For those interested in exploring and befriending death, and particularly after-death communication, the Mexican holiday of Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is an opportunity to build a beautiful tradition into your spiritual practice and your personal or community culture. And if you're interested in the pagan roots of Christian holidays and the effects of religious conversion on indigenous people, you will find this holiday to be especially important.

A blend of ancient Aztec beliefs influenced by Catholic missionaries, Dia de los Muertos became the model for what most of us know as Halloween. If you and/or your children participate in Halloween, building this tradition into your costumes and decorations will give extra depth and meaning to your celebrations.

Learn more about it HERE

Dr. Terri Daniel, CT, FFGT

Clinical Chaplaincy, End-of-Life Educator

Bereavement and Trauma Support

office@deathgriefandbelief.com

NEWS, ARTICLES AND EDUCATION

Turning Pain Into Purpose

In 2017, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) conducted interviews with 43 Canadian mothers whose children had died from substance use to understand their experiences of drug policy advocacy. The study’s findings showed that “participants’ motivations for engaging in advocacy were rooted in their experiences of grief and that advocacy led to feelings of empowerment and connection to others.”

... However, while the research suggested that advocacy could be cathartic and associated with healing from grief, it also exposed a “double-edged sword” that “going public” in sharing a family story of substance use death could also have a considerable personal cost. READ MORE...

Cultural Factors in Hospice Care

Cultural factors play a significant role in shaping the experiences of individuals receiving hospice care, as they influence beliefs, values, communication styles, and the family dynamics surrounding end-of-life care. To provide holistic and patient-centered care that honors the diverse backgrounds and traditions of patients and their families, hospice teams must also have an understanding and awareness of cultural considerations. READ MORE...

Dead is Dead: Euphemism and the Power of Words

EMDR Therapy for Religious Trauma

EMDR therapy is not new, but every few years it resurfaces as a way to process trauma. For example, in Prince Harry’s docuseries with Oprah Winfrey, The Me You Can't See (2021), Harry opened up about how the unique form of therapy helped him cope with his childhood trauma and the painful loss of his mother, Princess Diana.

Now it's resurfacing as a way to help people cope with religious trauma in light of the hit new Hulu show The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. READ MORE...

U.S. Latinas and Non-Traditional Religious Practices

Alicia Contreras holds sound healing sessions in the Arizona desert, in green and grassy parks, amid the stained glass of a church sanctuary and in a coffee shop. Her crystal singing bowls produce ringing tones that reverberate over people as they lie relaxed on mats on the ground, each bowl’s note aimed at connecting with a particular chakra, or spiritual energy center in her listeners. And each time, Contreras prays the rosary. READ MORE...

Adult Abuse Survivors Seen as "Sinners" by Churches

Many still have a hard time seeing sexual misconduct by pastors as abusive. Particularly when the one abused is an adult, Baptists and other faith groups often view the survivor as the tempter — a sinner who led a holy man astray — rather than a church member in need of care. Meanwhile, the fallen pastor is just another sinner who needs Jesus, said Andrew Hébert, pastor of Paramount Baptist Church in Amarillo, TX. READ MORE...

WORKSHOPS, CLASSES

AND PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION

January 18 - Online

The Symposium on

Death and Bereavement Studies

Our Winter 2025 Theme:

Family Dynamics at the Bedside and Beyond

Physician-Assisted Death

. When Faith Fails in a Family

. Encountering Estrangement

. Death of a Child

. Death of a Parent

. Home Funerals

Six CE credit hours available for nurses,

social workers, counselors and more!

CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS

If you missed last month's Conference on

Death, Grief and Belief, conference videos are

now available for purchase

The Influence of Embedded Religious Beliefs

in End-of-Life Mystical Experiences

PURCHASE RECORDINGS HERE

Earn a Master's Degree in Death Studies

Interested in adding to your professional credentials or taking a deeper dive into death and bereavement studies? Consider Marian University's thanatology program, which is 100% online and supported by a solid academic curriculum. An MS in thanatology prepares you for careers in chaplaincy, doula work, grief counseling, funeral direction, teaching, private practice and more. DETAILS HERE.

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971-236-1541

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