josiah+co. Blog
My Top 6 Grief Essentials
Grief Miscarriage Pregnancy + Infant Loss Resources Stillbirth Support
Melissa Sulley

We all will experience grief of sorts in our life and yet it is rarely talked about. So when we are confronted with grief we often don’t know how to navigate through it, we get stuck. I’ve been journeying through grief now for 12 years. My journey started when my step-father passed away suddenly in 2008 and has continued these past 6 years as I’ve navigated through recurrent second-trimester pregnancy loss. I’m well acquainted with grief; we’ve become good buddies butting heads every now and then. As I’ve navigated through this journey here are a few things that have been...
Navigating Grief + the Holidays
Melissa Sulley

This season, this holiday, is so difficult for so many reasons. Many of us are grieving. We’ve lost teeny tiny babies and full grown children. We’ve lost parents and friends and people we’ve held dear. We’ve lost jobs and relationships. We’ve lost our support systems and life as we knew it prior to this damn pandemic. This holiday season will look drastically different from seasons in the past, and when we add grief on top of that it seems almost unbearable. As I’ve been reflecting on what this season looks like this year and how to navigate grief through it...
That Time I Went to an Abortion Clinic
Melissa Sulley

The title isn’t what you think. I didn’t have an abortion. And even if I did, I know there would be a multitude of reasons and circumstances leading up to that decision. It’s not all black and white; dualistic decision making. What this is about is how COVID-19 gave me no choice but to manage my miscarriage in a safe space alongside those choosing to end their pregnancies. You see, I know my body. I know my body clings to my lifeless babes and refuses to let go. I know after hours and hours of induction I’m subjected to D&Cs...
'Good Grief' Challenge: Day 5 // Your Grief Community
Melissa Sulley

We all need people in our corner. People who understand our journey, or at least aspects of it. There is something healing about being seen and heard; having our stories validated. Being able to speak with no filters, and share all our raw thoughts and emotions with no judgement. When I experienced our first loss I didn’t know anyone else around me who had experienced a similar journey; until I started talking about it. As I shared my story, other people began sharing their stories with me and I was able to build a community around myself with people...
'Good Grief' Challenge: Day 4 // Your Grief Feels
Melissa Sulley

We are often way too hard on ourselves when we are grieving. We are our own worst critics. We wonder why we are feeling the way we are, or tell ourselves to stop being sad and just be happy. We get mad at ourselves when we feel angry, or feel guilty when we let joy in. We wonder why we are feeling this way and why we aren’t “better” yet. Grief doesn’t just go away. We will heal and the sting will lessen with time, but the grief will still be there. It becomes integrated into our lives. Be...