Hi @sparkles21 ,
I am so deeply sorry to hear that your stepdaughter lost her mother, that is tragic news. It must have been incredibly shocking for you all, and traumatic for your stepdaughter to discover her mother. It sounds like some professional help from a grief counsellor or psychologist could be really helpful for your stepdaughter, to help her process what has happened and start to heal. The grieving process can look different for every body, and professional guidance can really help in starting to work through her feelings, especially given the traumatic circumstances finding her mother. Peer support groups can also be really helpful for some people- being able to talk to people who 'get it' can help a lot, and it looks like there are groups both in person and online near where you are. Do you think your stepdaughter would be open to any of these options?
Sometimes having little rituals as a family can also be a nice way to help keep a loved one's memory alive, and keep on talking about them - as you said, you don't want to act like it never happened. Do you mind if I ask how old your step daughter is? Is she living with you at the moment?
I am so very sorry for you and your family's loss.
