Have You Lost a Child to Addiction or Overdose?
When you've lost your child to addiction, the grief feels complicated and heavy. You may be feeling guilt, anger, regret, and the loneliness that comes when friends begin to pull away.
I know this kind of grief personally, and it is why I work with parents who have lost a child to addiction.
You may replay the last conversation.
Question every decision you made.
Wonder if you should have seen it coming.
Many parents who lose a child to addiction ask themselves these same questions.
You’re Talking to Someone Who Gets It
Hi, I’m Andrea Magder. I lost my son, Ethan, in 2017 to an opioid overdose after a decade of addiction. That kind of loss changes you in ways most people don’t understand.
I know how disorienting it can be. The ruminating. The second-guessing. The constant mental noise. It doesn’t simply stop when our child is gone.
After my son’s death, I founded The Artist Lives, a nonprofit that preserves the creative work people leave behind. That work helped me begin to rebuild my life, and it showed me how many families are left managing this kind of grief on their own without real support.
That is what led me to focus specifically on addiction loss. While losing a child in any way is devastating, losing a child to addiction adds another layer. Many of us have been grieving long before the death of our child. We are left not only with unanswered questions, but also with the isolation that rarely follow other types of loss.
This is not about quick answers or learning how to move on. It is about having a place where you can speak openly, without having to explain or defend your grief.
How I Work With Parents After Addiction Loss
After losing a child to addiction, it can feel like the world keeps moving while you’re standing still. Life goes on, but you don’t feel like the same person anymore.
This isn’t about fixing you or pushing you to move forward. It’s about having a place to say what’s actually on your mind and to begin deciding how you want to live with this loss.
We’ll start with what feels most overwhelming and work from there.
Questions You May Have
What Training or Credentials Do You Have?
I’m a certified grief coach. Alongside my training, I also bring my own lived experience of losing my son to opioid addiction in 2017.
Is Grief Coaching the Same as Therapy?
No. Grief coaching is not mental health treatment. It’s a space to talk openly about your child and your grief, and to think through what comes next.
How Do I Know if I Need Therapy or Coaching?
If you are feeling emotionally overwhelmed but generally able to function in daily life, grief coaching can offer you the support and structure you need while you process your loss.
If you are experiencing severe depression, trauma symptoms, suicidal thoughts, or feel unable to manage day-to-day responsibilities, therapy with a licensed mental health professional what you need. Coaching can complement therapy, but it does not replace it.
Who Is This for?
My coaching is for parents living with the loss of a child to addiction or overdose.
What if I Become Overwhelmed During a Session?
It’s completely normal to cry or become emotional when talking about your child. If that happens during our time together, that’s perfectly fine.