression.
Alicia Salinas, Social Work, Evanston, IL, USAsays
My strategies are anger, self blame, sadness, wanting to close my heart. But I see them. And I try to return to being compassionate with my self. Your meditations and talks help me.
I dealt with loss in my early life through adolescence and into my 20s by disassociating. With the help of therapists, 12 step programs, your wisdom – thank you for your good work, Tara. You’ve been a companion through some pretty rough times.
My husband died two years ago and though I’ve done a lot of good work learning to show up for myself and others, to be present with an open heart, I find that I still shy away from grief using distraction. I have a natural curious/tangential thought process and have noticed lately how it serves to keep me distracted, so I don’t have to feel my feelings. My work is to figure out how to stay present with the feelings and I’m circling back on old losses hoping to help amygdala catch up with my frontal cortex. I had to bury/wall off so much of myself in early childhood. Thank you again for your good work/wisdom which has provided so much support. Isabel
Avoidance was through work, talking about the loss but not able to feel it, busyness to avoid anticipatory grief. Not being able to acknowledge the realness and validity of my grief-this was the biggest hurdle. This took time for my thoughts to slow down, so my body could be in the moment. When this opened up (still) all the “talking” and skills learned finally can be utilized if I stay present with myself.
The second you invited me to pause and sit with my loss, the tears came. I see clearly that the grief is constantly there, just beneath the surface, fighting for air, but I’m suffocating it with depression, distraction, isolation, etc… it’s a pattern I’ve honed over a lifetime and I’m finally realizing doesn’t serve me.
My husband died last year and was losing his wellbeing for four years. I had just retired so I could with friends move us out of our home of 45 years, get us moved to a 55 and older community, not continuing care community.
After his death, I arranged for a celebration of his life this year and then moved to an apartment nearby where we had lived for connection with new friends and near my older friends. Now, I am feeling the physical pain that has resulted from all of the challenges and losses. I try to create art, read, and be with friends. Yet, the loss and pain continues making sleep also difficult. Friends and family continue to be a blessing. At times, the loneliness comes so I can get too much in my thoughts. Journaling helps sometimes. I find a sense of comfort in your presentation. Thank you.
I lost my daughter 4 years ago. I am still
On the roller coaster of good days and challenging days. Busyness is definitely my avoidance and sometimes just withdrawing.I do have days when I feel I am deeply present to the loss but those days are still illusive. I enjoyed the first sharing and it helped me to remember my strategies and esp. my avoidance behaviors, Thank you Tara
All my life I experience grief as returning and profound sadness. I acknowledge these feeling often. They arise daily (the death of my 20 year old dog, most recently). The death of my dear father in 2005, my mother who I watched over for her last 6 years, in 2018. Grief is a daily companion somehow. I will tear up at remembering them often.
I am grieving the loss of my husband of 50 years. I am searching for healthy ways of living with my loss, and being a supportive mother and grandmother to those also living with this profound loss.
I am grieving the loss of my sister as I knew her as I watch the brain tumor change her personality and create stoke like symptoms that robbed her of speech and physical ability. She’s alive but not in the way I’ve known her.
Veronica Relea, Another Field, New York, NY, USAsays
What is difficult for me about turning toward loss is that some of my losses do not feel finished. They are not things that happened once and stayed in the past. There is something especially difficult about grieving someone who is still in your life, someone you still love. The loss keeps changing shape. Maybe that is what is hardest for me: accepting that grief does not always come from something being gone. Sometimes it comes from what remains, alongside what will never be.
I just realized recently how I I have forgotten how to stop, relax, “do nothing” and be still. I believe this is how I avoid grief and perhaps other emotions.
As a result I get tired and have much less energy to be present with those that I love and most importantly with myself. The timing of this lesson could not be better.
Thank you 🙏🏽
I don’t avoid grief, rather, I make space and time for it to unfold. Meditation and compassion for self and others supports the process and, at least for me, allows for a gradual transformation into acceptance and closure. I volunteer as a Support Parent with Parent to Parent of Colorado.
