By: Tanya Newman
This article shares stories of dying mothers writing letters for their children. The author conceives of letter writing as a way for mothers to re-member their preferred identities, and the letters as portals for future re-membering for children. The article includes examples of questions asked in interviews with mothers, the thinking behind the questions, and excerpts from the letters these conversations enabled.
Key words: hospice; palliative care; end of life; death; grief; children; therapeutic documents; letters; re-membering; narrative practice; narrative therapy
Newman, T. (2025). “Love always”: Letters written by dying mothers for their children. International Journal of Narrative Therapy and Community Work, (2), 11–20. https://doi.org/10.4320/RBKC6395
Author pronouns: she/her