In the Presence of Grief: Helping Family Members Resolve Death, Dying, and Bereavement Issues

By Dorothy Stroh Becvar

Book Overview

Illuminating the impact of loss and grief on our psychological and emotional lives, this book provides vital guidance to ease painful transitions and facilitate healing. The author emphasizes that dealing with the death of a loved one involves more than picking up the pieces and moving on: rather, healing is an ongoing journey on which grief is a constant companion. For those in a supportive role, the focus is on helping the bereaved to navigate the grieving process and, ultimately, to reclaim joy as well as sadness as an integral part of life. Filled with personal narratives and examples, the book demonstrates effective ways to help survivors cope with commonly experienced issues, problems, and concerns. This compassionate and hopeful work is essential reading for anyone working or living in the presence of grief.

The book begins with a clear overview of death, dying, and bereavement issues, interweaving contemporary clinical perspectives and research findings with evocative firsthand accounts. Described are the variety of contexts in which death may occur, as well as the unique ways that grief may be experienced. Chapters address such topics as the differences between unanticipated and anticipated death and challenges that may emerge around end-of-life issues and care of the dying. Included are in-depth discussions of different kinds of loss, including the death of a child, sibling, parent, spouse, or extended family member or friend. Each chapter is introduced by a personal account from an individual who has suffered that kind of loss, and concludes with a case example derived from the author's clinical practice. Throughout, innovative ideas are presented for helping individuals and families share their stories, find meaning in their experience, and create funerals and other rituals.

This book provides essential insights and strategies for practitioners working with families, including psychologists, family therapists, psychiatrists, social workers, and counselors; physicians and nurses in palliative care settings; and hospice professionals, as well as students in these areas. While written for professionals, the book's lucid, personal style and sensitive coverage of universal themes will also make it suitable for many general readers.

SHORT COPY
Illuminating the impact of loss and grief on our psychological and emotional lives, this book provides vital information to ease painful transitions and facilitate healing. The author emphasizes that dealing with the death of a loved one involves more than picking up the pieces and moving on: rather, survivors live indefinitely in the presence of grief. For those in a supportive role, the focus is on helping the bereaved to navigate the grieving process and, ultimately, to reclaim joy as well as sadness as an integral part of life. The book explores pathways to recovery from different kinds of loss, including the death of a child, sibling, parent, spouse, or extended family member or friend, as well as challenges that may emerge around care of the dying and issues at the end of life. Personal accounts and therapeutic case material are interwoven with practical suggestions for helping individuals and families share their stories, find meaning in their experience, and create funerals and other rituals. While written for professionals, the book's lucid, personal style and sensitive coverage of universal themes make it suitable for many general readers as well.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1572306971
• ISBN13: 9781572306974
• Release Date: September 2001
• Publisher: Guilford Publications
• Length: 284 Pages
• Weight: 1.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.2" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Agreed

Jeff is absolutely right. This book is a comprehensive understanding of different types of grief. It helped me realize and come to terms with my own grief, a large portion I hadn't actualized at the time. I would actually recommend this book to anybody, especially my colleagues in the healthcare field.

Grief Work and Ministry

This is a very comprehensive book about grief and understanding the issues facing those who are experiencing grief. It deals with every kind of bereavement issue that you can think of including when death comes unannounced, when death is anticipated, the death of a spouse, child, infant and friend, sibling and parent. I found the chapters on dealing with those on the death of a child or infant and unexpected death to be particularly helpful in trying to help ministry to those who are experiencing these types of loss. Very comprehensive. Dorothy Becvar covers the issues from every angle.