News & Press
Helping Yourself Heal When Someone You Care About Dies of a Drug Overdose
by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. A friend or family member has died of a drug overdose. Death and grief are always hard, but when someone dies from drug use, understanding your feelings and knowing what to think and say about the death can be especially difficult....Why Is the Funeral Ritual Important?
by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. “When words are inadequate, have a ritual.” — Author Unknown Rituals are symbolic activities that help us, together with our families and friends, express our deepest thoughts and feelings about life’s most important events. Baptism...Nurturing Yourself When You’re Grieving
by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. “There is nothing in nature that can’t be taken as a sign of both mortality and invigoration.” — Gretel Ehrlich The word “bereaved,” which to our modern-day ears can sound like an old-fashioned term that only a funeral director might...Helping Yourself Heal When Your Child Dies
by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. “The experience of grief is powerful. So, too, is your ability to help yourself heal. In doing the work of grieving, you are moving toward a renewed sense of meaning and purpose in your life.” ~ ~ ~ Allow yourself to mourn Your...Reaching Out for Help When You Are Grieving
by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. “Action is the antidote to despair.” – Joan Baez When someone you love dies, you must mourn if you are to renew your capacity for love. In other words, mourning brings healing. But healing also requires the support and...The Spiritual Path to Healing: An Introduction
by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. After the death of someone loved, you are “torn apart” and have some very unique needs. Among these needs is to nurture yourself in five important areas: physically, emotionally, cognitively, socially, and spiritually. In the coming...On the Journey to Healing: Seek Reconciliation, Not Resolution
by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. “Mourning never really ends. Only as time goes on, it erupts less frequently.” How do you ever find your way out of the wilderness of your grief? A number of psychological models describing grief refer to “resolution,” “recovery,”...The Journey Through Grief: The Six Needs of Mourning
by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. The death of someone loved changes our lives forever. And the movement from the “before” to the “after” is almost always a long, painful journey. From my own experiences with loss as well as those of the thousands of grieving people...Helping Your Family Heal After Stillbirth
by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. Stillbirth is a profound loss Few events in life bring about such warm and wonderful feelings of anticipation as the announcement of a pregnancy. As soon as you and your family learned you were expecting, you naturally began to have...Open to the Presence of Your Loss
by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. “In every heart there is an inner room, where we can hold our greatest treasures and our deepest pain.” – Marianne Williamson When someone you love dies, you come to know your deepest pain. From my own experiences with loss as...The Importance of Hope
by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. “Today… I open my heart’s hand to allow… the touch of hope.” — Julia Cameron Someone you love has died. In your heart you have come to know your deepest pain. Your grief has brought challenges that seem beyond your own capacity to survive....Helping Children with Funerals
by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. The adult as role model and helper A child you care about is grieving. If you, too, loved the person who died, you are now faced with the difficult but critical task of helping both yourself and the child heal. Throughout the coming months...Helping Dispel 5 Common Misconceptions About Grief
by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. Our society continues to perpetuate a number of misconceptions about grief and mourning. They may seem harmless, but I have found that they can quickly become hurdles to healing. This article describes five of the most common...Helping Children Understand Cremation
by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. The adult as role model and helper A child you care about is grieving the loss of someone loved. If you, too, loved the person who died, you are now faced with the difficult but critical task of helping both yourself and the child...Touchstone Two (Part One) – Dispel the Misconceptions About Grief
by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.” Robert Frost As you journey through the wilderness of your grief, if you mourn openly and authentically, you will come to find a...Helping Yourself Heal When a Pet Dies
by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. A pet is a family member, too A pet is often a member of the family. In fact, surveys show some interesting facts about pet owners: 84 percent consider their animals family members; 99 percent talk to their pets, and 54 percent...Living in the Shadow of the Ghosts of Grief: An Introduction
by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. “Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding.” — Kahlil Gibran A central truth is that all of us as human beings are connected in our experiences of loss and grief. If you have picked up this newsletter...Helping a Grieving Friend in the Workplace
By Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. “Grief is a long, painful journey. As the friend of a grieving coworker, you can choose to help make the journey more tolerable. Tell your coworker how sorry you are and listen if she wants to talk. Be available to her in the...Helping Yourself Heal When Your Spouse Dies
by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. “The experience of grief is powerful. So, too, is your ability to help yourself heal. In doing the work of grieving, you are moving toward a renewed sense of meaning and purpose in your life.” ~ ~ ~ Acknowledge your loss...Helping Your Family Personalize a Funeral
by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. If you are in the midst of planning a funeral, you may be feeling overwhelmed right now. Many details must be attended to. Many people must be contacted. Many decisions must be made. Your natural and necessary feelings of grief make...You’re Not Going Crazy — You’re Grieving!
by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. In his beautiful book A Grief Observed, C.S. Lewis described his experience after the death of his wife. He wrote, “An odd by-product of my loss is that I’m aware of being an embarrassment to everyone I meet… Perhaps the bereaved ought...Helping Your Family Heal After Miscarriage
by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. Miscarriage is a significant loss It is normal and natural to hurt deeply after miscarriage. While others may imply or outright tell you that miscarriage happens too early on for you to be attached to the baby, or that miscarriage is...Helping Yourself Heal When a Parent Dies
by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. Your mother or father has died. Whether you had a good, bad or indifferent relationship with the parent who died, your feelings for him or her were probably quite strong. At bottom, most of us love our parents deeply. And they love...
