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Ministry of Bereavement: Interview with Ronald Ritter

Posted on May 17, 2014 - by Gloria Horsley

Today, we had the privilege to interview Ron Ritter about a very basic tool that will assist people of faith to minister intelligently and effectively to those who grieve. The turning point for Ritter was when the shackles of clinical depression were removed five years after his son Steve’s death when he could focus his full energies into the ministry of bereavement. Here is the full interview: Ron Ritter was born the 7 September 1938. Born and Raised in Baltimore, MD. B.S. Business Administration, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA. B.Th. Concordia Theological Seminary, Springfield, IL 1970. Ordained, Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, […]

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Childhood Grief: An Interview with Chase Roberts

Posted on May 17, 2014 - by Gloria Horsley

In this video, Jesse Roberts, the author of Katie the Ladybug: Explaining Emotions of Grief to a Child, speaks of his own experiences and encourages those who are helping grieving children to be honest, concrete, and sensitive when discussing the topic of death. Losing both of my parents before the age of 16 inspired me to immerse myself in the field of death and dying in hopes that I may be able to help others who are experiencing grief after the loss of a parent. I did not want these experiences to be wasted, and through helping others have been […]

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Grieving for Dad: Interview with Lara Rogers-Krawchuk

Posted on May 17, 2014 - by Gloria Horsley

By Lara Rogers-Krawchuk In this video, I will share lessons learned from my long time work as an oncology social worker, therapist, adjunct professor, and lover of the contemporary concept of meaning making along a grief journey.  I will also offer personal insights from being the daughter of a dad who died much too young and at the totally “wrong” time. Life as a griever with two young children was very hard, but I found hope every day in their smiling faces and exploration of a world still worth living in.  I believe my father continues to live on as […]

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Creating Sacred Space: Interview with Rev. Ian Smith

Posted on May 17, 2014 - by Gloria Horsley

This was a brief interview done with Dr. Gloria Horsley on April 24, 2014 at the 36th Annual Conference of the Association for Death Education and Counseling (ADEC) from April 23-26 in Baltimore, MD. The speaker is Rev. Ian Smith. I am an ordained minister of the United Church of Canada and working as a congregational pastor in suburban Montréal, Québec, Canada. I am also the volunteer Spiritual Care Coordinator for the West Island Palliative Care Residence in Kirkland, Québec, since October 2003. I became very interested in the field of death and dying in 1982 when a part of […]

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Aging and Identity: We’re Not Dead Yet

Posted on May 16, 2014 - by Stan Goldberg

In Aging and Identity Part I, I maintained the role of identity may be critical in understanding how we react to aging; including the many desperate decisions we make, such as an obsession with appearing youthful, painful tummy tucks, and foolishly engaging in a multitude of activities our bodies are no longer capable of doing. In Aging and Identity Part II, I suggested a few strategies for dealing with our changing identities. In this final article, I’ll offer suggestions for those who are confused how to deal with us “older” folks. We’re Not Dead Yet We may be changing, but […]

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Losing a Fiance: Wedding Turned to Funeral

Posted on May 15, 2014 - by Melinda Richarz Lyons

Recently my twenty-six-year-old niece Kate lost her fiancé in a car accident just two days before their wedding. In addition to her deep grief, Kate also had to face many issues because they were not yet married. First, I believe she was robbed of memories. When I lost my husband, at least I had almost forty years of memories to help sustain me. Kate and her fiancé did not even have the chance to begin as a married couple. Emotionally, I feel her loss is so much tougher than mine was. Not only did she lose the future she had […]

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Reconciling Your Past, Present and Future After Loss

Posted on May 15, 2014 - by Ellen Gerst

When you’re mourning the loss of a loved one, it’s very natural and easy to get trapped in your memories of the past and how things used to be. Let’s take a moment to examine your past, as well as the present and the future, and how this exercise can help you to better understand the grief process. If you will, imagine your past, present and future like three pieces of paper all tied together with a string running through the middle of each. If you were to pick up one end of the string and dangle it in the […]

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Write Your Mother A Letter

Posted on May 13, 2014 - by Christine Duminiak

Many of us are missing our mothers who reside in Heaven. Because God provides that they still see and hear us, it is never too late to talk to them or write them a letter. For Mother’s Day, please consider writing your mother a letter and then reading it out loud to her. Have a photo of your mother smiling in front of you when you do. It will bring your mother to you and you will have the comforting sensation of expressing your feelings to her. God bless you all.

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How to Help Someone In Pain

Posted on May 10, 2014 - by Megan Devine

A lot of people truly, deeply want to be of help to those they love as they are grieving. They just don’t know what to do. And there are a lot of people in pain wishing they could tell you exactly what they need in their grief. They just don’t have the energy or the resources to help you help them. This means that a lot of us flounder around, looking for something to say, hoping we can find the words that make this unbearable pain, well – more bearable. Witnessing grief is hard. Watching someone in pain is horrible. Knowing […]

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Did I Say that I’d Never Marry Again?

Posted on May 10, 2014 - by Cindy Adams

So it was just over a year that I became a widow. I was doing ok. I had my good days and my not so good days. But over all, life was tolerable. I was getting used to being a single mom and accepting the fact that this was my new and permanent life. “Are you dating anyone?” a family member innocently asked me. I CAN’T BELIEVE HE ASKED ME THAT! “No, and I don’t plan to,” I said. “Nobody will ever take Nelson’s place, and I’ll never marry again.” He looked at me doubtfully. I didn’t understand why people would ask me […]

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