Did My Person Intend to Die? Three key questions can affect people’s grief in the wake of a death caused by drugs or alcohol. The question “Why did my person die from substance use?” was covered last month, and this month we are addressing the question “Did my person intend to die?” One of the …
Free Webinar Offered to Frontline Providers A free archived webinar, Grief and Managing an Opioid Death, focuses on frontline workers in the opioid crisis and the complexities of grieving an overdose death. In addition to describing the many faces of grief and working with loved ones left behind, it also presents self-care strategies designed to …
Groups Show Beauty of Siblings Helping Siblings By Kerry J. Bickford, VOICES Editor Dealing with the aftermath of an overdose is complicated for families and friends left behind with so many conflicting emotions. For siblings, it can be particularly painful and isolating. Siblings are lifelong peers who not only share DNA, history, and memories; they …
His Recovery Honors Those Who Died By Kerry J. Bickford, VOICES Editor It is almost 7 p.m. on a Tuesday evening, and I’m sitting in a room so full of adults that people are now pulling chairs in from surrounding rooms. The air is abuzz with energetic chatter, and I notice a young man who …
Bereaved Siblings Share “Instant Bond” By Jenni Colecchi, Guest Contributor Seventy-five days into my recovery and exactly six months into our brother’s, our sister, Christi, passed of a fentanyl overdose. As one can only imagine, this tragedy greatly affected our family. Communication for me was difficult with everyone except with my brother, Christi’s twin, who …
Peer Helper Profile: Colleen & Gordon Bullard By Kerry J. Bickford, VOICES Editor Fourteen months after Cory Bullard completed an intensive, multi-step recovery program — landing his first professional job as a substance abuse counselor — Colleen and Gordon Bullard recall feeling like “we can finally exhale.” It was a pinnacle moment for them as …
Autumn Highlights Endings, Beginnings By Kerry J. Bickford, VOICES Editor September has arrived and families everywhere are preparing for a new year as schools scramble to respond to create hybrid models necessary to reduce the spread of COVID-19. It’s always bittersweet to say goodbye to the pleasures of summer and turn our focus to a …
Pain of Loss ‘Makes Me Fight Harder’ By Kiki Huff, Guest Contributor March 25, 2017 was the day I received the news that my partner, Peter, passed away as a direct result of his addiction. I worried every day that this day would come, and I tried to prepare myself for it, but there is …
“Why?” Is Part of Grief Journey A key question that affects people’s grief in the wake of a death caused by drugs or alcohol is: “Why did my person die from substance use?” On one level, this is a question about facts — focused on the who, what, where, when, and how of what happened …
Find Resources and Information at GRG Site SADOD is proud to be associated with two peer grief helpers with affiliations to the MA Commission on the Status of Grandparents Raising Grandchildren. Kerry Bickford was a founding member of the Commission and served for 10 years and Deb Dowd-Foley is serving currently. They have made significant …
