FIRST OF A SIX-PART SERIES Published in the Aspen Daily News By Allison Daily Grief is a complicated, five-letter word. The question then becomes, what do we do with the hole in our heart when our loved one has died? How does one support someone who has lost someone they deeply love? ​ Allison Daily In this series of articles, I will explore how deep pain from loss manifests in everyday life. Through client stories (shared with their permission), I will provide insights into

SECOND IN A SIX-PART SERIES Published in the Aspen Daily News By Allison Daily Grief is a complicated, five-letter word. Recently, I spoke to a group mourning the loss of a dear friend. They wanted to know what their grief would “look like.” I shared the truth: Grief presents differently in each of us and on its timeline. ​ At 24, I experienced this firsthand when my oldest brother, Rod, died by suicide. I was the first to receive the news in a graphic phone call from the p

THIRD IN A SIX-PART SERIES Published in the Aspen Daily News By Allison Daily Grief is a complicated, five-letter word. 'Holding space' means leaving your agendas behind and genuinely listening and trusting that the griever has the resources within themselves to find their way, even when they feel empty and lost. When I meet someone for the first time, I silently offer this prayer: “Allow me to hold this person, so they can find what they need inside to heal.” I remember

FOURTH IN A SIX-PART SERIES Published in the Aspen Daily News By Allison Daily Grief is a complicated, five-letter word. Receiving a terminal diagnosis is one of life’s most profoundly difficult moments — a collision of disbelief, fear, and uncertainty. With some diseases, there’s a glimmer of hope for a miracle; with others, the focus shifts to navigating the process ahead. ​ When Rita Hunter first asked to meet with me, I had no idea she had been diagnosed with Amyotrophic

FIFTH IN A SIX-PART SERIES Published in the Aspen Daily News By Allison Daily Grief is a complicated, five-letter word. Erin McGrath and Paul Strain moved to Aspen this July. They are a blended family with six children; the youngest three are theirs together. On Sept. 19, what began as a typical day quickly shifted into tragedy when their son Xander (2 ½) drowned while under the care of a babysitter. There are no words to describe the horror of what they endured, as the docto

LAST OF A SIX-PART SERIES Published in the Aspen Daily News By Allison Daily Grief is a complicated, five-letter word. I met Kaid Neislanik shortly after his father’s passing. From the outset, it was clear how deeply mental health struggles affect not just individuals but entire families. Living with someone grappling with mental illness is difficult; living with it oneself must often feel impossible. ​ Allison Daily Matt Neislanik was a strong, kind-hearted cowboy who worke

Published in the Aspen Daily News on May 30, 2024 By Allison Alexander The benefits of individual therapeutic work are commonly...

Published in the Aspen Daily News on September 1, 2022 By Shirley Ritter and Katherine Sand There’s nothing that can be said. It’s a...

As published in The Aspen Times on June 6, 2022 When tragedies happen in our world, even though we may not have a relationship with the...

As published in the Aspen Times May 18, 2022 by Tamara Tormohlen Grief and loss are two inescapable realities of life, and yet as a...