When They're Still Here- But Not Really: Alzheimer's, Trauma and Ambiguous Grief

TRIGGER WARNING: In this episode we discuss suicide. If you or anyone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts, please seek help immediately.

United States- you can call or text 988 any time for help. 

International Support- http://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines of your local health authority 

In this conversation, I sit down with David (a veteran and therapist in training) to explore ambiguous loss- the kind of grief that doesn't come with a clean ending or closure. We talk about "living losses" like Alzheimer's, family estrangement, mental illness and addiction, divorce and even losing a home, a community, or the life you thought you'd have. David shares how leaving the military can trigger profound grief through the loss of camaraderie and identity, and why veteran suicide is sometimes tied not only to PTSD, but to a painful, unnamed sense of loss. 

We also unpack attachment styles, how they shape the way we grieve, and what healthy boundaries can look like- especially when someone is alive but unsafe or unavailable emotionally. Finally, we offer practical coping tools and discuss meaning- making through spirituality, signs and David's experience with psilocybin- assisted healing as a veteran. 

We LOVE our Veterans <3