Tara, thank you for this insight on grief and loss. The struggle I face is letting the client define their loss; I hear their story but my filters are not their filters. My frame of reference is different. If I do not take the time to hear the deep heart cry of the client, then I miss the healing that could happen, the connection that the client can make with the Truth that enables them to stand again on the Way. Maybe this is linked to ‘hurry’, because people fit sessions into busy schedules; feeling pain and loss takes time. Thank you again for this teaching.
Don’t know how else to communicate with Tara and community so will use this space.
After listening to one of your talks, Tara, I heard this song, and subsequently the whole album. It speaks to so much of what you’ve spoken about.
Iris Dement, “Working on a World”. It’s beautiful and hopeful.
Peace
when I lost my mum I went numb, when after 1y I’ve lost the 7.5y relationship I fell into depression and ran away. I ran away via travelling. stopped when I realized the sadness travels with me. tried to form a relationship, added another layer of suffering. threw myself into spirituality, as it gave me hope that there is a point to this life after all, but also a constant wondering What if all of it it’s just a lie?! tried all sorts of therapies hoping to fix myself and suite the emptiness inside. but the reality is my life stopped 6y ago and everything ever since is just another attempt to move on or to get back to my old self :/ [p.s I am from Romania but there is a bug and had to choose USA in order to post the comment]
I am trying to give my grief space for it to do whatever it is going to do. I want to experience it and let it move through me. That said, I do need relief from grief, and so I have found that hiking gives me some relief, something to look forward to, and something to plan around.
Hi, Tara. When I hear that question, I see an image of a hamster wheel, spinning and spinning and spinning, trying to keep up with the world, but often meaninglessly, alone, and stuck.
Hi Tara – my strategy is depression (although I never thought of it as a strategy), self loathing and blame – this idea that I always knew I was worthless so of course this is happening. I also numb with the NYTimes games, reading, exercise and tv. Anything to distract and avoid. Thank you.
I spend a lot of time/energy trying to convince myself and others that it will all be ok. That there’s no need for pain if everything is ok. And by ok I think I just meant that financially it will be ok. And the business will be ok. That the house will be ok. That the funeral will be ok. That the kids will be ok. But being just ok was never the goal.
I realize it is so easy to turn away from grief and pain due to the ability to over-consume everything these days. Distractions are so easy. Even the over-abundance of self-help can lead to avoidance of actually sitting with the pain. I love how gently Tara encourages people to look inward, without overwhelming the system. I’m excited to use this with my own clients.
My husband died unexpectedly 10 June 2023 after 43 years together. I felt he was my anchor, kept mke balanced, since I can be spontaneous in my actons not sitting down and thinking things all the way through before acting. I have my Unity friends and center that helps keep me balanced and I have learned since retiring not to be so compulsive in my actions. I do miss having someone at the house to talk to and do things together. I know I’ll get through this because I want to. Just feeling lost some days.
I have a client with complex PTSD who demonstrates all the symptoms of avoidance you discussed. She’s aware of this but fears facing the pain, yet it keeps her in the cycle. Hoping that the future videos go further into your techniques of facing the loss…
I am concerned that I am not really grieving the recent loss of my oldest sister. She left home when I was only five. Also, even when I was with her as an adult, she never felt comfortable sharing her feelings. For both of these reasons, I feel that regardless of significant adult time together over the decades, I never really knew her. Therefore, I am wondering what it is that I should/could be feeling, what it is I have really lost.
Simply acknowledging the sadness within, as a presence to welcome for further walks together, lightens the breathing and thoughts of self-shame for feeling sad at all.
I face my grief and explore what beauty my loved one brought into my life. I celebrate them and try to take on the qualities that my loved one had that I cherished.
After my husband died July 4, 2023 I became very obsessive compulsive in several areas of my life. I continued with my resonant healing practitioner, formed a circle of other widows to support me, and dove deeply into the spiritual practice that anchors me. Now I am more settled, I continue my body movement modalities, exercising, walking, freeform dancing, journaling, deepening friendships, and have become deeply involved in my local Unity church. By continually facing grief as it shows up I feel reborn into a new way of living. Thanks for the video, I feel informed with fresh inspiration.
