When a child dies, the focus is often on the individual grief of each parent. But what’s frequently left out is how that grief affects the relationship between them.  You’re both in pain, but how you cope might look completely different. One person might want to talk. The other might shut down. One might need distractions, while the other sits in the pain.  Even in the same house, grief can feel isolating.  It’s not easy to stay connected when you’re both hurting. But underst

Parenting after losing a child is something you can’t possibly prepare for. The first days feel like you’re moving through fog. Even breathing feels heavy. And yet, life doesn’t stop. Another child still needs breakfast, still tugs at you for attention, still asks the kinds of questions that are difficult to answer.   Your world has fallen apart, but you’re still a parent. You don’t stop being mom or dad to the child who’s here, even while grieving the one who isn’t.   What f

In truth, I didn’t know that George Mark Children’s House existed before a friend told me about it. When I visited, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I thought maybe a medical facility that felt a little less clinical. To my delight, the house was nothing like the cold, medical facilities I am used to visiting. There were hand-painted murals in each room. A family suite with a kitchen and enough beds for everyone to stay close. A warm living room with actual games, not just for s

Advocating for a Medically Complex Child  When Blair Young’s son Bubba was diagnosed with a rare neurological condition, she wasn’t handed a guidebook. There were no clear next steps, no roadmap; just a phone call that ended with the words, “It’s worse than we thought.”   She was left to figure it out on her own. “It felt like being dropped into the middle of the ocean with your arms and legs tied behind your back,” she said, “and being told, ‘Good luck. You’d better swim.’” 

Some parents walk a well-worn path. There are timelines and protocols to follow. But for others, like Dr. Tasha Faruqui, the path...

Hospice - it’s a word that stops people. Especially when it involves children. It’s a concept that feels too big, too final, and too...

Coping with Child Loss Costs When a child dies, time fractures. You’re heartbroken, disoriented, and suddenly asked to make decisions you never imagined. In those first few days, the world seems to stop making sense.  There’s no handbook for this kind of loss. But there are things you can know; small bits of preparation and comfort that might help you survive the impossible. This post walks through five things grieving parents often face, and what can help when everything fee

Grief is a universal human experience, but when it comes to children, many adults feel at a loss for words. We want to protect them. We...

Losing a child is an unimaginable heartbreak. It’s a grief that changes everything—the way you see the world, your relationships, even...

Helping Children Heal Through Play Therapy Grief is never easy, especially for children. They experience loss in deeply personal ways and...

In this episode of Comforting Closure - Conversations with a Death Doula , I had the privilege of sitting down with Jessica Fein, the...

Caring for a seriously ill child is a journey no parent ever expects to take. Yet, within this heartbreaking challenge lies an...