Finding the Light After Loss
Our editorial standards: how we write about grief with care
This page explains how the guides in Finding the Light After Loss are written, sourced, reviewed and corrected, and what they are not. If you are reading about grief while you are grieving, you deserve to know exactly where the words come from.
Written for adults grieving a mom or dad, by the team behind Rally Takes the Train.
The short version
- Our guides are written by the Rally Takes the Train team, in an editorial voice.
- Our guides do not quote Kelsey Lizee Cecil.
- Facts come from credible organizations and peer-reviewed research, and every source is opened and linked.
- Grief has no fixed timeline, and we never suggest one.
- Nothing here is medical or mental health advice.
If you are in crisis, call or text 988 (US) any time. More places to turn: grief support and crisis resources.
Who writes our guides
Every guide in Finding the Light After Loss is written by the Rally Takes the Train team in an editorial "we" voice. Rally Takes the Train is the picture book Kelsey Lizee Cecil wrote in memory of her mom, Deb. You can read about Kelsey and the book on our story page.
We do not write as Kelsey, and we never invent memories, scenes, conversations, or feelings from her life.
Quotes and personal stories
The guides in this section are written by the Rally Takes the Train team and do not quote Kelsey.
We do not quote anyone unless the words appear in a published source we have read. We do not use composite characters, made-up readers, or anonymous testimonials. When we describe what grieving people often experience, we say so in general terms and point to where the information comes from.
How we choose and cite sources
Claims about health, grief, and child development come from credible organizations and peer-reviewed research. Examples include the American Psychiatric Association, Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, Harvard Health Publishing, the Hospice Foundation of America, the Dougy Center, the American Academy of Pediatrics through HealthyChildren.org, the Child Mind Institute, and the National Child Traumatic Stress Network.
Every source we cite is opened and read before it is linked. It is linked where the claim is made and listed at the end of the guide. If we cannot find a reliable source for a number, we leave the number out. We do not invent statistics.
No fixed grief timeline
We never tell readers how long grief should last. Grief changes over time, but it does not follow a schedule, and many people carry some form of it for life. When we discuss prolonged grief disorder, we describe it the way the American Psychiatric Association does and encourage readers to talk with a professional rather than diagnose themselves.
This is not medical or mental health advice
Our guides are general information. They cannot diagnose a condition or replace care from a doctor, therapist, or counselor. If something you read raises a concern about your own health or your child's, please talk with a professional you trust.
Review status
Pages that cover clinical topics, such as prolonged grief, depression, the physical effects of grief, or children's development, are general information and have not yet been reviewed by a licensed clinician. We plan to add named professional review. When a page has been reviewed, the reviewer's name and credentials will be shown on that page.
How we handle sensitive topics
When a guide touches overwhelming grief or thoughts of not wanting to be alive, it points readers to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. We never describe methods of self-harm, and we write about these moments with care and hope rather than drama.
Guides about children rely on established children's grief and pediatric organizations, avoid anything that sounds like a diagnosis, and say when to talk with a pediatrician or a child grief specialist. See Helping Children With Grief.
Our pandemic-loss disclosure
A note on how we write about the pandemic. Many people in our community lost a mom or dad during the COVID-19 pandemic. We write about that loss the way we write about every loss: as grief. This page takes no position on public health policy, politics, or how the pandemic was handled. It is here for the people left behind. Research is cited and linked. Nothing here is medical or mental health advice.
Kelsey's mom died in 2021, during the pandemic. We do not discuss the cause of her death anywhere on this site. Statistics about pandemic loss describe children who lost a parent or caregiver, and we cite them to primary research. One example is Parenting After Losing a Parent to COVID-19.
Money, links and independence
This website exists because of a picture book, and the site does sell it. There are no affiliate links in Finding the Light After Loss, and there is no sponsored content or paid placement. Some guides about parenting and children briefly mention the book or the free Rally coloring pages. Those mentions never replace grief support, and guides about raw adult grief keep the book to a short note at the end.
Updates and corrections
Each guide shows the date it was last updated. We update guides when a source changes, when better research becomes available, or when a reader spots a problem.
If you find a mistake, email kelsey@rallytakesthetrain.com with the page link and what looks wrong. We will review it, and if we make a meaningful change, we will note the correction on the page.
Questions people ask
Who writes the articles on Finding the Light After Loss?
The Rally Takes the Train team writes every guide in Finding the Light After Loss, in an editorial voice. Rally Takes the Train is the picture book Kelsey Lizee Cecil wrote in memory of her mom. The guides do not quote Kelsey or speak for her. The About Kelsey page explains who she is and how the section began.
Are your grief articles reviewed by a professional?
Not yet. Pages that cover clinical topics are general information and have not yet been reviewed by a licensed clinician. Every claim is checked against the credible source it is linked to. We plan to add named professional review, and when a page has been reviewed, the reviewer's name and credentials will be shown on that page so you can see it.
Is anything on this site medical or mental health advice?
No. Everything in Finding the Light After Loss is general information, drawn from credible sources, and it cannot diagnose or treat anything. For questions about your own health or your child's, talk with a doctor, therapist, or counselor you trust. If you are in crisis or feel unsafe, call or text 988 in the US any time, or call 911 in an emergency.
