Writing has been my way to explore all of life’s moments and passages — as a motherless daughter, as a birthing woman, as a parent, and simply as a reflective person who asks a lot of questions and seeks to live authentically. I offer my words to inspire and guide your personal path. My published writings are listed below.
Check out my blog for more on these topics.
My mom’s death from breast cancer when I was seven sat rather placidly within the timeline of my life until hidden grief erupted in my mid-20s. Soon after, marriage and parenting led me down a spiraling path of confronting my wounds over and over until gradual healing caught me by surprise as our children grew. I put mother loss behind me – or so I thought. Then I discovered its effects actually permeate my entire life, and I began writing about it. My memoir of early mother loss was published in 2021.
How Prince Harry Could Be a Role Model for 5.6 Million Young Americans — Especially Boys
The Good Men Project, March 7, 2023
Overlooked impacts of childhood loss
How Prince Harry’s Spare has helped those grieving childhood loss
The Paris Post Intelligencer, February 24, 2023
Common threads of childhood loss experience
Five Tips for Forming Your Healthy Blended Family
The Good Men Project, November 4, 2021
Ideas for creating a stepfamily
Parenting the Bereaved Child
(flip to p. 30)
M Magazine, November 11, 2021
Tips for supporting a grieving child
How to Recognize When Someone is Grieving Even if They Don’t
Modern Professional Magazine, December 6, 2021
Being sensitive and offering support when grief is not obvious
Blending Families? Think Like an Improv Performer
Birmingham Parent; October 10, 2021
Tips for creating a healthy stepfamily
Voices of Experience: The Art of Reassembly
Grief Healing blog; September 28, 2021
Book excerpt, introducing my children to the grandmother they never knew
National Grief Awareness Day: Understanding the Three Timelines of Grief
Austin Fit Magazine; August 26, 2021
How to support grieving people over the long-haul
Lying Fallow to Move Forward
Brevity’s Nonfiction Blog; August 11, 2020
Using visual arts to overcome feeling “stuck”.
Wisdom for Widowed Dads of Daughters
Cincinnati Enquirer; June 21, 2020
How dads can support their motherless daughters through loss long-term.
Less Is More: Grief and Personal Ritual in a Pandemic
Elephant Journal; April 6, 2020
Coping with multiple layers of loss while isolated.
Undone
Manifest-Station; November 18, 2019
Excavating the origins in childhood loss of one triggered moment in midlife.
Grief Was Like a Bully, Until I Made it My Friend
The Mighty; February 22, 2018
Grappling with childhood grief throughout the life cycle, recalibrating the relationship at different milestones.
A Shattered Spirit
America magazine; December 1995
Reflecting as a young mother on grieving as an adult the loss of my mother during childhood.
My initial introduction to energy healing prompted interest in people who were practicing it in my community.
Finding Peace Through Healing Touch: Insights from Peg Conway
MysticMag, November 16, 2024
Q&A Featured Interview.
Nurturing Self-Care for All
Energy magazine online, July-August 2015
Feature story about local non-profit providing holistic healing. Excerpt here.
My spiritual writing was long drawn from the Catholic faith of my origins. Then something began to shift several years ago. As writing allowed me to hear my own voice more and more, finally it called me to contemplative practice outside any church.
Less Is More: Grief and Personal Ritual in a Pandemic
Elephant Journal, April 6, 2020
Coping with multiple layers of loss while isolated.
Hidden Seeds in Laudato Si
Feminism and Religion blog, July 25, 2015
Response to the pope’s environment encyclical, exploring use of female and birth images in the text.
Trusting the Path
Abbey of the Arts blog, Monk in the World series; January 2014
Reflecting on the experience of being a volunteer at a food pantry.
Mapping Our Births
Guiding Star Project, September 2013
Discussing how to tell birth stories in a way that is uplifting and positive.
Why Bother with Lent?
Th US Catholic magazine (blog), March 2011
Discerning authentic practice for spiritual growth.
A Modest Wedding Proposal
US Catholic magazine (print), November 2006
Critiques contemporary wedding culture and suggests ways to reclaim the spiritual meaning of wedding ceremonies.
Award of Merit recipient from the Associated Church Press in the Department category, 2006
The Ritualists Podcast
June 2022 to September 2023
An ex-Buddhist monk (my friend Shea) and an ex-Catholic (me!) discuss the power, pleasure, and mystery of ritual and liturgy outside of institutional religion. Over the course of 25 episodes, our topics included rituals of food, death, rest, civic engagement, and even money as a ritual ingredient. Available wherever you get your podcasts.
Hidden Grief
Grieve with Ease Podcast, January 24, 2022
Discussing buried grief, healing from long ago loss, children’s grief, and supporting grievers
Grief Sensitivity in the Workplace
Timeless Leadership Podcast, December 22, 2021
The Art of Reassembly
Good Grief with Cheryl Jones Podcast, December 15, 2021
Discussing lifelong grief and reading memoir excerpts
The Art of Reassembly
Daring to Tell Podcast, November 2, 2021
Reading memoir excerpts
On Memoir Writing and Self-Compassion
Heart of the Story Podcast, November 7, 2021
Creative process and healing
Stepfamilies and Grief
ABC 25 Local Lifestyles; October 4, 2021
Interview on creating a healthy stepfamily
The Legacy of Grief Unspoken
Grief is my Side Hustle Podcast; June 22, 2021
Conversing about 50 years of life without my mom
Childhood Mother Loss and Discovering Joy in Grieving
Daring To Tell Podcast; March 11, 2021
Reading of my essay “Undone”
Telling My Story of Early Mother Loss
Got Grief: Podcast about Adults Bereaved as Children; October 25, 2020
Interview about the long-term effects of early parent loss
Mother Loss and Delayed Grieving
Soul Work for Moms podcast; June 6, 2016
Interview about healing childhood loss through motherhood.
