hope

A picture of stones piling on each other, and next to it is the title When facing multiple losses on Journeyofsmiley blog

Overwhelmed? What if It’s Cumulative Grief From Multiple Losses

If you’ve recently been feeling emotionally overwhelmed and can’t quite explain why, I want to offer a gentle possibility: could you be experiencing cumulative grief from multiple losses? When loss happens time and again – without enough time, space, or support to fully process each one – grief doesn’t disappear. It accumulates. And over time, that …

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Christmas tree brunch decorated with a heart hanging on it, and the title Gentle Guide for Grievers on Journeyofsmiley blog

When Christmas Feels Hard: A Gentle Guide for Grieving Hearts

Christmas can stir up a thousand emotions — gratitude, joy, nostalgia — but also deep sorrow for what has changed. If this Christmas feels quieter, heavier, or lonelier, or if you find Christmas hard when grieving, please know this: you’re not alone. I understand, I’ve been there, too. I remember my first Christmas without my …

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A flower buds on the ground and next to it is the title Grief without closure on Journeyofsmiley.com

What if You’re Grieving What’s Still Here? Understanding Ambiguous Loss

“No one warned me that surviving my accident would mean grieving a life that never actually ended, rather an ambiguous loss, lingering quietly beneath the surface.” My traumaversary Today marks my fifth traumaversary – five years since the accident that changed my life in a split second. Five years ago, I was hit by a …

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On the right side is a decorative picture with the sign Brian Injury Wise and on the left side is an inspirational quote about trauma, healing, and listening to our bodies with the title PTSD: My Story Project on Journeyofsmiley blog

From Survival to Healing: Living With PTSD After a Traumatic Brain Injury

From Survival to Healing: Living with PTSD After a Traumatic Brain Injury by BrainInjuryWise | PTSD: My Story Project #017 Trigger warning Living with PTSD after a traumatic brain injury wasn’t something I ever expected. Like a lot of people, I believed PTSD was something veterans dealt with coming back from seeing unseeable things in …

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two females watching at a plane flying away in the sky and in the right corner is the title Expat Grief on Journeyofsmiley.com

Expat Grief and Emigration: The Hidden Cost of Moving and Living Abroad

As this month marks twenty years of my life in England, I invite you into a quieter, often unspoken side of the emigration journey – the emotional weight of expat grief that can come with moving and living abroad. This isn’t a checklist of what to pack or how to get visa. Rather, it’s a …

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Two people sitting at a table, holding cups of coffee, and the title is From Grievers, For Grievers on Journeyofsmiley.com

What Grievers Really Need: How to Support Others and Yourself Through Grief

Grief is not a problem to solve. It’s a reality we must live through – sometimes loudly, sometimes quietly, sometimes both at once. When someone you love is grieving, it’s natural to want to support them. And yet when you’re grieving yourself, it can feel impossible to ask for support, let alone accept it. In …

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Orange booklet with the title Dear Caregiver, Thank you on Journeyofsmiley.com

Heartfelt Messages for Loved Ones and Caregivers from Trauma Survivors

June is PTSD Awareness Month and as someone diagnosed with PTSD after an accident over four years ago, I know how crucial a strong support network is. I’ve been fortunate. My husband has stood by me, and my psychologist was exactly who I needed at the time. But I also know that not every survivor …

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On a table is a cup of coffee, a hut, flowers and a book with the title Rising Above on Journeyofsmiley blog

Rising Above: My Story of Overcoming and Getting Published

This Valentine’s Day I received one of the best presents – the hard copy of our book, ‘Rising Above: Stories of Overcoming’. I co-wrote the book with another nine women. We shared our hard stories of overcoming to let others know that they are not alone, and they too, can rise above.  Read also ‘How …

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