Articles by Gary Roe
5 Tips for Winning the Depression Battle
“I eat. He drinks. I talk. He doesn’t. We both go through the motions, trying to somehow be strong for our other kids. Every day is an uphill battle,” Mandy shared. Mandy and Mike’s son Marcus had been looking forward to college for years. He was a serious student,...
5 Things Every Grieving Heart Needs
Grieving hearts need five things to survive, grieve, and live again: We need comfort. We need safety. We need hope. We need healing. We need each other. First of all, comfort. Loss is painful. Separation hurts. Oblivious to our suffering, the world around us speeds on...
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...
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