Experiential Action Methods and Tools for Healing Grief and Loss-Related Trauma Life, Death, and Transformation

1. Approaching the Grief Journey: Four Components to Healing: Acknowledge, Express, Act, Reconnect 2. Centre for Living with Dying Grief Program 3. Psychodrama and Sociometry with Grief Work 4. The Beginning: Sharing the Story 5. Tools for Coping 6. Loneliness 7. Fear 8. Sadness 9. Anger 10. Unfinished Business 11. Frozen Moments 12. Guilt  13. Mementos: The Power of Action Steps in the Aftermath of Loss  14. Unique Issues After Violent Death and Suicide  15. Grief Work beyond the Acute Stage  16. Faith and the Grieving Process  17. Creative Expression Activities for Larger Groups and Day-Long Retreats  18. Grief Work with Fragile Populations  19. Family Dynamics with Loss and Change  20. Stress, Trauma, and Critical Incident Stress Management  21. Grief Training for Clinicians and Caregivers Conclusion: Final Thoughts

Biography

Lusijah S. Darrow, LMFT, CP, is a licensed marriage and family therapist. She is nationally certified in psychodrama and group psychotherapy and is a continuing education provider. Previously, she managed a biomedical research lab at Stanford University and served as the state chairperson of her spiritual community. She maintains a private practice in Soquel, California.

Rev. Janet Childs, DD, is the director of the Bay Area Critical Incident Stress Management Team at the Centre for Living with Dying program, Bill Wilson Center, San Francisco, USA. For over forty years, Janet has dedicated her life to providing support, education, and crisis intervention to people facing loss, grief, and serious illness, as well as to responders and caregivers on the front lines.

"This book is a must-have for anyone seeking to learn innovative, creative, and effective ways to work with death and dying. The authors share personal and professional experiences of using experiential and other methods of change combining an Eastern and Western wisdom and knowledge. Readers will walk away with immediately useful new interventions while having their own souls renewed." – Kate Hudgins, PhD, TEP, clinical psychologist and director of training at Therapeutic Spiral International.

"The authors have developed a powerful, user friendly ‘how to’ manual for those who are doing grief work. The section on Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) is so strong and reflects the authors’ extensive experience and wisdom. This book will be a valuable resource for all practitioners involved in grief work." – Brian Cahill LCSW, former clinical director of Catholic Charities in San Francisco, CA; author of Cops, Cons, and Grace.

"I’m not sure if this resonates more for me as a career child welfare social worker who has seen a lot of trauma firsthand, a supervisor and manager responsible for taking care of first responder staff in a large government agency or ‘civilian’ me, who has experienced loss and trauma in my personal life. The connection of mind, body, and well-being are an essential component to the roadmap to healing. The detailed techniques, action steps, and example vignettes make this an easy and informative read for clinicians and lay readers alike." – Jonathan Weinberg, child welfare social worker; former adjunct professor, San Jose State University School of Social Work.

"An important contribution to the literature base – to my knowledge, this is the only book dedicated to psychodramatic work with grief and loss! The experiential techniques outlined by the authors, including sociometry and psychodrama, foster connection after loss while helping clients get unstuck and renegotiate their grief. A blend of practical recommendations, theoretical considerations, and personal experience, this is a must have publication for professionals working with grief and loss." – Dr. Scott Giacomucci, DSW, LCSW, CTTS, CET III, PAT, director and founder, Phoenix Center for Experiential Trauma Therapy; co-editor, Autobiography of a Genius by Jacob L. Moreno

"Comprehensive and wise throughout, Darrow and Childs' book provides a creative and compassionate guide to using active and expressive techniques in working with grief and loss. This wonderful and original book takes a direct and healing approach, and the clinical examples are moving and useful. The authors convey a deep understanding of the nature of loss, the power of group-work in healing, and the benefits of using active and expressive techniques with both individuals and groups." – Nancy D. Whiteside, LCSW, former manager at Worcester Youth Guidance Center.

"Experiential Action Methods and Tools for Healing Grief and Trauma provides sensitive and real methods for navigating the grief journey. Kindness and an open heart are fully present in clearly described psychodramatic and sociometric tools for helping people access their internal, interpersonal, and transpersonal strengths. This book is absolutely essential for those who want to support others on the complex path of healing from grief and trauma." – John Olesen, MA, TEP, psychodrama trainer and former hospice therapist.

"This book combines insights from grief and loss literature with a practical, four-tier structure developed by The Centre for Living with Dying that provides sequential components to guide practitioners in helping clients manage grief and loss and the stressors that accompany them. The addition of psychodrama as the methodology for exploring these components (Acknowledge, Express, Act, and Reconnect) offers an innovative approach to this work that is cognizant of current neurological research demonstrating the efficacy of action methods for promoting post-traumatic growth." – Mario Cossa, RDT/MT, TEP, is co-director of Therapeutic Spiral International with an international reputation as a psychodrama trainer and practitioner.

"This fine book states clearly that grief is a natural life experience we all go through in healing the reality of loss and change. The authors teach us that each grief journey is unique and how reaching out to others for support and being kind to one’s self can enable us to survive the pain." – Charles Garfield, PhD, author, Life’s Last Gift: Giving and Receiving Peace When A Loved One Is Dying and founder, Shanti Project.

"This depth-dive into grief and loss is an honest, clear-spoken path toward meaning and transformation in the wake of death. Exploring some of the most wide-ranging emotions, alongside very practical methods to utilize in the midst of grief and pain, the authors encourage the reader in the self-acknowledgement and emotional honesty needed to move toward new meaning and hope in life." — Diane Clyne, RSM (Religious Sisters of Mercy), retired chaplain of Hospice of Santa Cruz County and Dominican Hospital; pastoral service with Central American victims and survivors of trauma and abuse

"This book is a powerful and practical guide for people working in the field of grief and loss-related trauma. Detailed tools include handouts, case examples, and experiential exercises. It is a great contribution to the fields of grief and loss and psychodrama. I highly recommend it." — Sylvia Israel, LMFT, RDT/BCT, TEP, director and psychodrama trainer, Bay Area Moreno Institute; faculty, California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS)

"This fine work is a one-of-a-kind must read, providing a comprehensive approach to understanding the complexities of grief for both the bereaved and those who desire to support them, whether family, friends, volunteers or professionals." —Jim Santucci, executive director, Kara, Grief Counseling Center, Palo Alto California

"The authors have produced a book that is so accessible and practical for a subject matter and human condition that often feels hard to 'go there,' and that makes it possible to use not just talking but creative methods to aide exploration, catharsis, and healing of grief." — Carl Dutton, Psychreg.org