Grief is often perceived as a dark and lonely journey; as a result, it is a topic we avoid in today’s society. Within a 20-month period, Elizabeth Berrien endured the loss of her stillborn son and the subsequent death of her husband on active duty in Afghanistan. She found herself a 27-year-old widow whose life had been shattered. In this book, she shares the experiences, the wisdom, and even the joy she gathered on her journey from grief to hope. Creative Grieving offers support and encouragement while acknowledging that there is no “right” way to grieve. Elizabeth tells you about the emotions she experienced while grieving in an ”instant gratification” society, the importance of self-nurturing, the balancing of grief and motherhood, the redefining of community and relationships, and the discovery of new passion and meaning. Her authentic account of grieving will empower you as you cope with loss. Along with Elizabeth’s personal stories are pieces of “Hip Chick Wisdom” from a community of women, “Creative Hip Chick Ideas," and a list of helpful resources. By reading Elizabeth’s story of vulnerability and courage, you will learn how to find your own creative way of moving through grief to hope—uncovering gifts along the way. www.CreativeGrieving.com and www.TheRespite.org

The Courage to Grieve provides the help readers need to enable them to face their grief fully and to recover and grow from the experience. This book can help with every kind of loss and grief and shows how to live life without fearing death.

Children and teenagers with autism can struggle to cope with the loss of a loved one, and the complicated and painful emotions of bereavement. This book explains death in concrete terms that the child with autism will understand, explores feelings that the child may encounter as a part of bereavement, and offers creative and expressive activities that facilitate healing. With illustrations throughout, this interactive book begins with a simple story about what happens when people die. Each chapter then expands on the issues that have been raised in the story and offers a variety of coping skills exercises including writing, art and craft, cooking, movement, relaxation, and remembrance activities. Encouraging children with autism to express their loss through discussion, personal reflection, and creative activity, the book is ideal for children and teens to work through by themselves, or with the support of a family member or professional.

"This volume provides a wonderful treasure-chest of appealing and practical aids to assist mental health practitioners in counseling bereaved school-age children. Numerous exercises and games are included that will encourage children to express their complicated feelings about the death of a loved one. Handouts for parents and teachers as well as guidelines for practitioners serve as important resources to assist adults in their efforts to help bereaved children." -- Nancy Boyd Webb. [from back cover].

Techniques of Grief Therapy is an indispensable guidebook to the most inventive and inspirational interventions in grief and bereavement counseling and therapy. Individually, each technique emphasizes creativity and practicality. As a whole, they capture the richness of practices in the field and the innovative approaches that clinicians in diverse settings have developed, in some cases over decades, to effectively address the needs of the bereaved. New professionals and seasoned clinicians will find dozens of ideas that are ready to implement and are packed with useful features, including: Careful discussion of the therapeutic relationship that provides a "container" for specific procedures An intuitive, thematic organization that makes it easy to find the right technique for a particular situation Detailed explanations of when to use (and when not to use) particular techniques Expert guidance on implementing each technique and tips on avoiding common pitfalls Sample worksheets and activities for use in session and as homework assignments Illustrative case studies and transcripts Recommended readings to learn more about theory, research and practice associated with each technique

Drawing On Grief is a uniquely creative journal and mindful keepsake which draws on the soothing therapeutic power of drawing for self-care/to heal whilst going through the grieving process.

Understanding loss and its effects is integral to effective counseling and support in the treatment of grief. This book is both a guide to the key theories of bereavement, and a practical workbook that can be used with clients to help them understand and work through their grief in a positive, transformative way. Divided into two parts, the first section presents current models of grief used by thanatologists, and advice on when to apply them, these models provide a springboard to deepen the conversation with clients, allowing them to discover insights, consider memories and express their pain. In the second part of the book, creative exercises encourage clients to engage with their stories and actively apply their discoveries to their own healing. Offering a straightforward guide to bereavement models and therapeutic approaches, with photocopiable exercises and worksheets, The Creative Toolkit for Working with Grief and Bereavement is a valuable resource for information on grief and how to help grieving clients, and an invitation to explore creative possibilities for healing.

Writing in Bereavement is a practical creative handbook that will assist counsellors, volunteers and others in their work with bereaved adults. Writing is a powerful outlet for the emotions that accompany grief and it is therefore a valuable therapeutic tool to help those who are bereaved communicate their experiences and adjust to life after their loss. Jane Moss provides imaginative creative writing exercises for groups and individuals, using a variety of genres and literary forms and techniques. She offers advice on how to plan and run successful workshops with the bereaved, and how to evaluate their effectiveness. Using the techniques in this book, counsellors can help grieving individuals find a voice to cope with profound changes in their life, complete unfinished conversations, write for remembrance, use creativity as a respite from sadness, and finally begin to move forward from grief and imagine the future.

Art and Mourning explores the relationship between creativity and the work of self-mourning in the lives of 20th century artists and thinkers. The role of artistic and creative endeavours is well-known within psychoanalytic circles in helping to heal in the face of personal loss, trauma, and mourning. In this book, Esther Dreifuss-Kattan, a psychoanalyst, art therapist and artist - analyses the work of major modernist and contemporary artists and thinkers through a psychoanalytic lens. In coming to terms with their own mortality, figures like Albert Einstein, Louise Bourgeois, Paul Klee, Eva Hesse and others were able to access previously unknown reserves of creative energy in their late works, as well as a new healing experience of time outside of the continuous temporality of everyday life. Dreifuss-Kattan explores what we can learn about using the creative process to face and work through traumatic and painful experiences of loss. Art and Mourning will inspire psychoanalysts and psychotherapists to understand the power of artistic expression in transforming loss and traumas into perseverance, survival and gain. Art and Mourning offers a new perspective on trauma and will appeal to psychoanalysts and psychotherapists, psychologists, clinical social workers and mental health workers, as well as artists and art historians.