Talking
with Your Children about Death and Suicide
Sunday, July 22 at 11:30am or
July 29 at 9:45am in Geneva Hall, Room G207
Please join us on either of two
successive Sundays for a time of discussion and Christian guidance in how to
talk with your children in age-appropriate ways about death and suicide. These
sessions will be led by Jeanne James, MFT and Director of Marriage and Family
Ministries; Rosemarie Eichner-Raja, Director of Elementary School Ministries,
and Dr. Bonnie Ho, Psychologist and First Pres Berkeley Elder. Child care will
be offered for K-4th grade in W 9/10, Westminster Hall lower level.
A
Pastoral Response to Suicide…Theological Reflections of the Reformed Tradition
Sunday, August 5, 9:45 and 11:30
in Geneva Hall, Room G207
Learn about the Reformed view of
suicide and the biblical foundations for grace and love in the midst of pain
and sorrow. This 45-minute forum will be
led by Rev. Debbie Whaley, Associate Pastor of Caring Ministries.
Additional
Christian Counseling and Therapeutic Resources
Berkeley Christians Counselors (BCC) is a ministry
of First Pres Berkeley that offers counseling to individuals, couples,
families, and children who are facing stressful issues or decisions, including
trauma. BCC is staffed by trained counselors and interns working on
professional licensure. Services are open
to all, confidential and based on ability to pay. We encourage you to contact BCC Clinical
Director Sandi Hedlund at 510-548-5858 to schedule an appointment or for a
referral to therapists in the area.
Sad to hear about that. I wish the family the best.
ReplyDeleteGreetings from Germany,
Eric
Dear Hedrick family, I am so sorry for your crushing loss. I've been actively involved with the Linux kernel community since 2005, and deeply appreciate Andre's contribution to that project and to our community.
ReplyDeleteMy own story may be of help to you all. My wife committed suicide in February 2009, which left me with far more questions than answers. It took me until June of that year before I could marshal the resources to have a proper memorial for her, and I still hit pits of grief despite having moved away from the home we shared and having found a positive new relationship. The pits get less frequent and tend to be shallower, but I had to ask for a lot of help to make any progress at all on emptying, fixing, and selling the home we shared. I realize I still carry her stories... she is probably most alive in me... I think I knew her best, and sometimes I hear her voice in my mind, behind my words... she lived a good life and left so much love behind. I recommend a book I found helpful, Night Falls Fast: Understanding Suicide by Kay Redfield Jamison, a brilliant writer, author, clinical doctor with bipolar illness who has faced down her own suicidal thoughts many times. Best wishes to you all, make a good use of the time you have with us.