For the first six months after losing my son unexpectedly I threw myself into work in order to avoid the pain. I found that the grief was still there and it came back with a vengeance. I now use my connections in several grief groups to remind myself that I am not alone. I also participate in energy work regularly, write in my journal, and spend time reading or listening to guided meditations.
Seems like what I have done for years to avoid grief of a loss of an intimate relationship is stay attached emotionally, an internal constant emotional longing. On the day to day I accepted the break up but have stayed attached and longing emotionally. I am beginning to invite the longing feeling into ( my kitchen for a cup of coffee) in other words into my heart and slowly accept my grief around the loss. There is a true feeling of inner peace that follows and I am inviting that longing into my heart often now. So as you imagine we drink a lot of coffee 🙂
Thank you, Tara, for your helpful and loving teachings.
After hearing your talk, I recognize that my loneliness and depression are from pulling away from the pain, becoming numb and distracting myself. Since I’ve been practicing meditation, I see more clearly how I avoid the suffering and meditation is helping me become more present. Yet I still struggle with the loneliness and realize that it is going to take more time and presence to heal.
This was helpful in helping me to explore a recent personal loss the death of my brother and to help me turn toward the next phase of my life as I scale down and begin to embrace retirement. My embrace of my own losses helps me to assist my clients in their losses. – Brian Carlton, Ed.D., LMFT – Bothell, WA
Marcie says
keeping busy with exercise, social engagements, and doomscrolling
Anne says
Busyness, news
Ike Koziol, M.D. says
This brief video was a very good overview of how we handle grief. When my father died, I went right back to work instead of participating in the days of mourning (shivah) which is traditional in Judaism. I have learned that there is no standards in the grieving process- everyone will go through it differently. Thank you
Patty Marquis says
Thank you Tara,
My friend of five decades just died.She had been struggling with Parkingson’s, a debilitating condition for 13 years She showed courage throughout to meet each physical and mental setback. I believed the love she had for her devoted husband mitigated her pain. I miss her deeply and feel grateful she is resting in peace now. My grief feels tempered by my being able to hold my memories of our dear friendship in my heart. I experienced her as my anam cara-my soul friend. Your video deeply touched me.
Erika Ellis, Psychotherapy, Ottumwa, IA, USA says
I have witnessed clients throw themselves into work, blame others/victim mentality, and use food or other substances to numb out. I have also seen others lean into their spiritual beliefs such as looking for signs from loved ones, and clients who were able to talk about their feelings.
Anne C, Social Work, Murphys, CA, USA says
Thanks for yours timely video. We are being hit with grief on a daily basis in our world. Your talk was very helpful with reminders of the gifts of grief as well and the importance of compassion. It is challenging with so much environmental and political grief as well as personal, local grief to not be overwhelmed by it. The only caution I heard in your talk is to not compare oneself to all those super grievers who seem to face grief with such courage, grace, and fearlessness. That the intent is to inspire and share the gifts that can arise in going through the pain. I have found alan wolfelt’s work to be very helpful in my own grief and supporting others. Thinking of starting a grief support group. Thank you for this video and offering ways to support ourselves through the pain of grief.💔🌹♥️
Matthew Grace, Another Field, Fall River, MA, USA says
I had taken care of my mom for 3 years navigating her diagnosis, her finances, services to come to her house, placement into a rehab center, then into a full time nursing home. I then had to deal with all of her funeral arrangements and take care of her remaining estate affairs when she died this past February. While going through this I lost my job of 25 years this past December of 2025. The losses have been overwhelming and I have become extremely anxious and depressed as a result. So many changes happened so quickly. I also had to clean out my parent’s apartment and get it rented so that was another major change. I’ve always dealt with anxiety and depression but I think the long term stress and the numerous losses have really overtaxed my brain function and sent me into this major anxiety and depression.
