Resources
Counseling Options
- Angela Ewers, Creative Bridge Counseling, LLC: 770-331-1281or email: CreativeBridgeLLC@gmail.com
- Andrea Cook and Associates: drcookappt@gmail.com
- Still Waters Counseling: 770-287-1356
- Tanya Thomas, MA,APC,NCC: 470-736-9595
Resources from Rock Goodbye Angel
Empty Cradle, Broken Heart
by Deborah Davis
The heartache of miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant death affects thousands of U.S. families every year. Empty Cradle, Broken Heart, Third Edition offers reassurance to parents who struggle with anger, guilt, and despair during and after such a tragedy. In this new and updated edition, Deborah Davis encourages grieving and strives to cover many different kinds of loss, including information on issues such as the death of one or more babies from a multiple birth, pregnancy interruption, and the questioning of aggressive medical intervention. There is also a special chapter for fathers as well as a chapter on “protective parenting” to help anxious parents enjoy their precious living children. Doctors, nurses, relatives, friends, and other support persons can gain special insight. Most importantly, parents facing the death of a baby will find necessary support in this gentle guide.
An Exact Replica of a Figment of My Imagination
by Elizabeth McCracken
“This is the happiest story in the world with the saddest ending,” writes Elizabeth McCracken in her powerful, inspiring memoir. A prize-winning, successful novelist in her 30s, McCracken was happy to be an itinerant writer and self-proclaimed spinster. But suddenly she fell in love, got married, and two years ago was living in a remote part of France, working on her novel, and waiting for the birth of her first child. This book is about what happened next. In her ninth month of pregnancy, she learned that her baby boy had died. How do you deal with and recover from this kind of loss? Of course you don’t – but you go on. And if you have ever experienced loss or love someone who has, the company of this remarkable book will help you go on.
Forgotten Tears: A Grandmother’s Journey Through Grief
by Nina Bennett
Forgotten Tears is a unique and honest portrayal of a grandmother’s grief journey following the stillbirth of her granddaughter. Our death fearing and death denying society perpetuates the sense of isolation felt by grandparents, who tend to be viewed primarily as a source of support to their bereaved child. A distinctive feature of this book is the validation of grandparents as mourners in their own right. Along with quotes from leading grief authorities, writer Nina Bennett, a bereaved grandmother and healthcare professional, offers an intimate perspective on the process of redefining normal in a life forever changed by the death of a grandchild.
Grace Like Scarlett
by Adriel Booker
Though one in four pregnancies ends in loss, miscarriage is shrouded in such secrecy and stigma that the woman who experiences it often feels deeply isolated, unsure how to process her grief. Her body seems to have betrayed her. Her confidence in the goodness of God is rattled. Her loved ones don’t know what to say. Her heart is broken. She may feel guilty, ashamed, angry, depressed, confused, or alone. With vulnerability and tenderness, Adriel Booker shares intimate stories about her experiences with miscarriage to help you navigate your own grief and know you aren’t alone. She tackles complex questions about faith, suffering, and God’s will with sensitivity and clarity, devoid of religious clichés or pat answers. Ultimately, Adriel invites you to a wide-open place of grace, honesty, and genuine hope as you discover a redemption story unfolding in the shadows of your loss. She also includes practical resources for ways to help guide children through grief, advice on pregnancy after loss, and special sections for dads and loved ones.
A Grief Observed
by C.S. Lewis
A classic work on grief, A Grief Observed is C.S. Lewis’s honest reflection on the fundamental issues of life, death, and faith in the midst of loss. Written after his wife’s tragic death as a way of surviving the “mad midnight moments,” A Grief Observed an unflinchingly truthful account of how loss can lead even a stalwart believer to lose all sense of meaning in the universe, and the inspirational tale of how he can possibly regain his bearings.
