The Sage Sayers: How Do We Cope With Unexpected Loss, Like Suicide? A Young Widow's Tale.

My guest this week is Christine Van Der Mark who discovered, a few days after Christmas in 2019, her late husband Shad had committed suicide. He was 41.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tracked 47, 511 suicide deaths that year; and through COVID-19, experts predict more deaths of despair, especially among middle aged men who remain over three times more likely than women to commit suicide.

In this interview,  we hear a young woman's story of shock, grief and anger turn to resilience, resolve, and then openness to true love again. Van Der Mark's hope: Helping others notice when someone you know needs mental support and help. Sharing that grief recovery starts with self love and self care.