Carol Van Ahlers

Last Christmas my niece gave my mother, who is now in her nineties, a fantastic present that benefitted the entire family. She purchased a subscription to “Storyworth” an online service that provides a year of weekly story prompts which culminate in a hardcover book. It was truly a remarkable gift, one that I enjoyed immensely, […]

In our last blog I talked about bringing back the forgotten art of letter writing. As a child, you may recall getting the name of a pen pal from somewhere far away to whom we would introduce ourselves and begin a long-distance relationship through our written words. We may never have met them, but we

Take me to an office supply store and it’s hard to get me to leave. I love walking through the aisles with pens and markers and browsing the sections with notecards and fine stationery. It is my way of holding on to a type of communication that is all but lost today – corresponding by

When my children were growing up, we had a tradition that each night at bedtime, I would ask them to tell me three things about their day. The only rule was that each one had to be a good thing, something positive, something that made them happy. I loved this ritual and even now, when

Did you know that the most popular courses in the history of both Harvard University and Yale University are courses on happiness? It’s true and both have had a significant impact on the mental well-being of not only the students who take them, but also the general public. Entitled Positive Psychology 1504, the Harvard course

In this blog series on pet loss, we have dealt with the reality of what our pets mean to us and the impact on our lives when they are gone. No one should ever diminish the grief they, or someone they know, feels when a pet dies. Knowing when, or if, to bring another pet

Years ago, I told a friend that I was considering euthanizing my cat. Saphy, my beautiful white cat with sapphire blue eyes, was nearly 15 years old, survived for most of her life with three legs and had multiple health issues. My friend was truly a pet whisperer and I valued her thoughts. She looked

Research tells us that for many seniors having a pet companion can provide a source of love and provide a sense of purpose as they care for another living creature. Unfortunately, when the times comes that the pet dies, the loss can be devastating. Helping an elderly loved one when their pet dies is similar

We can’t underestimate the impact that losing a pet has on a family, especially on a child who has known that pet as a part of the family his or her entire life. Helping a child grieve when a pet dies can be a challenging and sensitive process. It is a fine line to walk

At some time point in time most of us have welcomed a pet into our lives. Whether it was a dog, a cat, an iguana, a canary or a hamster, the bond we make with our non-human friends can be deep. Then comes the time we need to say goodbye, because most pets, outside of