Donna VandeKieft, Clergy, Sioux Falls, SD, USA says
Numbing, getting over-involved listening to others’ pain while ignoring my own.
Alicia Salinas, Social Work, Evanston, IL, USA says
My strategies are anger, self blame, sadness, wanting to close my heart. But I see them. And I try to return to being compassionate with my self. Your meditations and talks help me.
Isabel Parlee, Teacher, Essex, MA, USA says
I dealt with loss in my early life through adolescence and into my 20s by disassociating. With the help of therapists, 12 step programs, your wisdom – thank you for your good work, Tara. You’ve been a companion through some pretty rough times.
My husband died two years ago and though I’ve done a lot of good work learning to show up for myself and others, to be present with an open heart, I find that I still shy away from grief using distraction. I have a natural curious/tangential thought process and have noticed lately how it serves to keep me distracted, so I don’t have to feel my feelings. My work is to figure out how to stay present with the feelings and I’m circling back on old losses hoping to help amygdala catch up with my frontal cortex. I had to bury/wall off so much of myself in early childhood. Thank you again for your good work/wisdom which has provided so much support. Isabel
Gail Angelo, Another Field, Lindenhurst, NY, USA says
Grief has often left me paralyzed and stuck, unable to cry and let go. But I have often found if I do just have a good cry letting go is easier.
Laura P, Another Field, St. Louis, MO, USA says
Avoidance was through work, talking about the loss but not able to feel it, busyness to avoid anticipatory grief. Not being able to acknowledge the realness and validity of my grief-this was the biggest hurdle. This took time for my thoughts to slow down, so my body could be in the moment. When this opened up (still) all the “talking” and skills learned finally can be utilized if I stay present with myself.
Jane W, Other, Cape cod, MA, USA says
The second you invited me to pause and sit with my loss, the tears came. I see clearly that the grief is constantly there, just beneath the surface, fighting for air, but I’m suffocating it with depression, distraction, isolation, etc… it’s a pattern I’ve honed over a lifetime and I’m finally realizing doesn’t serve me.
Elizabeth Smy, Psychology, Chalfont , PA, USA says
My husband died last year and was losing his wellbeing for four years. I had just retired so I could with friends move us out of our home of 45 years, get us moved to a 55 and older community, not continuing care community.
After his death, I arranged for a celebration of his life this year and then moved to an apartment nearby where we had lived for connection with new friends and near my older friends. Now, I am feeling the physical pain that has resulted from all of the challenges and losses. I try to create art, read, and be with friends. Yet, the loss and pain continues making sleep also difficult. Friends and family continue to be a blessing. At times, the loneliness comes so I can get too much in my thoughts. Journaling helps sometimes. I find a sense of comfort in your presentation. Thank you.
Nancy Edens, Physical Therapy, Albuquerque, NM, USA says
I lost my daughter 4 years ago. I am still
On the roller coaster of good days and challenging days. Busyness is definitely my avoidance and sometimes just withdrawing.I do have days when I feel I am deeply present to the loss but those days are still illusive. I enjoyed the first sharing and it helped me to remember my strategies and esp. my avoidance behaviors, Thank you Tara
Joanne Holland, Medicine, Northport, NY, USA says
selfmedicating
isolation
defining life by illness
Annette Collins, Teacher, Lawrence, KS, USA says
All my life I experience grief as returning and profound sadness. I acknowledge these feeling often. They arise daily (the death of my 20 year old dog, most recently). The death of my dear father in 2005, my mother who I watched over for her last 6 years, in 2018. Grief is a daily companion somehow. I will tear up at remembering them often.
Peggy Courtright, Other, Atlanta, GA, USA says
I am grieving the loss of my husband of 50 years. I am searching for healthy ways of living with my loss, and being a supportive mother and grandmother to those also living with this profound loss.
Claudia Chandler, Other, Nicolaus, CA, USA says
I am grieving the loss of my sister as I knew her as I watch the brain tumor change her personality and create stoke like symptoms that robbed her of speech and physical ability. She’s alive but not in the way I’ve known her.
