Writing Through Grief

Jeff by Becky Anderson

A lovely tribute to a beloved cousin as shared in the latest Writing Through Grief workshop . . .

Yesterday I lost my cousin Jeff. He was only 57. He left behind no one but my dad, a couple of my siblings and myself. There will be no fanfare, no obituary, funeral or flowers. But there will be memories of how his life intertwined with mine.

He and I were born a mere 26 days apart and he was my only cousin remotely close to my age. Given away by his birth parents then given up on by his adoptive parents he was tossed into the system and eventually ended up on the streets, before he could even shave. My parents tried to get custody when he was 14 but were denied.

Writing Through Grief Workshop Featured in The Park Record

A shout out to Scott Iwasaki of The Park Record for writing an article about my upcoming Writing Through Grief workshop in Park City.

“Someone in the throes of loss, whether it’s the death of a loved one, a sickness or a divorce, may feel a jumble of emotions,” says writing instructor Debbie Leaman.

To help people deal with these feelings, Leaman created Writing Through Grief, a six-week workshop that she will lead every Wednesday from Feb. 26 through April 1 at Jewish Family Services Park City Offices, 1960 Sidewinder Dr.

The nondenominational class is open to all writing levels, Leaman said.

On Teaching Writing Through Grief by Debbie Leaman (modernloss.com)

I teach others how to tell their saddest stories. But when it came to my own brother’s loss, the words wouldn’t come — until they did.


After my brother Rob sustained a traumatic brain injury while riding his bicycle — yes, he was wearing a helmet — I was asked to teach a course called “Writing Through Grief.” I politely declined. It had only been a few months since he’d died, and I couldn’t deal with my own feelings of ambivalence and loss — let alone guide others who had been in a similarly dark place. Read more . . .