Dr. Wolfelt in the News: How a Grandparent Grieves the Death of a Grandchild
Dr. Wolfelt was honored to be interviewed by AARP Magazine. The article, “‘Grappling With Grief When a Grandchild Dies” can be found here.
Being Grief Self-Informed
Dr. Wolfelt’s article “Being Grief Self-Informed” was published in the January 2024 edition of the Director. It is available here.
The New-Gen Worktapes
Dr. Wolfelt’s article “The New Gen Worktapes” was published in the December 2023 edition of the Director. It is available here.
Dr. Wolfelt in the News: Writing a Holiday Card for Someone Who is Grieving
Dr. Wolfelt was honored to be interviewed by Seven Ponds. The article, “‘Writing the Perfect Holiday Card for Someone Who is Grieving” can be found here.
Complicated Grief: An Introduction
Dr. Wolfelt’s article was published in Canadian Funeral News. “Complicated Grief: An Introduction” is available here.Healing Your Traumatized Heart
Dr. Wolfelt’s article featured on the AfterTalk blog “Healing Your Traumatized Heart: Seeking Safety, Understanding, and Peace” is available here. Part two is available here.
Dr. Wolfelt in the News: USA Today
Dr. Wolfelt was honored to be interviewed USA Today. The article which focuses on grief on reality TV can be found here.
Dr. Wolfelt in the News: Grief Tech
Dr. Wolfelt was honored to be interviewed by Seven Ponds. The article, “‘Are We Ready to See, Hear, and Chat with our Loved Ones Forever” can be found here.
The Grief-Informed Funeral Director
Dr. Wolfelt’s article “The Grief-Informed Funeral Directorl” was published in the October 2023 edition of the Director. It is available here.
You’re Not Crazy – It’s Important for You to Feel Safe and Comforted
Dr. Wolfelt’s article “You’re Not Crazy – It’s Important for You to Feel Safe and Comforted” was published in the Fall 2023 edition of the TAPS magazine. It is available here.
The Inconvenient Funeral
Dr. Wolfelt’s article “The Inconvenient Funeral” was published in the September 2023 edition of the Director. It is available here.
Understanding the Guilt of Grief
Dr. Wolfelt’s article featured on the AfterTalk blog “Understanding the Guilt of Grief” is available here.
Dr. Wolfelt in the News: Nice News
Dr. Wolfelt was honored to be interviewed by Nice News. The article, “‘Your Presence Is Symbolic of Your Love’: How to Support Someone Who is Grieving” can be found here.
Understanding the Anger of Grief
Dr. Wolfelt’s article featured on the AfterTalk blog “Understanding the Anger of Grief” is available here.
The Art of Cherishing
Dr. Wolfelt’s article featured on the AfterTalk blog “The Art of Cherishing” is available here.
Dr. Wolfelt in the News: Good Housekeeping
Dr. Wolfelt was honored to be interviewed by Good Housekeeping. The article, “How to Find Joy in the Midst of Grief” can be found here.
Dr. Wolfelt in the News: Yahoo News
Dr. Wolfelt was honored to be interviewed about grief overload. The article, “Facing multiple losses can lead to ‘grief overload;’ Here’s why it’s important to understand, says experts. ” can be found here.
Understanding Traumatic Grief & Anger
Dr. Wolfelt’s article featured on the Dignity Memorial blog “Understanding Traumatic Grief & Anger” is available here.
Living and Grieving Together – Truly Living
Dr. Wolfelt’s article “Truly Living” was published in the August 2023 edition of the Director Magazine. It is part of a 6-part series.This part, part six, is available here. Part five is available here. Part four is available here. Part three is...
Grieving Together – Part 1: Crazy is Normal
Dr. Wolfelt’s article Grieving Together – Part 1: Crazy is Normal was featured in the June 2023 Australian Funeral Director Association Journal. Find it here.
Appreciate Your Transformation
Dr. Wolfelt’s article Appreciate Your Transformation featured on the Friends for Survival newsletter is available here.
Companioning is About Curiosity
Dr. Wolfelt’s article featured on the AfterTalk blog “Companioning is About Curiosity” is available here. Companioning is About Learning from Others
Dr. Wolfelt’s article featured on the AfterTalk blog “Companioning is About Learning from Others ” is available here. Companioning is About Respecting Disorder and Confusion
Dr. Wolfelt’s article featured on the AfterTalk blog “Companioning is About Respecting Disorder and Confusion ” is available here.
Wings Newsletter – Appreciate Your Transformation
Dr. Wolfelt’s article “Appreciate Your Transformation” was published in the May 2023 edition of the Wings Newsletter. Find it here.
Living and Grieving Together – Embracing Spirituality
Dr. Wolfelt’s article “Embracing Spirituality” was published in the July 2023 edition of the Director Magazine. It is part of a 6-part series.This part, part five, is available here. Part four is available here. Part three is available here. Part two...
Companion Press is the publishing arm of The Center for Loss & Life Transition