Rosalind Feldsher, Counseling, Narberth, PA, USA says
Thanks. That was the way to handle grief
Im a retired therapist and loss is a part of aging.
Veronica Relea, Another Field, New York, NY, USA says
What is difficult for me about turning toward loss is that some of my losses do not feel finished. They are not things that happened once and stayed in the past. There is something especially difficult about grieving someone who is still in your life, someone you still love. The loss keeps changing shape. Maybe that is what is hardest for me: accepting that grief does not always come from something being gone. Sometimes it comes from what remains, alongside what will never be.
L Arick says
I just realized recently how I I have forgotten how to stop, relax, “do nothing” and be still. I believe this is how I avoid grief and perhaps other emotions.
As a result I get tired and have much less energy to be present with those that I love and most importantly with myself. The timing of this lesson could not be better.
Thank you 🙏🏽
Lee Szydlowski says
I don’t avoid grief, rather, I make space and time for it to unfold. Meditation and compassion for self and others supports the process and, at least for me, allows for a gradual transformation into acceptance and closure. I volunteer as a Support Parent with Parent to Parent of Colorado.
Judy G says
I am here primarily for myself as I do not have clients. I do however share my experience with family and friends and family who appreciate it.
Carla Joseph says
Tara, thank you for this insight on grief and loss. The struggle I face is letting the client define their loss; I hear their story but my filters are not their filters. My frame of reference is different. If I do not take the time to hear the deep heart cry of the client, then I miss the healing that could happen, the connection that the client can make with the Truth that enables them to stand again on the Way. Maybe this is linked to ‘hurry’, because people fit sessions into busy schedules; feeling pain and loss takes time. Thank you again for this teaching.
Meg Towe says
I find this very interesting and true.
Don’t know how else to communicate with Tara and community so will use this space.
After listening to one of your talks, Tara, I heard this song, and subsequently the whole album. It speaks to so much of what you’ve spoken about.
Iris Dement, “Working on a World”. It’s beautiful and hopeful.
Peace
R B says
I do not avoid it. I try to embrace it.
Maija Ruan says
Intellectualizing
Self blame
Cynthia says
I have the privilege of working with many on the grief journey so look forward to the videos with Tara.
Virginia Licari says
Keeping busy.
celestina witWit says
when I lost my mum I went numb, when after 1y I’ve lost the 7.5y relationship I fell into depression and ran away. I ran away via travelling. stopped when I realized the sadness travels with me. tried to form a relationship, added another layer of suffering. threw myself into spirituality, as it gave me hope that there is a point to this life after all, but also a constant wondering What if all of it it’s just a lie?! tried all sorts of therapies hoping to fix myself and suite the emptiness inside. but the reality is my life stopped 6y ago and everything ever since is just another attempt to move on or to get back to my old self :/ [p.s I am from Romania but there is a bug and had to choose USA in order to post the comment]
Laura says
I am trying to give my grief space for it to do whatever it is going to do. I want to experience it and let it move through me. That said, I do need relief from grief, and so I have found that hiking gives me some relief, something to look forward to, and something to plan around.
Michelle Nilsen says
Hi, Tara. When I hear that question, I see an image of a hamster wheel, spinning and spinning and spinning, trying to keep up with the world, but often meaninglessly, alone, and stuck.
Shayna Schulz says
Hi Tara – my strategy is depression (although I never thought of it as a strategy), self loathing and blame – this idea that I always knew I was worthless so of course this is happening. I also numb with the NYTimes games, reading, exercise and tv. Anything to distract and avoid. Thank you.
Lara Mantel says
I spend a lot of time/energy trying to convince myself and others that it will all be ok. That there’s no need for pain if everything is ok. And by ok I think I just meant that financially it will be ok. And the business will be ok. That the house will be ok. That the funeral will be ok. That the kids will be ok. But being just ok was never the goal.