Grieving the Child I Never Knew
by Kathe Wunnenberg
When the anticipation of your child’s birth turns into the grief of miscarriage, tubal pregnancy, stillbirth, or early infant death, no words on earth can ease your loss. But there is strength and encouragement in the wisdom of others who have been there and found that God’s comfort is real. Having experienced three miscarriages and the death of an infant son, Kathe Wunnenberg knows the deep anguish of losing a child. Grieving the Child I Never Knew was born from her personal journey through sorrow. It is a wise and tender companion for mothers whose hearts have been broken—mothers whose dreams have been shattered and who wonder how to go on. This devotional collection will help those mothers grieve honestly and well. With seasoned insights and gentle questions, it invites the reader to present her hurts before God, and to receive over time the healing that He alone can and will provide.
Healing Your Grieving Heart After Stillbirth: 100 Practical Ideas for Parents and Families
by Alan D. Wolfelt
Beloved grief educator Dr. Alan Wolfelt compassionately explores the common feelings of shock, anger, guilt, and sadness that accompany a stillborn child, offering suggestions for expressing feelings, remembering the child, and healing as a family. Ideas to help each unique person—mother, father, grandparent, sibling, friend—are included, as are thoughts from families who experienced a stillbirth.
The Invisible String
by Patrice Karst
In this relatable and reassuring contemporary classic, a mother tells her two children that they’re all connected by an invisible string. “That’s impossible!” the children insist, but still they want to know more: “What kind of string?” The answer is the simple truth that binds us all: An Invisible String made of love. Even though you can’t see it with your eyes, you can feel it deep in your heart, and know that you are always connected to the ones you love. Does everybody have an Invisible String? How far does it reach? Does it ever go away? This heartwarming picture book for all ages explores questions about the intangible yet unbreakable connections between us, and opens up deeper conversations about love.
It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way: Finding Unexpected Strength When Disappointments Leave You Shattered
by Lysa TerKeurst
What do you do when God’s timing seems questionable, His lack of intervention hurtful, and His promises doubtful? Life often looks so very different than we hoped or expected. Some events may simply catch us off guard for a moment, but others shatter us completely. We feel disappointed and disillusioned, and we quietly start to wonder about the reality of God’s goodness. But she’s also discovered that our disappointments can be the divine appointments our souls need to radically encounter God. In It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way, Lysa invites us into her own journey of faith and, with grit, vulnerability, and honest humor, helps us to: Stop being pulled into the anxiety of disappointment by discovering how to better process unmet expectations and other painful situations.
Loved Baby: 31 Devotions Helping you Grieve and Cherish Your Child after Pregnancy Loss
by Sarah Philpott
Close to one in four American women experience the silent grief of pregnancy loss. Loved Baby offers much-needed support to women in the middle of psychological and physiological grief as a result of losing an unborn child through miscarriage, stillbirth, or ectopic pregnancy loss. In Loved Baby, author Sarah Philpott gently walks alongside women as they experience the misguided shame, isolation, and crushing despair that accompany the turmoil of loss. With brave vulnerability Sarah shares her own and others stories of loss, offering Christ-filled hope and support to women navigating grief.
Mended: Pieces of a Life Made Whole
by Angie Smith
There is no one God can’t use and no one whose brokenness is too broken for God. Yet, when it comes to the places of our innermost sense of shame and regret, we often wonder if it is really true that God can work all things together for good for those who love Him. Angie Smith was quick to encourage a friend, but struggled to believe that God could make something spectacular out of her brokenness and disappointments. Responding to God’s leading to both break and reconstruct a simple pitcher, she reflected: It was as though God were saying… You are mended. You are filled with my Spirit, and I am asking you to pour yourself out. The image of my life as a broken pitcher was beautiful to me, but it was hard to look at all of the cracks. How I wished I had always loved Him, obeyed Him, sought Him the way I should. I was mad at the imperfections and years wasted. But God was gentle and yet convicting as He explained. My dearest Angie. How do you think the world has seen me? If it wasn’t for the cracks, I couldn’t seep out the way I do. I chose the pitcher. I chose you.
