Articles by Gary Roe

5 Unsettling Ways Loss Affects Us Mentally

"I can't seem to focus. My concentration is gone," Wayne shared. "I space out at work. I zone out in conversations. I watch movies and discover I have no idea what the plot line is." Wayne's daughter Tory was his little princess. She was a daddy's girl, and the two of...

7 Characteristics of Safe, Supportive People

Grieving hearts often feel misunderstood, or worse. To say this can be frustrating is a gross understatement. Several years ago, people came to me and said, "Could you please write a book that we can give to other people to help them understand what we're going...

5 Ways Grief Will Surprise You

"I wander. I drift. I have no purpose. Everything feels meaningless," Mark said. "Me too. I'm just here. That's all," Melanie added. Mark and Melanie's daughter Faith was their third child. After two normal, healthy pregnancies and deliveries, Faith's entry into the...

3 Keys to Overcoming Guilt in Grief and in Life

The following is adapted from the 2018 Book Excellence Award Winner, Teen Grief: Caring for the Grieving Teenage Heart. Grief often comes laden with guilt. You'll be able to relate, even if you don’t have teens. In times of loss, teens can see themselves as...

5 Keys to Sanity When Grief is Driving You Crazy

Loss is stunning. At some point in the grief process, most people feel a little unhinged or like they are going crazy. From the Grieving Heart: I'm forgetting things. Appointments. Where I put my car keys. What I came into the room for. I'm losing words. I...

5 Reasons Why the Same Questions Plague Us, Over and Over

In grief, questions abound. We wonder about many things. The same questions tend to circle around us – over, and over, and over again. From the Grieving Heart: I miss you. Badly. I have one of your voicemails saved. I find myself listening to it over and over....

5 Reasons Loss Stuns (Even Immobilizes) Us

Loss stuns us. How could this happen? They were just here. From the Grieving Heart: How could this happen? This can't be real. You're going to walk through that door any moment, I just know it. The tears start to flow. They morph into sobs. I can hear myself...

5 Crucial Keys to Managing Anger

The following is adapted from the 2018 Book Excellence Award Winner, Teen Grief: Caring for the Grieving Teenage Heart. If you’re going through a time of loss, most likely you can relate to this article – even if you don’t have teens. Anger is common in grief and can...

5 Threats That Can Crush Grieving Hearts

"I’m running, pure and simple," Bart said. "I was never good enough. When Tad died, I knew it was my fault somehow. I fell back into all the old stuff so easily." Bart's son Tad was a lively, active kid. He was into everything as soon as his little legs and arms could...

3 Important Tips for Grieving at Work

"I go to work, but I'm not all there. I'm tired. My brain is foggy. I’m on auto-pilot most of the time," Tim shared. "Work is weird. Everything is weird." Tim's son Ethan was a quiet, introspective kid. He preferred reading and video games to people. He was brilliant,...