Christopher Schilling - stepping stones on the path of the emotional and spiritual journey

all posts, articles, emotional health, loss and grief

Exploring Personal and Creative Ways to Honor and Grieve Lost Loved Ones

“What do we do next?” It is the question families often ask me, a hospital chaplain, once their loved one has died in the hospital. Some of the patients are older, some are younger,... Read more

all posts, emotional health, loss and grief, reflections

The Importance of Showing Empathy During Collective Uncertainty & Grief

It is without a doubt that all of us are experiencing collective trauma stemming from this pandemic. Certainly, those who have lost loved ones from this virus are carrying a heavy burden of emotional... Read more

all posts, articles, emotional health, loss and grief

Permission To Grieve During This Pandemic, No Matter What It May Be

Since its arrival globally, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused economic and financial insecurity for millions of people around the globe while also resulting in a massive loss of life, both of which will continue... Read more

all posts, articles, emotional health, loss and grief

How to Comfort Those Who Are Grieving Loved Ones Lost From COVID-19

With the COVID-19 pandemic now claiming over 215,000 American lives, all of us across our country and around the world have been personally impacted by this pandemic. And if we haven’t experienced the heartache... Read more

all posts, articles, emotional health, life discovery

The Emotional Benefits of Hand-Writing Letters to Others

In a small, plastic box in my office closest sit a pile of neatly folded letters. While the letters are old and the ink in some places is faded, they contain the correspondences between... Read more

all posts, articles, emotional health, life discovery

Finding Closure Through Exploring Your Family Genealogy

It had something to do with a funeral—or so we were told. But within the documents buried away in the Library of Congress lay a much larger story as to why we had not... Read more

all posts, reflections

A Reflection on Racial Injustice

One of the common themes I have shared before in many of my writings is my experience growing up in a small rural community in Western Pennsylvania. While I had the opportunity to be... Read more

all posts, articles, emotional health, life discovery

Finding Connective Healing During The Pandemic

Yesterday, I went on a run through my small town. With the gyms closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, many of my neighbors and fellow community residents have been outside, especially since the weather... Read more

all posts, emotional health, reflections, spiritual health

Inheriting Stubborn Hope During Challenging Times

During my senior year in college, I had the opportunity with several university students to interview older adults in a nursing facility about their experiences growing up not only during the Great Depression but... Read more

all posts, articles, life discovery, spiritual health

Creating Spiritual Connections in Times of Uncertainty

Yesterday, my wife and I decided to walk through our neighborhood as the sun was beginning to set. While the streets in our town, like in most communities across our country, are desolate due... Read more