Dr. Joanne Cacciatore, a bereaved mother and founder of the MISS Foundation, dives deep into the holistic approach to grief. She discusses how grief and love are interconnected and critiques society's obsession with constant happiness. Cacciatore shares insights on helping those in mourning and the significance of rituals in the grieving process. She emphasizes the unique healing power of animals and the importance of confronting grief to foster resilience and transformation. Listeners learn about the value of compassion and personalizing the journey of grief.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
Joanne's Grief Journey
Joanne Cacciatore entered grief work after her fourth child died unexpectedly in 1994.
She founded the MISS Foundation to support families dealing with traumatic child loss worldwide.
insights INSIGHT
The Harm of the Happiness Cult
The cultural "happiness cult" pressures people to avoid expressing grief or pain.
Suppressing grief harms physical health and increases loneliness, worsening suffering.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Therapist’s Apology After Loss
A therapist initially dismissive of Joanne later called to apologize after losing his own baby.
This painful encounter highlighted the need for empathy and proper training with grief.
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Dr. Jo is a bereaved mother and the founder of the MISS Foundation, an international NGO that serves families whose children have died, and the Selah Carefarm, a sustainable restorative community that provides aid to anyone suffering traumatic grief.
She is also a Professor and Senior Scholar at Arizona State University, where she spearheads the Graduate Certificate in Trauma and Bereavement. Her best selling book, Bearing the Unbearable has helped revolutionize the way our culture thinks, and feels, about grief. She works with and counsels families from all around the world who have experienced catastrophic deaths.
In this conversation, we explore:
— How grief and love are two sides of the same coin
— The happiness cult and the harmful effects of living in a culture that avoids pain
— How best to help someone who is grieving and things to avoid
— Rituals for integrating grief in a holistic way and honouring the person who has passed.
And more.
You can learn more about Dr Jo’s work at missfoundation.org.
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Dr. Joanne Cacciatore is a bereaved mother and the founder of the MISS Foundation, an international NGO that serves families whose children have died, and the Selah Carefarm, a sustainable restorative community that provides aid to anyone suffering traumatic grief. She is also a Professor and Senior Scholar in the Wrigley Institute of Sustainability at Arizona State University, spearheading the Graduate Certificate in Trauma and Bereavement. Her best selling book, Bearing the Unbearable: Love, Loss, and the Heartbreaking Path of Grief, is a national award winning best seller that has helped revolutionize the way our culture thinks, and feels, about grief.
She works with and counsels families from all around the world who have experienced catastrophic deaths. She served on Oprah and Prince Harry’s Mental Health Advisory Board for several years and was featured in their docuseries ‘The Me You Can’t See.” Dr. Jo, believing that current practices around food production are a social, ethical, and environmental justice issue, is a vegan and hasn’t eaten meat since 1972. She also teaches meditation, mindfulness, and compassion and ahimsa practices to students and clients from around the world. If you’re a provider seeking supervision or consultation, For more information on Dr. Jo visit her website.
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Interview Links:
— Dr Jo's website - https://www.centerforlossandtrauma.com/
3 Books Dr Joanne Cacciatore Recommends Every Therapist Should Read:
— Attachment in Psychotherapy - David Wallin - https://amzn.to/3Rp8stp
— Attachment-Informed Grief Therapy: The Clinician's Guide to Foundations and Applications (Series in Death, Dying, and Bereavement) - Phyllis S. Kosminsky - https://amzn.to/3UPAgI8
— Bearing the Unbearable - Dr Joanne Cacciatore - https://amzn.to/3R27bbv