Blog

Suicide Prevention Month 2023

September 6th, 2023

Since 2008, September has been dedicated to Suicide Prevention Month. It’s been 15 years but there is still so much awareness needed about this topic. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s (AFSP) latest campaign “Talk Away the Dark” is a touching discussion between a daughter and father surrounding the stigma of mental health and suicide. AFSP believes there are many reasons why people shy away from this discussion, a common one being, “We might worry that saying the wrong thing…

So much to be thankful for…

August 1st, 2023

August is usually a quiet time at Healing Hearts, but this year it has been as busy as any other month. We are gearing up for Suicide Prevention & Awareness month in September, our Annual Golf Tournament in October, and our 10th Annual Niantic Jingle Bell 5k in December! We are also pleased to be offering a Community QPR Suicide Prevention with the Town of East Lyme and East Lyme Youth Services on Tuesday, August 15th at the Community Center.…

The Impact of LAX2LIVE is for kids like Brian

July 6th, 2023

This spring, we were honored to be notified by the Connecticut Sports Media Alliance that our LAX2LIVE program was being awarded the Bob Casey Courage Award. It was humbling to be acknowledged for the work we do. We do it for the student athletes who need to know it’s okay to ask for help. And we do it for Brian. A few weeks ago, the Patriots Foundation awarded us $25,000 for the work LAX2LIVE does and I am still at…

2023: The Most Successful LAX2LIVE Season to Date

June 2nd, 2023

Our LAX2LIVE Program was started to communicate the importance of mental health for high school lacrosse players. This year’s program reached record high numbers of student athletes, students, family members, and friends. LAX2LIVE focuses on the importance of one’s mental health, the need to reach out for help if you or someone you know is struggling, and the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline – a resource that can save the life of someone who is in crisis. Participating lacrosse players…

May is Mental Health Awareness Month

May 10th, 2023

May is Mental Health Awareness Month Sharing the challenges millions of who are faced with their mental health challenges each and every day. Check out the Mental Health Foundation’s ultimate guide to mental health. Thoughts on Mother’s Day Sending love to all who are hurting with the thoughts of Mother’s Day. For those who struggle with infertility, have lost a pregnancy, lost an infant. Or lost a child at any age. The pain and grief can be overwhelming. And my heart…

Another birthday without you

April 4th, 2023

Dear Brian, Without fail, almost to the day, every year at this time, the memories flood my heart of that early April day when you arrived, shadowed by the darkness when you left. Why am I surprised that the twelfth birthday without you should be any different? How do I accept what is unacceptable? So, I search. I search for you in the people and the places you loved. I search for you in the sky, in the stars, and…

A Broken Heart Still Beats

February 6th, 2023

Here we are in February. Heart health month. I wanted to share a message from my heart about your heart. Many people who walk through the doors at Brian’s Healing Hearts are seeking help for their broken hearts. We talk about the strong connection between grief and health. The body understands when a heart has shattered. It undeniably responds with physical exhaustion, pain, illness, and sometimes heart disease. Grief can be confusing because the heart and the brain are not always in sync,…

Starting a New Year

January 10th, 2023

January 2023. It will take some getting used to. Another year, ready or not, life moves forward. It still surprises me to be able to say that despite Brian’s death, eleven years ago, that my life has moved forward. And it’s beautiful. I am deeply grateful. Many of you had something to do with that. You’ve touched my heart in a way that leaves me speechless. To the person who walks through our doors, I see you. I remember that…

Thoughts on navigating the holidays

December 6th, 2022

As we settle into the darker, colder days of early winter here in New England, with the holidays on the horizon, I wanted to share a few thoughts as we navigate the weeks ahead. Remember, it’s ok to set limits on your productivity at work or at home. Give yourself permissions to say no thank you to holiday invitations. Maybe we should follow the path of Mother Nature this time of year. Winter is not the time of growth but…

November is for Brian

November 2nd, 2022

Every November since I began writing a newsletter, I try my best to share my thoughts about Brian and the emotions surrounding date he left this earth, November 12, 2011. Eleven years. Thinking about that day, really thinking about it – I question how I survived. It feels like a lifetime. It feels like yesterday. My mind wanders a lot in the days leading up to November 12th. Remembering, questioning, wondering about the days and weeks before. It wanders to…

Blog

Blog

Suicide Prevention Month 2023

So much to be thankful for…

The Impact of LAX2LIVE is for kids like Brian

2023: The Most Successful LAX2LIVE Season to Date

May is Mental Health Awareness Month

Another birthday without you

A Broken Heart Still Beats

Starting a New Year

Thoughts on navigating the holidays

November is for Brian

Grief Support

Suicide Prevention & Awareness

Get Involved

Contact Us