Grief and Trauma – Next Level

Grief Doesn’t Expire – Honoring the Lingering Ache

Time has a way of tricking us. It tells us that we “should be over it by now.” That there’s an expiration date for pain, for memory, for sorrow. That the deeper the calendar moves from the moment of loss, the more healed we should be. But grief does not follow a schedule. It doesContinue reading “Grief Doesn’t Expire – Honoring the Lingering Ache”

Learning to Breathe Again After Loss

When loss hits, it’s as if the air is knocked out of your lungs. Grief is not just an emotional pain—it is physical, mental, spiritual, and all-consuming. It interrupts your breathing, both literally and figuratively. The days feel heavy. The nights feel endless. And even the smallest task can feel like a mountain. In thisContinue reading “Learning to Breathe Again After Loss”

The Guilt of Moving On

There comes a moment in every grief journey when you laugh—and immediately feel bad about it. You find joy in something simple—a sunrise, a memory, a child’s smile—and guilt floods your heart like an unwelcome tide. This week, we pause to talk about the guilt that comes with healing. Why Does Moving Forward Feel LikeContinue reading “The Guilt of Moving On”

The Grief You Hide Behind Your Smile

Not all grief is loud. Not all sorrow is public. Some of the most profound pain walks into the room dressed in a smile. This week is for the ones who grieve in silence. The ones who are always “okay” on the outside, even when their inner world is unraveling. The ones who carry theirContinue reading “The Grief You Hide Behind Your Smile”

When Grief Alters Your Identity

Grief is not just about who or what you’ve lost. It’s also about the shift that happens within you as a result. When someone you love is no longer present, their absence doesn’t just leave a void—it redefines your world. And somewhere along the way, it can redefine you. Who Am I Now Without Them?Continue reading “When Grief Alters Your Identity”

The Things You Wish You Said

Grief has a way of surfacing the unsaid. Words that were held back. Moments missed. Conversations postponed. In the silence left behind by someone’s absence, echoes of the “should haves” and “could haves” often grow loud. This week’s reflection is for those carrying the weight of unfinished words. When Closure Doesn’t Come For many, griefContinue reading “The Things You Wish You Said”

When Time Doesn’t Heal Everything

There’s a common saying: “Time heals all wounds.” But anyone who has ever grieved knows that this isn’t always true. Time may soften the sharpness of pain, but it doesn’t automatically bring healing. For some, time simply stretches the ache. The calendar moves forward, but the heart remains in yesterday. Grief is not a clock;Continue reading “When Time Doesn’t Heal Everything”

When Memories Become a Sanctuary

There comes a moment in every grief journey when the sharp sting of loss slowly gives way to the tender echo of remembrance. While grief begins as a rupture, it can, over time, become a reverent space where memories live—not to haunt, but to honor. From Wounds to Wonder In the early stages of grief,Continue reading “When Memories Become a Sanctuary”

Grief: The Unseen Thread That Binds Us All

Grief is not always loud. Sometimes, it is the quiet thread that weaves its way through the fabric of our lives, unnoticed by others but deeply felt by us. It does not need permission, and it does not adhere to a schedule. Whether it arrives as a sudden storm or a long-awaited sigh, grief touchesContinue reading “Grief: The Unseen Thread That Binds Us All”

Grace for the Journey – When Healing Takes Time

There are times in grief when the days blend into one another, and it feels like healing is nowhere on the horizon. The fog of sorrow lingers, and progress seems painfully slow. In these moments, it’s easy to wonder if you’re doing something wrong or if you’ll ever feel whole again. But grief doesn’t moveContinue reading “Grace for the Journey – When Healing Takes Time”

Grieving Forward – When God Still Has More for You

There comes a time in the grief journey when the pain no longer hollers but whispers—when the ache remains, but so does the calling. This is the sacred space of “grieving forward.” Grief is not a destination. It’s not the final stop. It is a passage—a painful one—but a pathway nonetheless. God never asks youContinue reading “Grieving Forward – When God Still Has More for You”

