When you find out someone you knew has died but it’s wasn’t recently you can be forgiven for panicking. It could be that you were just scrolling through Facebook or chatting with an old friend and then you’re hit with the news. There’s the grief, of course. But there’s also guilt. You weren’t there. You … Read more
It can be very awkward when you find out someone you’ve lost touch with has had a death in the family. You want to reach out. You really should reach out. But you’re probably thinking: won’t it be weird after all this time? You might have drifted apart with no real falling out. Maybe life … Read more
There aren’t really any words that fix a stillbirth. I want to say that right at the start because if you’ve found your way here hoping I’ll be able to give you the perfect words that takes away someone’s pain then I’d be lying to you. But there are both kinder things you can say … Read more
It’s one of the hardest things to find words for. When someone you care about has been through IVF and it hasn’t worked, or they’ve lost a pregnancy after everything they put themselves through to get there, you want to say something. You are also terrified of saying the wrong thing. It’s completely normal to … Read more
When someone tells you they have a terminal diagnosis it’s understandable to not know how to respond. It could be the person themselves, sitting across from you. Maybe it’s a friend letting you know about their husband or their mom. Whoever it is you want to say something good. You also really don’t want to … Read more
When you’re waiting for surgery, be it a routine procedure or something more serious, it’s understandable to feel nervous in the days beforehand. And if it’s someone you care about going under the knife you probably want to say something. The trouble is knowing what. You don’t want to be too gushing but on the … Read more
It’s hard to know what to say to someone after a serious injury or a new disability. You want to be there for them and say something that helps. But the usual things we say in these sorts of circumstances often feel wrong. “Get well soon” isn’t right when the situation might be permanent and … Read more
When a friend tells you their mom or their husband has just been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia how do you react? It’s one of the worse diagnoses anyone can receive so knowing what to say in that moment is so difficult. You want to say the right thing and you’re terrified … Read more
Heartbreak isn’t only experienced with losing a loved one or funerals. In fact it’s a type of loss that isn’t even acknowledgment much by the wider world. When an adoption falls through the person grieving has lost a child they were already loving and planning for. They had pictures of them at the dinner table … Read more
There is no loss quite like it. A parent is never meant to outlive their child. And when someone loses a son the grief is going to be more than most of us can ever really understand. I’ve unfortunately had to find the words more than once for a friend in this situation and felt … Read more