Grief
Think You’re Certified as a Grief Guide or Death Doula?
Think Again!
By Terri Daniel, DMin, CT . Many of you who follow my work are familiar with my rants about the deplorable practice of “certifying” people as mental health or spiritual care professionals via cheap, quick online seminars. The internet abounds with individuals claiming to be death doulas and grief guides who have no…
Read MoreDoes the Hebrew Bible Sanctify Mass Murder… and Disregard the Resulting Trauma?
by Terri Daniel, DMin, CT, CCTP Excerpted from the Grief2Growth Podcast – Nov. 9, 2022 . At the 2022 Conference on Death, Grief and Belief, attendees had the privilege of listening to a presentation by grief counselor and religious scholar Dr. Jamie Eaddy. She made a point that was mind-blowing to me, and as a…
Read MoreWhy the Death of a Celebrity Feels Like a Personal Loss
This article was originally published in 2020, after the death of Kobe Bryant. I am re-publishing it today because of the world’s response to the death of Queen Elizabeth. By Dr. Terri Daniel, CT, CCTP As America grieves the tragic death of sports hero Kobe Bryant, we are stunned not only by the…
Read MoreGrief and God: When Religion Doesn’t Help
In many religious traditions, God is believed to be responsive to the needs of believers, and in difficult times, the faithful turn to God for comfort and guidance. When God is viewed as a benevolent protector that can shield us from harm, what happens to faith — and healing — when God fails to…
Read MoreRituals for Grief and Loss
by Dr. Terri Daniel, CT, CCTP Most of us go through our lives living with a set of assumptions about our sense of safety in the world. But when we face a profound personal loss or trauma, those assumptions can no longer sustain us, and our grief invites us to look for deeper meaning…
Read MoreGrief and Non-Attachment
Danny’s Bed: Reflections on Grief and Non-Attachment Excerpted from Turning the Corner on Grief Street by Terri Daniel 2014 CHAPTER SIX This is a good place to explore how it’s possible to experience a traumatic loss and emerge whole and healthy rather than bitter and broken. Let’s start by examining the difference…
Read MoreBereavement and Bad Theology: A Toxic Cocktail
For those who are struggling with frightful and disempowering religious beliefs that complicate the grief process, this video from my presentation on Jan. 10, 2021 at The Conference for Death and Bereavement Studies will be helpful. On a similar topic, please consider reading this article in The Journal of Pastoral Care and Counseling. Dr. Terri…
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Shame and Self-Loathing
in the Name of God
I recently discovered this excellent article on how Christianity — as it is understood, taught and practiced by most Christians — encourages shame and self-loathing. Many thanks to Neil Carter for his insight and wisdom on this topic. Here’s an excerpt: “In order to need a savior, you have to feel there is something…
Read MoreBereavement and the Buddhist Bardo
I shared this article by Pema Khandro Rinpoche in the January 2021 issue of our newsletter, The Afterlife Advocate, and want to also post it here, because it’s one of the best pieces on death and grief that I’ve ever seen: Breaking Open in the Bardo
Read MoreThe Ego’s Desire for Deathlessness
I just watched a movie on Netflix called HOPE FROZEN, about a family in Thailand whose two year-old daughter died of brain cancer, and they have her cryogenically preserved. It makes a powerful statement about science vs. spirituality, family dynamics and complicated grief. I had a very strong emotional (and socio-political) reaction to it..At…
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