Recent Entries

• Custom Temporary Tattoos to Keep Loved Ones Close

  by Noha Waibsnaider November 6, 2019
  Gone are the days when we wore clothing or shaved our heads to honor a loved one and to tell the world that we are grieving. But expressing the loss remains a very human need. Many people get tattoos to serve as lasting reminders of a loved one that died. A permanent tattoo may not be your thin...

• How to support friends through grief

  by Noha Waibsnaider November 1, 2019
  It can be difficult to know what to say or do to support friends after the loss of a loved one.   Depending on the person, the type of loss and how much time has passed, friends will need different types of support. Grief comes in waves and is often unpredictable. Friends need different ty...

• Inspiring Celebrations of Life and One-Year Anniversary

  by Noha Waibsnaider October 31, 2019
  Traditionally, we relied on religion to provide a playbook for commemorating loved ones. Today, we often borrow from other cultures and religions. Some of the gatherings you may want to consider:  Jewish: Shiva house (7 days of open house after a memorial) or 30-day gathering called Shl...

• New "Death Doulas" support families at the end of life

  by Noha Waibsnaider March 20, 2019
  An interview with Jeri Glatter, Vice-President of the International End of Life Doula Association   With the advent of modern medicine, 80% of Americans are dying in hospitals or in nursing homes rather than in homes. It’s no wonder we don’t know how to prepare for or cope with d...

• Planning Resources

  by Noha Waibsnaider March 11, 2019
  "A good funeral gets the dead where they need to go and the living where they need to be.” -Thomas Lynch   Ceremonies Inspiring Celebrations of Life The 5 Guidelines of a Eulogy Create a memorial video Ceremonies, verses, and eulogies Music playlist   Green funer...

• Six Tactics for Working through Grief

  by Noha Waibsnaider November 27, 2018
  A frenzy of activity tends to follow immediately after someone dies: planning or attending a memorial, preparing an obituary or eulogy, and dealing with various logistical issues. But after the funeral, what comes next? Grief can feel overwhelming—like too much to deal with, or like you don't ...

• When Thanksgiving Reminds You Of The People Who Won't Be There

  by Noha Waibsnaider November 20, 2018
  As my husband prepared his Thanksgiving assignments last week, I looked down at our list of family members and their delicious sounding contributions. My heart was full. And yet I was also struck by a deep pang, knowing our Thanksgiving Coordinator in Chief was not listed.    Ever since ...

• Ten tips for talking to kids about death

  by Noha Waibsnaider November 6, 2018
  Death and grief are difficult concepts for everyone and we each go through a different process. Kids also have their individual responses and they can surprise you with their directness. A few tips on how to talk to kids about death:   1) Say that s/he died. Listen, answer ques...

• 6 ideas for personalizing a funeral & commemorating a legacy

  by Noha Waibsnaider November 6, 2018
  When planning a funeral or memorial, it helps to spend time thinking about our loved ones and things that are personally meaningful. A few ways to personalize a funeral or memorial:   Photo slideshow Music playlist with their favorite or meaningful music Display their artwo...