Julie’s Experience of Surviving Sibling Loss and Continuing Bonds with Anne

In this episode, Julie shares the story of losing her sister, Anne, to suicide and how she is learning to live after such a devastating loss. Julie also shares a story of how meeting a stranger at the right time helped move her forward and a heartwarming story about how she felt connected to Anne after her death.

• Julie’s sibling loss  grief has transformed over time, becoming a part of Julie’s life rather than an overwhelming presence.
• She emphasizes the value and gift a stranger gave her allowing her to make a journey to understand her sister’s pain and death a bit more.
• Julie shares ways in which she ensures her children know their Aunt Anne.

Additional key points:

• Dr. Dean and Julie explore the double disenfranchisement of sibling loss when a sibling dies by suicide.
• Julie shares the impact her sibling loss had on her marriage.

Content Warning: Information presented in this episode may be upsetting to some people. It contains talk of suicide, substance use, and addiction. 

• If you are in the US and would like support for yourself or someone else with substance use, suicidal thoughts, or other topics discussed in this episode, please call SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) or Text your 5-digit ZIP Code to 435748 (HELP4U) or call a warmline. For more immediate crisis call 911, 988, or go to the nearest emergency room.
• If you believe you are witnessing an overdose, call 911 or your country’s emergency number immediately even if you are administering Narcan. 
• In the USA an updated directory of warmlines by state can be found at https://warmline.org/warmdir.html
• A warmline directory for trained peer supports in over 20 countries can be found at https://www.supportiv.com/tools/international-resources-crisis-and-warmlines (some of these may

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If you would like more information or to share your own sibling loss story, please contact Dr. Angela Dean at contact@thebrokenpack.com or go to our website, thebrokenpack.com.

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Thank you!
Angela M. Dean, PsyD, FT, GTMR

Credits:
The Broken Pack: Stories of Sibling Loss  is produced by Not Done Here Media

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