News & Press
Dr. Alan Wolfelt Opens Center for Naturally Complicated Grief
Fort Collins, CO… The Center for Loss & Life Transition has created a new subdivision to focus on training clinicians in “companioning” people in grief as it relates to the natural complications that often result from the death of someone. These training efforts...
Tips for Talking to and Supporting Children after a School Shooting or Other Traumatic Loss: Dos and Don’ts
Tips for Talking to and Supporting Children after a School Shooting or Other Traumatic Loss: Dos and Don’ts by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. Sadly, school shootings such as the one in Uvalde, Texas, are not a rarity here in the United States. Neither are mass...
Coping with Your Grief Over the Uvalde Tragedy
Coping with Your Grief Over the Uvalde Tragedy by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. Uvalde, Texas, is grieving. America is grieving. A single man has committed a crime of unimaginable violence, taking the lives of at least 21 people—19 of them children—and now an entire...
In the Aftermath: How One Funeral Home Business Fared During the Pandemic
Dr. Wolfelt’s article featured in the June 2022 Director “In the Aftermath: How One Funeral Home Business Fared During the Pandemic is available here.Dr. Wolfelt in the News: The London Free Press
Dr. Wolfelt was honored to be interviewed about this critically important topic in the London Free Press. The article, “With restrictions easing, families begin to turn grief into mourning” can be found here.
Moving Forward: Post-pandemic ideas for thriving in funeral service
Dr. Wolfelt’s article featured in the April 2022 Director “Moving Forward: Post-pandemic ideas for thriving in funeral service” is available here.Center for Loss Trainings and COVID-19 – Fort Collins
As we move forward with our training we will continue to keep participants updated about safety procedures and policy. We are also working closely with the Hilton Fort Collins to ensure the best possible experience for participants while adhering to local guidelines....Dr. Wolfelt in the News: The Denver Post
Dr. Wolfelt was honored to be interviewed about this critically important topic in the Atlantic. The article, “The Dinner Party Helping Your Colorado Adults Grieve,” can be found here.
Coping with Grief During the Holiday Season – COPS
Dr. Wolfelt has been a supporter on Concerns of Police Survivors for many years. They recently published his article on holiday grief in their Fall/Winter Magazine and let the families they serve know how to access his book on this important topic. Find the article...Dr. Wolfelt in the News: The Atlantic
Dr. Wolfelt was honored to be interviewed about this critically important topic in the Atlantic. The article, “The American Workplace Isn’t Prepared for This Much Grief,” can be found here.
And Now What?.. Now We Learn from the Geese
Dr. Wolfelt’s article, “Now What? Now We Learn from the Geese” is available here.
The Director: Now What? Now We Learn from the Geese
Dr. Wolfelt’s article, “Now What? Now We Learn from the Geese” ran in the July 2021 issue of The Director magazine. Find the full article here.June 2021 Newsletter
The Center for Loss released its quarterly newsletter on June 14, 2021. Find it here.
The Director: A Healing Balm
Dr. Wolfelt’s article, “A Healing Balm: Caring for Yourself By Engaging with the Natural World” ran in the May 2021 issue of The Director magazine. Find the full article here.
The Director: Finding Your Way Through
Dr. Wolfelt’s article, “Finding Your Way” ran in the March 2021 issue of The Director magazine. Find the full article here.Dr. Wolfelt in the News: Clothing of Grief
Dr. Wolfelt was interviewed by Laura Pitcher for Refinery 29. The piece is about the loss of her father, linking objects and ceremony surrounding grief. Find it here.
The Director: Too Much Loss
Dr. Wolfelt’s article, “Too Much Loss” ran in the October 2020 issue of The Director magazine. Find the full article here.
September 2020 Newsletter
The Center for Loss released its quarterly newsletter on September 8, 2020. Find it here.
Frontline: Appreciate Your Transformation
Dr. Wolfelt’s article, “Appreciate Your Transformation” ran in the Fall 2020 issue of Frontline magazine. Find the full article here.Center for Loss Trainings and COVID-19 – Scottsdale
As we move forward with our training we will continue to keep participants updated about safety procedures and policy. We are also working closely with the Hyatt House Scottsdale to ensure the best possible experience for participants while adhering to local...
The Leader: Exploring the Natural Complications of the “WHYs” of Funerals During the Coronavirus Pandemic
Dr. Wolfelt’s article, “Exploring the Natural Complications of the ‘WHYs’ of Funerals During the Coronavirus Pandemic” ran in the July 29, 2020 issue of The Leader Find the full article here.
Funeral Service Insider: Ways to Cope with Grief Overload
An article interviewing Dr. Wolfelt, “Ways to Cope with Grief Overload” ran in the July 2020 issue of the Funeral Service Insider Find the full article here.
The Director: The Power of Touch
Dr. Wolfelt’s article, “The Power of Touch” ran in the August 2020 issue of The Director magazine. Find the full article here.
Frontline: Walking the Wilderness Together
Dr. Wolfelt’s article, “Walking the Wilderness Together” ran in the Summer 2020 issue of Frontline. Find the full article here.Exploring the Natural Complications of the “WHYs” of Funerals During the Coronavirus Pandemic
by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. I often say that when words are inadequate, have a ceremony. However, as you well know, right now is a challenging time to fully make use of ceremonies that help grieving families. COVID-19 has made it impossible for many families to...
The Director: 5 Pillars of Self-Care
Dr. Wolfelt’s article, “5 Pillars of Self-Care for Funeral Directors” ran in the July 2020 issue of The Director magazine. Find the full article here.
