Grieving Through the Holidays

Shirley Riga, who cared for her daughter, joins us to talk about managing grief during the holidays. Shirley’s life changed dramatically in 1981 when her youngest daughter was born with two pediatric liver diseases. Shirley spent half of her life as the main caregiver, advocate, supporter and cheerleader for her daughter. For her own sanity, she continually searched for tools that she could use to help her and her family survive and thrive. In 2016, she was able to bring these experiences together into a self-help memoir entitled Tools for the Exceptional Parent of a Chronically-Ill Child. At present, Shirley is a Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway® trainer in the Boston area teaching workshops and classes on going beyond fear to live a happier and more fulfilling life. She is a hospice singer and a practitioner of Psychosynthesis, a holistic form of counseling. A sought-after speaker in the caregiving community, Shirley facilitates a caregiver support group and is currently seeking certification as a Spiritual Director.