Grief Loss and Bereavement
38 Articles & Excerpts
Survivors of Death
Death, Grief, and Mourning by John S. Stephenson, Ph.D. Through our examination of the grief process, we have been able to develop an understanding of the psychological ramifications of death. In discussing mourning, we examined contemporary American society's response to loss, including its normative
Part 1: After the Fall
Blessings from the Fall: Turning a Fall from Grace into a New Beginning by Beverly Engel There are few experiences in life as demoralizing, humiliating and painful as falling from grace. For some, falling from grace is the horrible, shame-inducing experience of being publicly chastised or humiliated, having their reputation ruined
Introduction
Mother of My Mother: The Intimate Bond Between Generations by Hope Edelman My grandmother lived in a town called Mount Vernon, and for most of my early childhood I thought that meant George Washington had once been her neighbor. There was a legitimate old-world feel to her street: gabled roofs, imposing oak trees, trellises, gaz
Children
In Lieu of Flowers: A Conversation for the Living by Nancy Cobb Curiosity underscores every stage of life. Without it we would be a pretty dull bunch. Yet when it comes to death and grief, even the most curious among us clam up. Carl Jung believed that the negation of life's fulfillment is synonymous
Bearing the Burden: Families in Distress
The Good Death: The New American Search to Reshape the End of Life by Marilyn Webb In 1990, a man whom I will call D. Hale Cobb III died at the age of seventy-two of Alzheimer's disease. Hale had been the chief financial officer of a large corporation, known around New York City for his hilarious sense of humor and his flaming red hair.
Cancer : Anticipatory Grief, Phases of Grief by National Cancer Institute Anticipatory grief is the normal mourning that occurs when a patient or family is expecting a death. Anticipatory grief has many of the same symptoms as those experienced after a death has occurred.
Regret
The End Is Just the Beginning by Arlene Churn, Ph.D. Regret has many faces and many meanings. Those who have lost a loved one may regret acts left unperformed or words unspoken. We may regret the loss to ourselves of someone who loved and supported us unconditionally.
Introduction
The Grieving Teen by Helen Fitzgerald In an earlier book, I wrote about a fifteen-year-old named Laura, whose unhappy situation as a young person whose needs were ignored continues to haunt me, for stories like hers remain largely unaddressed in the many books that have been written about
Lessons on Living from People Preparing to Die
Mrs. Hunter's Happy Death by Reverend John Fanestil I have known a few people who died with a spirit of apparent nonchalance, but for most the approach of death raises gut-level questions about the true meaning of life. Is there a God? What kind of God?
Introduction
The Empty Room by Elizabeth DeVita-Raeburn The movie The Big Chill begins with the death of a character you never meet, except for a few shots of his body being dressed for burial. As it turns out, this faceless individual is instrumental to the plot.
Just Another Widow
It Must Have Been Moonglow by Phyllis Greene This afternoon, Mt. Carmel Hospice called for my six-month 'checkup.' How am I doing? they wanted to know. 'Well,' I said. 'I am doing well.' Am I telling the truth, I wondered; what is 'well'? What sorrowing widow can ever really do well, I think.
Denial
The End Is Just the Beginning by Arlene Churn, Ph.D. In our community, both regret and denial are often expressed through elaborate funerals and floral displays, expensive caskets, numerous limos, even color-coordinated outfits for the immediate family.
Change of Heart
Light Through the Crack: Life After Loss by Sue Mosteller, CSJ. Leonard Cohen once wrote in a song: 'There is a crack in everything/That's how the light gets in.' Combining revealing memoir and the inspirational stories of others, Sue Mosteller, the executrix of Henry Nouwen's literary estate and an active, well-known
One Step at a Time
Through These Doors: A true inspirational story of a family overcoming crisis by Dwight Alexander One moment life is normal and in the next you have somehow stepped through a doorway and everything is in pieces. It was a beautiful summer day when Dwight Alexander received the news that his family had been in a deadly car crash.
Dear Diary
It Must Have Been Moonglow by Phyllis Greene For me, the written word is the quintessential medium. From grocery lists to condolence messages to letters to friends or to the children at camp or for birthdays, it's the most effective way to express myself.
Reader's Guide
Mrs. Hunter's Happy Death by Reverend John Fanestil It is my great pleasure to introduce Mrs. Hunter to you. When I first read the story of her happy death I was simply overwhelmed. She was like no one I had ever met before, and yet she reminded me of so very many people.
The Wounds of Grief: Inside/Outside by Nan Zastrow 'What happened to you?' The question appears to be an easy one, but it comes hard when you don't know if you should ask it. I met at least a dozen people between the scene of the my bizarre fall and my destination for care.
Grief: Discovering Something Greater than the Answer to 'Why?' by Nan Zastrow We are raised with values and beliefs that influence who we are. We attribute these to our social culture, our religious backgrounds and our educational pursuits. We build a strong code of ethics that reflects our attitudes and our choices in life.
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