Articles by Gary Roe
3 Keys to Remember about Grief and Emotional Pain
"Does it ever get any better? Everyone says I should be over this or further along." Annette said. Annette's daughter Kimberly was the younger of two girls. She loved pink, dogs, and horses. If she had the option, she would have lived outside. She did well in school,...
3 Tips for Dealing with Critical, Unhelpful People
"People can be so insensitive and mean. Do they realize what they're saying?" Janet said, wringing a napkin in her hands. Janet's daughter Courtney was a tough and determined survivor. Diagnosed with lymphoma in her late teens, Courtney battled through treatment...
5 Ways to Make a Difference, Even While Hurting
The following is an excerpt from Teen Grief: Caring for the Grieving Teenage Heart. Grief loneliness hits all of us. I’ll bet you can relate. The suggestions at the end apply to all of us who want to help others who are grieving. Here are 5 ways to make a difference,...
When People Disappear and Disappoint
"Where did everyone go? Do we have some kind of disease? Are we contagious?" Sandra said, fire in her eyes. Sandra's daughter Sam was their firstborn. Sam and her little brother Stephen were quite a pair. They were together a lot and grew up close, the best of...
When the Heart and Soul Go Numb
"Everything good seems far away. I'm emotionally and spiritually paralyzed. I feel dead inside," Jack shared. Jack's daughter Chloe was a daddy's girl. She clung to Jack wherever he went. He adored her. Chloe grew up in a stable and loving home. She confronted the...
5 Key Truths for When Grief is Fresh
“This is weird. Everything is different, but it all looks the same. It’s like living in some kind of alternate universe,” Craig shared. “But then I walk into Matthew’s room and the nightmare becomes real all over again.” Craig’s son Matthew contracted spinal...
What we might say, if only others would listen
The world often fails to take grieving hearts seriously. As a result, we often feel misunderstood, judged, or even abandoned. Sadly, we sometimes walk away thinking that we're the problem, that our grief is misplaced, and that we should somehow be over this by now....
Merry Christmas, from me to you
Christmas is upon us. For those who are grieving, our losses swim before our eyes. The memories assault us. Perhaps we manage a smile, but our hearts are broken. Yes, I could talk about 8 tips for handling grief and the holidays or 5 tips for dealing with holiday...
Can’t We Skip the Holidays?
"Christmas? Thanksgiving was an emotional nightmare. Can't we just skip it this year? Where's the Grinch when you need him?" Glenn asked. "I'm planning on hiding. I know it won't work, but I don't know what else to do," Connie added. Glenn and Connie's daughter Skylar...
When Grief and Holidays Collide…
When grief and the holidays meet, the results are often not pretty. I had my first auto accident when I was 16. It was raining, and I took a curve too fast. I spun out of control, popped up the curb, and slammed head-on into a tree. The impact whipped me around,...
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