If you have been blaming yourself for the death of your loved one, or feeling guilty that you didn't do something you "should" have done, you are not alone. Whether your special person died by suicide, an overdose, long-term illness or suddenly, self-blame often appears. Guilt and shame are heavy burdens to bear, and add more suffering on top of our broken heart. In the 31st episode of the Mindfulness & Grief Podcast, award-winning author of When Their World Stops, Certified Grief Recovery Specialist and founder of the Grief & Trauma Healing Network shares her insights into working with guilt, regret, and self-blame in the face of traumatic grief, mental health struggles, addiction, suicide, and other types of loss. She also offers valuable insights into how friends can help their grieving friends, which will give you insight into getting what you need from those around you. Anne-Marie is a compassionate healer, and I hope you will get as much from this podcast as I did interviewing her! Be sure to check out the downloads below, including an excerpt from her book.

Downloads From Anne-Marie Lockmyer

• Free Book Excerpt: ​Chapter 1 of When Their World Stops
• 5 Things Every Griever Needs to Know
• 5 Ways to Help A Grieving Friend
• Do Not Forget List If You Have a Grieving Friend

About Anne-Marie Lockmyer

Anne-Marie Lockmyer was far removed from pain until she got the call no one ever wants to get - her beloved husband of 26 years had suddenly died while she was out of the country. Everything changed for her at that moment and the emotional pain crushed her. Nothing prepared Anne-Marie or those around her for this life-shattering experience. As Anne-Marie struggled to understand herself and what she needed, she also had to help her friends understand.

Out of necessity, she became a student of grief and during this process, her only child was struggling with mental health issues, another excruciating loss as she watched him suffer. She went on a journey to find meaning in her grief, to meet with it, embrace it, heal and find purpose. And it was transformational!

Her experience, research, education and training in grief, loss and trauma has equipped her to work with grieving people in a powerful way. She wrote an award-winning book called When Their World Stops: The Essential Guide to Truly Helping Anyone in Grief. Anne-Marie is an Advanced Grief Recovery Specialist, Certified in Critical Incident Stress Debriefing, a Certified Trauma Integrative Practitioner, a Grief and Mental Health Advocate and Founder of the Grief and Trauma Healing Network.

Her greatest joy is to take people on the same healing journey she experienced - to allow them to remember their loved one well but without suffering the excruciating pain. She creates a safe place to heal any unresolved grief with a six-session private or 2-day intensive program. She provides crisis support for businesses and training to therapists and counselors on grief and loss. She presents church workshops on Creating a Culture of Hope and Healing to equip churches to support the grieving in their congregation and community. She loves what she does and welcomes opportunities to help others understand grief and the grieving.

Anne-Marie is living proof that you can go from barely surviving to thriving. Her message is one of hope and healing after a heartbreaking loss. You may have changed. Your life may be changed, but life can still be good - and so can you.