Where does your grief information come from?
Our grief information comes from credible organizations and peer-reviewed research. Examples include the American Psychiatric Association, Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, Harvard Health Publishing, the Hospice Foundation of America, the Dougy Center, and HealthyChildren.org from the American Academy of Pediatrics. Every source is opened and read before we cite it, then linked where the claim appears and listed at the end of the guide.
How do you tell personal stories apart from research?
We don't publish personal stories in these guides. The guides do not quote Kelsey, and research and health information always carries a linked source. We do not publish invented anecdotes, composite characters, or testimonials, so when a guide describes common experiences, it does so in general terms rather than through a made-up person.
What is your pandemic-loss disclosure?
Our pandemic-loss disclosure says that we write about losing a parent during the COVID-19 pandemic the way we write about every loss: as grief. Those pages take no position on public health policy, politics, or how the pandemic was handled. They are for the people left behind, research is cited and linked, and nothing on them is medical or mental health advice.
Why don't you talk about COVID politics in your pandemic articles?
Because grieving families need support, not debate. People who lost a parent during the pandemic often carry hard memories: goodbyes by phone or video, small or delayed funerals, and isolation when they most needed company. Those experiences deserve care no matter where anyone stands on policy. Keeping politics out keeps these pages open to everyone who is grieving.
Why don't you say how Kelsey's mom died?
We share only what the family has chosen to share: Kelsey's mom, Deb, died in 2021, during the pandemic. We do not state or imply the cause of her death anywhere on this site. Many grieving people know that the details of a death belong to the family, and we treat Kelsey's family the same way we would want any reader's treated.
How often are articles updated?
Articles are updated whenever a source changes, better research becomes available, or a reader reports a problem. Each guide shows the date it was last updated, so you can see how current it is. When we make a meaningful correction, we note it on the page. We also check crisis lines and resource listings against official sites and show the date they were verified.
How do I report a mistake in an article?
Email kelsey@rallytakesthetrain.com with the link to the page, the sentence that looks wrong, and a source if you have one. We will review it against the original source. If we make a meaningful change, we will note the correction on the page. Reports about crisis line numbers or safety information are checked first.
Do you make money from links to the book?
The site sells Rally Takes the Train, the picture book Kelsey wrote in memory of her mom, but there are no affiliate links in Finding the Light After Loss. Some guides about parenting and children briefly mention the book or the free coloring pages. Those mentions never replace grief support, and guides about raw adult grief keep the book to a short note at the end.
Do you accept sponsored posts or paid placements?
No. There is no sponsored content or paid placement in Finding the Light After Loss, and the organizations we cite or list are chosen because they are credible and useful, not because of any payment. If that ever changed, any paid relationship would be clearly labeled on the page where it appears. Recommendations here are not for sale.
Do you ever make up quotes, stories, or statistics?
No. The guides do not quote Kelsey, and we do not invent quotes from anyone else, including experts or readers. We do not create anecdotes or testimonials. Every statistic comes from a source we have opened and linked, and if we cannot source a number, we leave it out rather than estimate it.
How do you write about suicide loss safely?
We follow widely used safe messaging practices. We never describe methods, we avoid dramatic or sensational language, we write with hope that help works, and we include the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline wherever overwhelming grief or thoughts of not wanting to be alive come up. If you are struggling right now, call or text 988 in the US any time.
How do you make sure advice about grieving children is accurate?
Guides about children rely on established children's grief and pediatric sources, such as the Dougy Center, HealthyChildren.org from the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Child Mind Institute, and the National Child Traumatic Stress Network. We avoid anything that sounds like a diagnosis and say when to talk with a pediatrician or child grief specialist. These pages have not yet had licensed clinical review.
Why do your articles never say how long grief should last?
Because grief does not follow a fixed timeline. It usually changes and softens, but many people carry some form of it for life, and a deadline can make normal grief feel like failure. When we write about prolonged grief disorder, we describe it the way the American Psychiatric Association does and encourage readers to talk with a professional rather than self-diagnose.
Do you use real names and stories from other grieving people?
No. The guides in this section do not include readers' stories, testimonials, or quotes from other grieving people, and they do not quote Kelsey either. When we describe what many people experience after losing a parent, we write in general terms and link to the research or organization behind it, so you can check it yourself.
Can I share or quote your articles?
Linking to any guide is always welcome, and sharing a link with someone who is grieving may be the kindest thing you do today. If you would like to quote or republish part of an article, please email kelsey@rallytakesthetrain.com first and tell us where it will appear, and keep the source link with any excerpt.
What should I do if an article brings up painful feelings?
Step away, breathe, and reach out to someone you trust. Painful feelings while reading about grief are normal, and you can come back later or not at all. Our grief resources page lists support lines, groups, and ways to find a grief therapist. If you feel unsafe or hopeless, call or text 988 in the US, any time.
Why should I trust a children's book author writing about grief?
You do not have to take anyone's word for it, which is why every guide links its sources. The guides are written by the Rally Takes the Train team, not as clinical advice, and every health claim is tied to a credible organization or study you can check. The book itself came from a daughter who lost both parents.