Search Results for: blog families and survivors guilt

Dealing With a Traumatic Event

One of the ongoing discussions taking place since the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary is how the survivors are going to cope.  Fearful children who are afraid to return to school, some asking if there are anymore “bad guys.”  Or having to explain to them why their teacher or friends won’t be returning. Then there are the horrific images that some of these children witnessed.  The sound of gunfire, hiding in closets and so much more than we can probably only imagine. I wish I had answers as to how a parent can help a child cope after a tragedy.  … Continue reading →

Deep-Clean Outside

According to NBC News, the death toll for the tornadoes that ravaged seven states earlier this week now stands at 340 people. However, authorities say that number is expected to rise, as members of the National Guard dig through untouched piles of debris in hard hit Alabama. The televised scenes of devastation are horrific and it makes me feel guilty about complaining about the mile-long list of outdoor spring cleaning that I have yet to complete. At least my home is still standing. I’m pretty sure the tornado survivors would be more than happy to spend their Saturday cleaning out … Continue reading →

This Week in Mental Health (Nov 5-9)

This week saw several topics covered including the guilt that accompanies sexual assault, and how to help your friend or family member through a psychotic episode. We also began an exciting new series on the effects of street drugs on mental health. Guilt is a specter that often hovers in the lives of survivors of rape and other forms of sexual assault. Yet in our article this week we looked not only at how guilt can stop a person moving forward from the assault but how victims will go to extreme lengths to protect significant others from hearing about their … Continue reading →

Domestic Violence: 7 Facts to Be Aware Of

October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. I did a little research and with some help from outside sources like The National Domestic Violence Hotline, DomesticViolence.org, the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, and Medline Plus in addition to articles referenced herein by other Families.com bloggers, I came up with a list of seven facts about domestic violence. 1. Domestic violence goes by other names. Such as partner abuse and spousal abuse. 2. You don’t have to be married to experience domestic violence. You don’t even necessarily need to be living with your partner to be involved in a domestic violence … Continue reading →

It’s Time To Think Pink

It’s that time of year again… The trees may be donning brilliant shades of red, yellow and orange, but in the fashion world it is time to think pink. We are just days away from the month of October and the kick off of Breast Cancer Awareness Month 2008. Regular readers of this blog know that my mom is a breast cancer survivor and during the month of October I traditionally provide details on how you can get involved in the fight to conquer this insidious disease. In the coming days look for blogs highlighting the efforts of hundreds of … Continue reading →

Author Interview – Leigh Bale: (part two) The Reality Behind the Fiction

Thanks for joining us for part two of our talk with Leigh Bale, member of the Romance Writers of America and recipient of several awards in her field. If you missed part one, click here. Leigh, your novel “The Healing Place,” for which you won the Golden Heart award, is based on some of your own experiences. Can you tell us a little bit about that? Unfortunately, my family and I lived the research for “The Healing Place.” I have a daughter with an inoperable brain tumor. She was diagnosed at the age of seven, after a five month period … Continue reading →

Military week in Review

Howdy ya’ll! I’ve been very quiet this past week but thankfully this column hasn’t. I’d love to welcome Trudy Marshall-Bowler to the military family. There are many things people outside the military wonders about this whole other world and hopefully this column can show them what it is like from time to time in the military, not to mention giving advice to other military families going through the exact same thing. A few things we deal with in the military are being separated. No, not as in divorce but by being miles apart because one or both must go overseas … Continue reading →

More Shopping For A Cause

I have dedicated several blogs to fashion items that allow you to spend money without the guilt. Mainly because the profits from the items go to charities, including the American Cancer Society and the Young Survivors Coalition. Well, make room in your closets because here’s another round of items that you can spend your hard earned income on… with the added benefit of knowing that a portion of what you spend will go to help those in need. Add Cole-Haan to the growing list of charity minded retail stores. The shoe designer not only makes the rare and elusive “comfortable … Continue reading →

Sexual Violence Awareness Month.

October means many things to different people, Fall, Halloween, Christmas shopping time, just to name a few. October in our house means that it is Sexual Violence Awareness Month – a busy month for me that ends with the International Reclaim the Night march on October 27. Each year, October’s awareness raising focuses on a particular aspect of sexual violence. This year the focus is “Stop incest.” I hear this message loud and clear. Turnaround defines incest as: Any overtly sexual act between people who are closely related or who perceive themselves as being closely related (as in relationship between … Continue reading →