Death of a Mother

Her mother died suddenly

Dear Dr. Neimeyer, I am a marriage and family therapist with a 55 year old female client who is the only surviving member of her family  Her mother died suddenly and unexpectedly last year and she’s given up all her many interests.  She is full of anxiety and fear–seems agoraphobic–having panic attacks and hot flashes […]

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Blaming Myself for My Mother’s Death

Dear Dr. Neimeyer, How do I stop blaming myself for my mother’s death?  She was 85 and 18 hours away from heart valve replacement, doing well, ready for it.  She was told to walk some before surgery, and her last walk was fatal.  I think I could have stopped her from overdoing it, but I

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Mother died in car accident while son was driving

Dear Dr. Neimeyer, Thirteen years ago I experienced a seizure while driving.  My mother was killed in the accident.  I had an extremely close relationship with my mother.  I continue to feel guilty and struggle to make sense of this tragedy. Phil Dear Phil, Your tragic story, summarized vividly in so few words, conveys the catastrophic

Mother died in car accident while son was driving Read More »

Mother died in car accident while son was driving

Dear Dr. Neimeyer, Thirteen years ago I experienced a seizure while driving.  My mother was killed in the accident.  I had an extremely close relationship with my mother.  I continue to feel guilty and struggle to make sense of this tragedy. Phil Dear Phil, Your tragic story, summarized vividly in so few words, conveys the catastrophic

Mother died in car accident while son was driving Read More »

Blaming Myself for My Mother’s Death

Dear Dr. Neimeyer, How do I stop blaming myself for my mother’s death?  She was 85 and 18 hours away from heart valve replacement, doing well, ready for it.  She was told to walk some before surgery, and her last walk was fatal.  I think I could have stopped her from overdoing it, but I

Blaming Myself for My Mother’s Death Read More »

Guilt and a Mother’s Passing

Dear Dr. Neimeyer, I didn’t want to post this because I don’t want my loved ones to know the guilt I feel about my mother’s passing. But before my mom passed last year I avoided her calls as my sister said she was drinking a lot. We lived in different states. And she was drunk

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My Mother Died: Which Mother am I Writing To?

Dear Dr. Neimeyer, I’ve been a fan of AfterTalk and your column for sometime. I have used “Private Conversations” to talk with my deceased father for years.My mother died two weeks ago. I am starting to gel my “Conversations”  to my mother in my head. Here’s the rub, and the challenge: Which Mother am I writing to?

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“I Lost My Mother…”

Dear Dr. Neimeyer, I lost my mother to a terminal disease last year–a horrible disease, and she was in a horrible shape when she passed. The stress of caring for her got to me sometimes, and although I gave her everything she needed, sometimes it was not done with a loving heart. So I have

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Mother died in car accident while son was driving

Dear Dr. Neimeyer, Thirteen years ago I experienced a seizure while driving.  My mother was killed in the accident.  I had an extremely close relationship with my mother.  I continue to feel guilty and struggle to make sense of this tragedy. Phil Dear Phil, Your tragic story, summarized vividly in so few words, conveys the catastrophic

Mother died in car accident while son was driving Read More »

Blaming Myself for My Mother’s Death

Dear Dr. Neimeyer, How do I stop blaming myself for my mother’s death?  She was 85 and 18 hours away from heart valve replacement, doing well, ready for it.  She was told to walk some before surgery, and her last walk was fatal.  I think I could have stopped her from overdoing it, but I

Blaming Myself for My Mother’s Death Read More »

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