Mother’s Day isn’t easy for everyone. I know. Maybe you’ve lost your mum, never got to be one, have a complicated relationship with her, or have lost a child. Whatever it is, here are practical ways to prepare for the day, manage what comes up, and get through it.

Most people have heard of post-traumatic stress. Far fewer know about post-traumatic growth - even though science shows it's far more common. Here's what that means for you.

I keep hearing the same question - quietly, almost apologetically - in community halls, after talks, in emails from people who take a day or two to work up to sending them. How many times do you have to be knocked down and expected to get back up? This one's for anyone whose hard situation isn't something that happened once.

When a father at one of my recent workshops asked me whether his children were going to be okay after losing their mum, I knew his question deserved a proper answer. Here's what the research and experience tell us.

Do our character strengths change over time? A reader recently asked me this question after completing a strengths assessment years ago. The answer reveals something psychologists call the Truman Effect.

Four months after Abi died, the system, the media and the research all had their say about how long recovery would take. Surrounded by warnings and predictions, I wrote a single line at the bottom of the page. This post reflects on that moment.

On the 15th anniversary of the Christchurch earthquake, I reflect on three lessons about navigating uncertainty and building presilience before crisis hits.

Tūrangawaewae is a Māori term meaning “a place to stand” – the place where you feel most yourself and where you belong. A short reflection on why reconnecting with meaningful places matters, especially in uncertain times.

A research-informed classroom ritual designed to help young people imagine their best possible future. A simple, meaningful activity that supports hope, reflection, and identity during times of change.

Our eldest heads overseas again. Why do goodbyes hurt so much? A personal reflection on love, impermanence, and learning to live with separation as empty-nesting season is upon us.

January can be surprisingly hard for many people — not because they’re failing, but because the context is demanding. This piece explores why January bites, and how to approach the year ahead more gently.

Dreading Christmas? This research-informed guide shares practical ways to cope with grief, living losses and holiday overwhelm. Whether you’re navigating a death, a diagnosis, a relationship ending or simply a difficult time of life, here are tools to help you get through the holidays with more steadiness and less stress.

I wasn’t expecting a garden umbrella to send my nervous system into full alert, but the impact left me shaken long after the bruising began to fade. Here’s why our brains react this way after a sudden shock, and what helped me recover and feel steady again.

People often ask me how to talk to children about death and help them cope with loss. These conversations are so tough - but also critically important. Drawing on grief research and real-world experience, I share how honest conversations can help kids process grief and build lasting emotional resilience.

Overthinking can keep us trapped in destructive loops of anxiety and self-blame. In this short reflection, Dr Lucy Hone introduces her new simple mental shortcut - Control > Option > Command - to help you focus on what you can control, explore your options, and take meaningful action instead of ruminating.

Losing a pet can break your heart. Dr Lucy Hone explores the disenfranchised grief many of us feel when our closest companion dies, and why this love deserves to be recognised, not dismissed. Pets are vital sources of comfort, emotional resilience, and everyday connection. When we lose them, the pain is real, and worthy of understanding.

Why does it hurt so much when our children leave home?

Many parents write to me saying they feel lost, empty, even ridiculous for grieving when their children leave home. The truth is, it’s not ridiculous at all - it’s grief. This piece explores empty nest grief, why it hurts, and why their leaving is also proof of the secure attachment you’ve built.

Just because it’s called a holiday doesn’t mean it delivers rest. Some leave you more wrung out than when you left. But a recent cycling trip through Sri Lanka reset me in ways I hadn’t expected – and reminded me what kind of break truly restores a burned-out mind.

We don’t talk enough about crying in public, yet tears are as human as laughter. On a recent morning in an airport lounge, I found myself overwhelmed by the steady work of holding exhaustion, overwhelm, grief and everyday life together. In this piece, I explore why we feel awkward about tears, what our emotions are trying to tell us, and how small rituals like music or movement can help us cope with moments of overwhelm.

Had your world turned upside down by grief? Feeling lost, unsure what to do, or how to get through the next hour? Here are five practical tips I often share with people in your shoes—real things you can try right now to ease the chaos and take back a little control.