What To Say

March 22, 2017
Stop Saying “Don’t Give Up.” Please.

Stop Saying “Don’t Give Up.” Please.

We say a lot of things to grieving people that under normal circumstances would be fine, hopefully even encouraging, but to people facing a life or […]
October 21, 2015
A Crash Course in Listening: 3 Do’s and Don’ts

A Crash Course in Listening: 3 Do’s and Don’ts

One of the biggest concerns people have when they encounter a bereaved individual isn’t (strangely enough) how the bereaved person is doing, but “what do I say to […]
December 3, 2014
Deleting “Shoulds” from Your Grief Vocabulary

Deleting “Shoulds” from Your Grief Vocabulary

One of the most problematic phrases in our culture’s grief vocabulary are the words, “You shouldn’t be … (fill in the blank with whatever makes them […]
October 8, 2014
How to Talk to Grieving People … Never Saying “At Least…”

How to Talk to Grieving People … Never Saying “At Least…”

Last month I wrote about the power of responding to people in grief with memories. So many of us don’t know what to say to a […]
September 10, 2014
“I Remember” || What to Say About 9/11 & Grief

“I Remember” || What to Say About 9/11 & Grief

For a person in grief, there are almost no two sweeter words than, “I remember …” Those two words begin stories, spark memories, open old joys, […]