The Director: Nurturing Hope in Difficult Times
Dr. Wolfelt’s article, “Nurturing Hope in Difficult Times” ran in the June 2020 issue of The Director magazine. Find the full article here.
“Tell Me How to Grieve” Thoughts on Leaning on Ceremony After a Death During the Pandemic
by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. This pandemic is replete with tragedy, but one Colorado story not far from my home has been weighing on my heart. In the Huffington Post on May 7, 2020, Mary Hagen Roberts published an essay about the death of her precious daughter,...Dr. Wolfelt in the News: The Scottsdale Independent
Dr. Wolfelt is pleased to have have his article about liminal space during the coronavirus lockdown. The article can be found here.
ICCFA Magazine: Educating Families About the Critical Importance of Permanent Placement
Dr. Wolfelt’s article, “Educating Families About the Critical Importance of Permanent Placement,” ran in the May 2020 issue of the ICCFA magazine. Find the full article here.
The Director: The Other Pandemic
Dr. Wolfelt’s article, “The Other Pandemic,” ran in the May 2020 issue of The Director magazine. Find the full article here.Dr. Wolfelt in the News: NBC Today Show
Dr. Wolfelt is pleased to have been interviewed about grieving losses in the time of coronavirus in a recent interview with the NBC Today Show. The article can be found here.
Ten Freedoms for Using Ceremony During the COVID-19 Pandemic
by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. If someone you love has died during the novel coronavirus pandemic, you have come to grief in an exceptionally challenging moment in history. You may have been separated from your loved one as they were dying. You may have been unable...
Condolences in the Time of COVID-19: Guidance for Conveying Your Love and Support
by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. When someone dies—of COVID-19 or any cause—during this pandemic, their loved ones are being left to grieve in especially harrowing circumstances. They may not have been able to be by the dying person’s side in the hospital or long-term care...
The COVID-19 Mourner’s Bill of Rights
Dr Wolfelt has been a long-time supporter and member of the Board of Advisors to the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS). At their request, he created this Mourner’s Bill of Rights related to the pandemic.
The Art of the Freeze: A Pandemic Lesson in the Value of Liminal Space
by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. I keep thinking about freeze tag. As we move into our second stay-at-home month during the COVID-19 pandemic, I find my thoughts returning to the old-timey childhood game I played decades ago with my neighborhood friends in my Indiana...How to Talk to Children About the Coronavirus Pandemic
by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. As the coronavirus spreads across North America and our daily lives are transformed, we all must be aware of the need for good mental-health care. Obviously, it’s a stressful time. Families are confined to their homes. School is canceled....Dr. Wolfelt in the News: Yahoo Life
Dr. Wolfelt is pleased to have been interviewed about ceremonies in the time of coronavirus in a recent interview with Yahoo Life. The article can be found here.Coronavirus and the Six Needs of Mourning
by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. Alongside the physical pandemic, the novel coronavirus is causing a pandemic of grief. That’s what we’re all feeling right now—grief. It’s important to recognize that. Grief is everything we think and feel inside of us whenever our...
Funeral Directors, We Need You! The Five Pillars of Basic Self-Care During the Coronavirus Pandemic
by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. I’ve been privileged to work with funeral directors for more than forty years. I know and respect many of you as colleagues, and I count some of you among my closest friends. Funeral directors are good people. You’re “people people.”...Nurturing Hope in Difficult Times
by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. “Hope is the pillar that holds up the world.” — Pliny the Elder The caller to the Center for Loss asked a question that is on the hearts of many right now: “Are we going to get through this?” It became obvious as the...This Pandemic of Grief
by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. The coronavirus is not only causing a viral pandemic—it is giving rise to a pandemic of grief. As I write this, in mid-March, we as a global community are suffering so many losses that I hardly know where to begin. Death and grief go...Dr. Wolfelt in the News: ALL IN
Dr. Wolfelt is pleased to have been interviewed about navigating loss in the time of coronavirus in a recent interview with ALL IN. interview can be found here. The segment starts at 31:25.
The Coronavirus Challenge: The Wonder of Waiting
by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. Have you noticed a number of people are saying some variation on, “I just can’t WAIT until these restrictions are lifted”? The trouble is, in our fast-paced, hurry-up culture, we’re not good at waiting. Waiting for a streaming movie to...Dr. Wolfelt in the News: Rolling Stone Magazine
Dr. Wolfelt is pleased to have been interviewed about funerals and grief in the time of coronavirus in a recent article for Rolling Stone Magazine. The article, “Processing Grief During a Pandemic, When Nothing is Normal” can be found on here.Grieving a Coronavirus Death: Help for Special Circumstances
by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. If someone you love has died of the novel coronavirus, it is likely that you are facing a number of challenging circumstances. Grief is always difficult, but it is especially difficult whenever a death is sudden, unexpected, and...Dr. Wolfelt in the News: Grief and Social Distancing
Dr. Wolfelt is pleased to have been interviewed about funerals and grief in the time of coronavirus in a recent article for the IndyStar. The article, “Grief and social distancing: How Indiana funeral homes are helping families seek closure” can be found on...Funerals in the Time of Coronavirus: Thoughts for Families
by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. Needless to say, the coronavirus pandemic of 2020 is a challenging time for everyone. But if someone you love has died, it is likely that the current social distancing orders and travel restrictions are making funeral planning...For Funeral Directors: Dealing with Families During the COVID-19 Pandemic
by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. Acknowledging the Current Reality – Implications for Families As you consider how to approach funeral planning during this global pandemic, don’t forget: 1. Anything that delays a funeral delays the natural mourning and healing...
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