Grief and Guilt – When Regret Shadows the Loss

There is a pain that grief ushers in quietly—the pain of guilt. It shows up in the “what ifs,” the “if onlys,” and the “I should have knowns.” Sometimes, it speaks louder than the loss itself. Guilt often hides in the shadows of mourning—unspoken, yet heavy. We blame ourselves for what we did, what weContinue reading “Grief and Guilt – When Regret Shadows the Loss”

Grief: The Unseen Thread That Binds Us All

Grief does not discriminate. It does not ask for identification. It does not wait for invitation. It simply arrives—unapologetically, unexpectedly, and often unannounced. Grief has no color, no race, no political or religious allegiance. It pays no attention to age, denomination, status, or belief system. Whether one is a believer or a non-believer, a saintContinue reading “Grief: The Unseen Thread That Binds Us All”

The Empty Chair – Facing the Unfillable Space

There’s something painfully symbolic about the empty chair. It may sit at the table during a holiday meal, at a family gathering, in the church pew, or at a special event. That once-occupied space—now vacant—echoes louder than words. This is not just about physical absence. It’s about what used to be… and what will neverContinue reading “The Empty Chair – Facing the Unfillable Space”

The Ministry of Presence – When Words Aren’t Enough

There are moments in grief when silence says more than any sermon, when sitting beside someone speaks louder than quoting Scripture. In these sacred spaces, the ministry of presence becomes God’s balm to the soul. You don’t have to fix it. You don’t have to explain it. You only need to be there. Presence IsContinue reading “The Ministry of Presence – When Words Aren’t Enough”

Relearning Joy – When Laughter Feels Like Betrayal

There comes a moment in grief’s journey when the shadows begin to lift—when, without warning, you smile again. But the surprise of laughter can bring an unexpected pang of guilt. After all the weeping, when the heart dares to feel joy again, it often wrestles with a haunting question: Am I allowed to feel thisContinue reading “Relearning Joy – When Laughter Feels Like Betrayal”

Grief: The Unseen Thread That Binds Us All

Unspoken Goodbyes – When Closure Never Came

Some losses are loud. Others are silent. Not every departure gives you the dignity of a final word. Not every death, separation, or life interruption comes with a moment to say goodbye. Some grief lives in the echo of what was never said. The unanswered questions. The last conversation that never happened. The prayer forContinue reading “Unspoken Goodbyes – When Closure Never Came”

The Body Remembers – Grief’s Physical Toll

Grief is not confined to the mind or spirit—it leaves fingerprints on the body. Long after the funeral ends and the cards stop coming, the body still carries the echoes of sorrow. A heaviness in the chest. A tightening in the throat. A sudden fatigue. A restless night. These are not imagined. These are grief’sContinue reading “The Body Remembers – Grief’s Physical Toll”

When Grief Turns Into Guilt – Releasing What Wasn’t Yours to Carry

Grief often arrives uninvited, but guilt sometimes sneaks in beside it, cloaked in questions, regrets, and self-blame. “If only I had done more.” “Why didn’t I call sooner?” “Did I miss the signs?” While grief mourns the loss, guilt tortures the soul with accusations about the past. And yet, much of the guilt that accompaniesContinue reading “When Grief Turns Into Guilt – Releasing What Wasn’t Yours to Carry”

Disenfranchised Grief – When No One Understands Your Pain”

Not all grief is met with casseroles, sympathy cards, and visible support. Some grief hides behind silence, misunderstanding, or dismissal. It’s the pain people don’t talk about—the kind that society doesn’t acknowledge, that the Church sometimes overlooks, and that even close friends may not recognize. This is disenfranchised grief—when your loss doesn’t “qualify” for comfortContinue reading “Disenfranchised Grief – When No One Understands Your Pain””

Grief in the Garden – Jesus and the Oil Press of Sorrow

There is a place in Scripture where sorrow, surrender, and sacred purpose converge—it is the Garden of Gethsemane. The name Gethsemane means “oil press.” It is the place where olives are crushed to release what is hidden within. It is also the place where Jesus, the Son of God, grieved in full humanity. As weContinue reading “Grief in the Garden – Jesus and the Oil Press of Sorrow”

