Grief
The Evangelical Underpinnings of GriefShare
Turning to spirituality when facing painful situations is a natural meaning-making process, and the well-known support group GriefShare has provided help to millions of people, perhaps including some of you. Healthy religious coping in difficult times includes respect and support for diverse beliefs and practices, especially when working with vulnerable populations like grieving individuals…
Read MoreWhere Were the Angels?
This is the text from a talk I gave at the “POLITICS OF DEATH” conference, University of Utrecht, Netherlands, which took place two days after the mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic School on 8/27/2025. You will find the complete post on my Substack at this URL: https://drterridaniel535413.substack.com/p/where-were-the-angels Please subscribe!
Read MoreWhat to Say to a Person Who is Grieving
These questions and answers were from an interview I did for the Harry & David “Shared Experiences” blog, brief excerpts from which were published in September 2025. Below you’ll find the full interview. You mentioned that platitudes can actually cause harm. Can you expand on why “everything happens for a reason” or “they’re in…
Read MoreOn the internet, anyone can be a grief therapist now Practitioners and clients struggle to navigate the unregulated counseling certification industry by Astrid Landon from https://www.codastory.com/waronscience/grief-counseling-online-certifications/ Image by TEONA TSINTSADZE In one of our previous posts we referenced this very important article, but it really needs its own dedicated space in our blog. Many…
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Think You’re Certified as a Grief Guide or Death Doula?
Think Again!
By Terri Daniel, DMin, FFGT . 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…
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