Saying Goodbye: A Personal Story of Baby Loss and 90 Days of Support to Walk You Through Grief
by Zoe Clark-Coates
Losing a baby, whether through miscarriage, stillbirth or neonatal death, leaves so many parents lost in grief and full of unanswered questions. Zoë Clark-Coates, and her husband Andy, have personally faced the loss of five babies. Out of their experiences came the charity The Mariposa Trust (more often known by its leading division Saying Goodbye), offering support to thousands of grieving parents and relatives around the world each week. Now, Zoë writes a moving account of their experiences and how they found a way through to provide help and support for others. Alongside this are 90 days of daily support for those who are grieving, offering comfort and hope during the difficult days, weeks and months.
Strong And Tender: A Guide For The Father Whose Baby Has Died
by Pat Schwiebert
A book especially for fathers, this is a collection of insights, helpful hints and tender thoughts to give a father strength during the dark times of grief following his baby’s death. For too long fathers have been the forgotten grievers. By giving him this special book, you tell him you also recognize his loss.
Grief Video Series:
- RGA’s video series educates families of pregnancy and infant loss on the phases of grief (as RGA defines them) and encourages parents with testimonies that are uniquely paired with a particular phase of the grief process. This tool is not considered professional or group “counseling.” It is to encourage, educate and equip survivors of pregnancy and infant loss on their journey to hope and healing. All videos can be accessed for FREE on RGA’s YouTube channel.
Online Magazine:
Podcast:
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RGA Friends
- Angels in Waiting 91:4: A non-profit organization whose vision is to usher in divine healing of spiritual & emotional wounds that occur through infant loss due to a miscarriage, pregnancy loss or through stillbirth. Beautiful “Angel Gowns” are provided for an infant’s journey to meet our Lord & Savior. The “Angel Gowns” are transformed from donated wedding dresses and given to families in time of healing. If you sew or if you are interested in volunteering, please contact Angels in Waiting. Also, if you have wedding dresses you would like to donate, please visit their webpage about wedding dress donation or reach out to their organization directly. Phone: (770) 519-8760
- Avery’s Garden: Established as a 501(c)(3) organization in 2019 by a group of individuals who wanted to create supportive services that would cater to the specific needs of bereaved mothers, fathers and extended family. Avery’s Garden Inc. addresses the mental health, social stigmas, grieving and additional needs of the bereavement community worldwide. Avery’s Garden has created a social media community servicing more than 1800 individuals each day through a variety of support. Their mission is to help families remember their children through creative grieving projects which consist of unique drawings and the publication of adult coloring books in honor of children who were lost due to miscarriage, stillbirth or early infancy deaths.
- Bridget’s Cradles: The mission of Bridget’s Cradles is to bless families by providing a handmade knitted/crocheted cradle for babies born into Heaven during the second trimester of pregnancy (14-26 weeks gestation). Bridget’s Cradles also provides support to families during the bereavement and grieving process, and raises awareness about pregnancy loss to the general public.
- H.E.A.R.T.strings: H.E.A.R.T.strings Perinatal Bereavement & Palliative Care at Northside Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia provides support to families experiencing the death of a baby and the loss of a pregnancy due to miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, stillbirth, premature delivery, neonatal death and support following termination due to problems with the baby or mother.
- Held Your Whole Life: Provides free keepsake necklaces or keychains to bereaved families experiencing the loss of a baby in utero. Their mission is to acknowledge life and recognize babies born in silence.
- Molly Bears: A non-profit organization that creates weighted teddy bears for families coping with infant loss. Their website also serves as an online community for support and resources. They accept request for bears at the beginning of each month.
- Rachel’s Gift: A non-profit organization devoted to validating each child’s life and to lend guidance on the path to healing. Most at Rachel’s Gift have walked a similar journey, and they do not want other parents to walk alone.
- Share: Share’s mission is to serve those whose lives are touched by the tragic death of a baby through pregnancy loss, stillbirth or in the first few months of life. Share strives to set a standard of personalized perinatal bereavement care through a lifetime of support, hope and healing – one family at a time.