The Weight of Memory – When the Past Refuses to Let Go

Memory can be a precious gift—or a persistent burden. When grief touches our lives, memories often rise with sharp clarity. The sound of a voice, the scent of a favorite meal, the flash of a photo—suddenly, the past is not just remembered, it is relived. While memory can comfort us, it can also keep usContinue reading “The Weight of Memory – When the Past Refuses to Let Go”

Grief and Worship – Singing While Wounded

One of the most powerful, paradoxical acts a grieving heart can offer is worship. To worship in joy is beautiful. But to worship in sorrow—that is holy. Worship in grief is not a performance. It’s not a declaration that everything is okay. It’s an offering of brokenness. It’s singing when your soul feels silent. It’sContinue reading “Grief and Worship – Singing While Wounded”

A Hard Truth – Bermudians Hate Bermudians

I begin this letter with humility and sincerity. If these words offend, I offer my heartfelt apology. This is not an attack—it is a call to wake up, reflect, and act. There is a growing ache in the soul of Bermuda. A wound that is not being caused by foreign hands or strangers arriving onContinue reading “A Hard Truth – Bermudians Hate Bermudians”

“Delayed Healing – When Grief Lingers Longer Than Expected”

There is a quiet pressure many grievers feel but rarely voice: “I should be further along than this.” People mean well when they ask, “Are you doing better now?” They hope time has closed the wound. But what happens when time has passed—weeks, months, even years—and the ache is still there? This week, we addressContinue reading ““Delayed Healing – When Grief Lingers Longer Than Expected””

When God Is Silent – Finding Faith in the Absence of Answers

There is a particular pain in grief that goes beyond the loss itself—it’s the silence that follows. The quiet after the funeral. The echo after the prayer. The unanswered questions. The stillness in your spirit when you’re desperately longing to hear from God but Heaven seems still. This week, we explore one of the hardestContinue reading “When God Is Silent – Finding Faith in the Absence of Answers”

Grief and the Mind – When Thoughts Refuse to Settle

Grief is not just an ache in the heart; it’s also a storm in the mind. It’s the sleepless nights replaying what you could have said. It’s the silent moments haunted by “what if?” and “why now?” It’s the mental fog that makes the simplest task feel overwhelming. It’s the tug-of-war between trying to moveContinue reading “Grief and the Mind – When Thoughts Refuse to Settle”

Spiritual Identity and Grief – Who Am I Without Them?

One of the most painful questions grief raises is not simply “Why did this happen?”—but “Who am I now?” Loss disrupts identity. It fractures roles, routines, and relationships. When someone we love dies or something we’ve built dissolves, it can feel like part of us died too. The titles we held, the joy we shared,Continue reading “Spiritual Identity and Grief – Who Am I Without Them?”

God Meets You in the Ashes – The Biblical Response to Mourning

Grief has a way of reducing us to ashes—stripped of routine, shattered by loss, and left in silence with nothing but the fragments of what was. It is a place that feels both holy and harrowing. And yet, throughout Scripture, the ashes of mourning are not the end. They are the place where God meetsContinue reading “God Meets You in the Ashes – The Biblical Response to Mourning”

Navigating the First Wave – When Grief Interrupts Everything

Grief has no schedule. It does not ask for permission. It does not wait for the right time. It interrupts. It invades. It descends like a wave—sudden, intense, and overwhelming. The first wave of grief can feel like drowning. Your footing is gone. Your breath is short. Everything you thought was steady now feels uncertain.Continue reading “Navigating the First Wave – When Grief Interrupts Everything”

Beauty in the Breaking: Healing Through the Dimensions of Grief

What Is Grief? Understanding Loss Beyond Death Grief is often associated only with funerals, caskets, and cemeteries. But in truth, grief is far more expansive, complex, and subtle. It’s not just about death—it’s about loss. Loss of a loved one, yes, but also loss of identity, dreams, direction, relationships, seasons, or even hope. Grief isContinue reading “Beauty in the Breaking: Healing Through the Dimensions of Grief”

Announcement…

Starting Monday, May 12, 2025 Dr. Althea Winifred will be starting my weekly blog called “Beauty in the Breaking – Healing Through the Dimensions of Grief” Grief is not a destination—it is a journey through broken places, silent valleys, and unseen scars. It is the heart’s response to loss in all its forms: death, disappointment,Continue reading “Announcement…”