On a recent walk through my neighborhood, I came across a cut-down tree (above). It was an ordinary tree, but the sight of it grabbed my attention in an unusual way. Perhaps it was the burnt orange color of its exposed, inner flesh contrasted against a bleak northeastern winter backdrop,

We all need help when we are going through a difficult time. It’s best to be preventative instead of reactive when you find yourself unexpectedly raising a family member’s child – which we refer to as a “grandfamily”. If you are a new to kinship care or have just received

What if I fail? This is a question that freezes so many of us. As I snuck a moment to work while my daughter was watching the movie Frozen, I realized I have been quiet lately because I am feeling a little frozen by the next phase of the self-publishing

This time of year always triggers my grief. The memories of my Mother’s sudden death fourteen years ago rise to the top of my consciousness. Maybe it’s the way the sun ricochets light through the trees at a lower angle, or the smell of fresh dirt in the morning air,

Raising your grandchild (or another relative) brings with it attachment challenges you may not have faced when you raised your children. For example, the bond between you and your child grew organically beginning in utero and continued to develop from the first day of their life. It eventually evolved into

Raising a family is hard work, and it can become even more complicated when the children in your family are coping with loss, grief, and trauma. While I was working as a family therapist for children in the foster care system, I learned a tool that helped me connect with

“Grandfamily” is a relatively new term for what is also known as kinship care. A grandfamily can be a grandparent raising a grandchild, or any relative who is caring for a family member’s child. For various reasons, such as mental health issues and addiction, grandfamilies are on the rise. As

Thank you for visiting my website. I am writing a children’s book called “A Grandfamily for Sullivan.” It is about a young koala who is feeling scared and angry when he suddenly has to live with his Grandma. Sullivan is uncertain why his life changed so quickly and he needs