Companioning the Dying

Overview

A new philosophy for supporting and counseling the dying

This guide for counselors and lay caregivers explores the art of caring for the dying and their families. Based on the tenets first articulated by renowned grief educator Dr. Alan Wolfelt, this respectful and gratifying guide to caregiving includes personal accounts that debunk the myth of the "good death" and teach caregivers to find the transformative potential of every moment in every experience. Written with wit and illustrated throughout with the author's poetry and artwork, it includes advice for comforting patients and their families as well as advice for dealing with the internal stress common to the profession. The guidance provided will help counselors feel affirmed in their abilities to "be with" the dying and support them and their families.

Author Biography

Greg Yoder is a hospice counselor and musician whose 1999 release, When I Remember You, includes original music designed to support the bereaved. He lives in Tucson, Arizona. Alan D. Wolfelt, PhD, is the author of Creating Meaningful Funeral Ceremonies, Healing the Bereaved Child, and Understanding Your Grief. He serves as director of the Center for Loss and Life Transition and is on the faculty at the University of Colorado. He writes the "Children and Grief" column for Bereavement Magazine. He lives in Fort Collins, Colorado.