Suicide of a loved one stands right up there near the top of the most painful, least talked about, most misunderstood events in life. It happened to me in September of 2004, when my son Brian slit his wrists and bled to death. I’ve been a professional writer for 40 years, so the most natural thing in the world was for me to pour my thoughts and feelings onto the page and to research everything I could find about the subject.

Nearly seven years in the making, the result is a book titled After My Son’s Suicide: An LDS Mother Finds Peace in Christ and Strength to Go On. General resources in regard to suicide are easy to find, but After My Son’s Suicide may be the only first-person religion-based story of recovery. 

I have come to believe that the Lord is the most important part of any true recovery. My story is intensely personal, with many glimpses into my journal, but is built on quotes from the scriptures and prophets and rests on a solid psychological foundation. It includes a wealth of self-help information distilled from dozens of credible sources. I’ve included the writing exercises, cognitive therapy, and grief work that helped me most, as well as an excellent guide to both print and online resources for grievers.

After My Son's Suicide addresses the following questions:

• Where is my loved one now?
• What happens in the spirit world?
• Can a person repent after death?
• How can I forgive?
• What do I do with my feelings of failure, anger, hurt, and blame?
• Can I ever get over the grief?
• How can the atonement help me to heal?