Rebekah Sandel says
I realize it is so easy to turn away from grief and pain due to the ability to over-consume everything these days. Distractions are so easy. Even the over-abundance of self-help can lead to avoidance of actually sitting with the pain. I love how gently Tara encourages people to look inward, without overwhelming the system. I’m excited to use this with my own clients.
Debbie Clancy says
My husband died unexpectedly 10 June 2023 after 43 years together. I felt he was my anchor, kept mke balanced, since I can be spontaneous in my actons not sitting down and thinking things all the way through before acting. I have my Unity friends and center that helps keep me balanced and I have learned since retiring not to be so compulsive in my actions. I do miss having someone at the house to talk to and do things together. I know I’ll get through this because I want to. Just feeling lost some days.
Valerie Wright says
I have a client with complex PTSD who demonstrates all the symptoms of avoidance you discussed. She’s aware of this but fears facing the pain, yet it keeps her in the cycle. Hoping that the future videos go further into your techniques of facing the loss…
Melissa Richardson says
I love how you speak of grief and all the impacts that it can have on a person.
Dorrie Casey says
I am concerned that I am not really grieving the recent loss of my oldest sister. She left home when I was only five. Also, even when I was with her as an adult, she never felt comfortable sharing her feelings. For both of these reasons, I feel that regardless of significant adult time together over the decades, I never really knew her. Therefore, I am wondering what it is that I should/could be feeling, what it is I have really lost.
Kimberly Cian says
Simply acknowledging the sadness within, as a presence to welcome for further walks together, lightens the breathing and thoughts of self-shame for feeling sad at all.
Carolyn Pringle, LMSW says
I face my grief and explore what beauty my loved one brought into my life. I celebrate them and try to take on the qualities that my loved one had that I cherished.
Carol Fischbach says
I go into self blame and depression then, when I can, distraction. I miss my husband deeply and it’s only been 7 weeks. It’s so hard.
LuAnne Champion says
After my husband died July 4, 2023 I became very obsessive compulsive in several areas of my life. I continued with my resonant healing practitioner, formed a circle of other widows to support me, and dove deeply into the spiritual practice that anchors me. Now I am more settled, I continue my body movement modalities, exercising, walking, freeform dancing, journaling, deepening friendships, and have become deeply involved in my local Unity church. By continually facing grief as it shows up I feel reborn into a new way of living. Thanks for the video, I feel informed with fresh inspiration.
Lori Mar says
For the first six months after losing my son unexpectedly I threw myself into work in order to avoid the pain. I found that the grief was still there and it came back with a vengeance. I now use my connections in several grief groups to remind myself that I am not alone. I also participate in energy work regularly, write in my journal, and spend time reading or listening to guided meditations.
Becky Mckenna says
I realize I tend to focus away from my grief by doing more productive things and leaning into other passions I have.
Kat H says
Seems like what I have done for years to avoid grief of a loss of an intimate relationship is stay attached emotionally, an internal constant emotional longing. On the day to day I accepted the break up but have stayed attached and longing emotionally. I am beginning to invite the longing feeling into ( my kitchen for a cup of coffee) in other words into my heart and slowly accept my grief around the loss. There is a true feeling of inner peace that follows and I am inviting that longing into my heart often now. So as you imagine we drink a lot of coffee 🙂
Thank you, Tara, for your helpful and loving teachings.
Deborah Warren says
Walking my neighborhood
Looking up
Leading Improved fitness and connecting
Susan Hill says
After hearing your talk, I recognize that my loneliness and depression are from pulling away from the pain, becoming numb and distracting myself. Since I’ve been practicing meditation, I see more clearly how I avoid the suffering and meditation is helping me become more present. Yet I still struggle with the loneliness and realize that it is going to take more time and presence to heal.
Brian Carlton says
This was helpful in helping me to explore a recent personal loss the death of my brother and to help me turn toward the next phase of my life as I scale down and begin to embrace retirement. My embrace of my own losses helps me to assist my clients in their losses. – Brian Carlton, Ed.D., LMFT – Bothell, WA