Claudia Marie Smith
Surviving The Loss of a Child
Books
Reading consumed me. I searched for books and at the time I wasn't able to find many helpful books. But as the time went on I found more. I was desperate to find answers, so I kept reading.
Click below to find some of the books I found very helpful.
I was asked to include our story about Claudia in this book. It was a very difficult process, but it was also therapeutic to actually write it all down. Honestly, it's still hard for me to reread it. But reading these other stories is so powerful- they show that our children do live on and are with us every day.
They say grief is a 7 year process. That wasn't going to work for me. I'm impatient and I want results fast. Plus, there was no way I could 'live' like this for 7 years. I tried a couple of traditional talk therapists and quickly found a) they had no experience with the grief I was experieinceing and b) this is why it takes so long to fully process! Neither was appealing to me. I had to find something else and with help from others, I did.
The 1st few holdiays were the worst. I didn't want them to happen, but I had two small children, so I tried to create the best holidays I could for them. I was so afraid that I had already ruined their lives because their sister died, that I would have done anything to try and make their world a little more normal. From then on, we have always included Claudia and have celebrated each and every holiday as much as we could. Maybe one of these ideas will help you.
Mediums
I saw a few mediums and read many of their books. I had a group session with John Holland that I will never forget and he confirmed everything I already knew. It was the most amazing, fulfilling experience for me. It was so beneficial I've never felt the need to go again. I love working with mediums, it's almost like a phone call to the other side- but I no longer need to keep seeking out mediums because I know Claudia is with all of us and she connects to me directly now.