Project Conclusion

Project Conclusion

This compilation primarily addressed the early years of our primary prevention Project for mothers pregnant and widowed on September 11, 2001, and their children. We have described the intensely difficult years following the traumatic loss of the husband and father of these families. We also have attempted to describe some of the struggles and accomplishments leading up to the present time. As we have been fortunate enough to remain involved with families in our Project, we have observed that so much has changed. We found these mothers and children to be so strong and resourceful when we first met them, nearly 10 years ago. Now, with time and support, these families have grown, parent-child relationships have flourished, and the children have amazed us with their capacity to talk about their fathers and their loss.

While the mothers experienced the immediate depression, dissociation, and disorganization that were inevitable consequences of trauma and loss, they have been, from the beginning, dedicated to their children and their family's well-being. Over time this dedication has deepened with an added sensitivity to their children's internal worlds and emotional needs.

The mothers and their children who have remained in our Project have made significant gains. As the children have developed cognitively and emotionally, mothers have sought help in explaining the loss of the father to their children and found ways to represent the father for their children, and they found ways of representing the fathers of their children. In turn, these efforts have aided the children in experiencing enduring connections with their lost father.

As life's transitions, including new marriages, new siblings, moving, and school progression have evolved, many of the mothers have utilized Project support to help them navigate these changes.

They share their joys and disappointments with us. We hope that we have helped individuals construct more coherent narratives of their l