Reproducible Assessments, Exercises & Educational Handouts
GriefWork - Healing From Loss is for therapists, counselors, group facilitators, and other professionals working to help grieving people heal from their losses. The handouts guide clients through stages of shock, disorganization, reorganization, and a New Normal, a term to convey that everyone's grief has a unique expression and is that particular person's ''normal''. Clients are encouraged to deal with sorrow, express feelings, share with peers, develop internal and external support systems, accept, adjust, and move forward. The book helps leaders understand and empathize, and teaches participants to heal and grow. Activities facilitate introspection and interaction. The book's reproducible handouts and art work ''map'' the journey from numbness to normal. Instead of using solely with grieving groups, consider using the the activities with participants in other groups. The human experience dictates that clients have already experienced, or will face future grief/loss issues. The book is an essential resource for an inevitable part of life.
Fran Zamore, MSW, ACSW, is a clinical social worker, marriage and family therapist, Reiki Master and student of energy healing. She has extensive experience working with individuals, couples and groups as well as leading workshops. She creatively integrates physical, mental, spiritual and emotional awareness in her work. Her private practice focuses on life transitions, personal and spiritual growth, and loss, grief and healing. As with most people, Fran's life experience informs her work. The depth of her knowledge and understanding has been enhanced from her own healing journey after the eight-year illness and subsequent death of her husband in 2005. Since his death Fran has focused her professional energy toward helping others navigate the journey from loss to a New Normal. Fran is currently the Bereavement Coordinator of a hospice program in Cleveland, Ohio.
Ester R.A. Leutenberg has worked in the mental health profession for many years as both a publisher and as an advocate for those suffering from loss. She personally experienced a loss when her son, Mitchell, after struggling with a mental illness for eight years, died by suicide in 1986. Soon after, as a way of both healing and helping others, she co-founded Wellness Reproductions & Publishing. Ester began developing therapeutic products that help facilitators help their clients. She is the co-author of the book Meaningful Life Skills for older adults, the eight-book Life Management Skills series for adults, The Communication Skills Workbook, The Substance Abuse Skills Workbook, The Anger & Aggression Workbook, as well as a variety of therapeutic games and posters. Ester, a breast cancer survivor for five years, has counseled other survivors in overcoming loss issues. She says that GriefWork - Healing from Loss is the culmination of a book she has been formulating in her mind for almost thirty years.
