David Kessler, a renowned grief expert and author of "Finding Meaning: The Sixth Stage of Grief," shares profound insights on navigating the complexities of grief in today's world. He highlights how many are grieving not just lost loved ones but also a sense of security and normalcy due to recent societal changes. Kessler discusses practical strategies to cope with these emotions, the concept of acceptance, and the importance of finding meaning in chaos. He emphasizes the transformative power of movement and community support in the healing process.
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Origin of Kessler's Grief Expertise
David Kessler's interest in grief began at 13 with his mother's illness and a nearby mass shooting.
These events, plus a subsequent unsettling plane ride, profoundly shaped his career path.
insights INSIGHT
Varieties of Grief
Many experience grief beyond the death of loved ones, including loss of normalcy or security.
Naming this 'grief' helps validate these feelings and understand their source.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Feeling Your Feelings
Accept and feel your feelings, including sadness and anger, instead of suppressing them.
Allow these emotions to pass through you rather than judging or overanalyzing them.
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Finding the Meaning of Grief Through the Five Stages of Loss
Elisabeth Kübler-Ross
David Kessler
This book, written by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross and David Kessler, explores the process of grief through the lens of the five stages of loss. It delves into the inner and outer worlds of grief, covering topics such as sadness, hauntings, dreams, isolation, and healing. The authors provide practical advice and share personal stories, emphasizing that grief is highly individual and there is no fixed timeline for the grieving process. The book addresses specific circumstances like suicide, multiple losses, and sudden death, making it a valuable resource for those experiencing loss and those supporting them.
Finding Meaning
The Sixth Stage of Grief
David Kessler
In this groundbreaking book, David Kessler journeys beyond the classic five stages of grief to discover a sixth stage: meaning. Drawing from his professional expertise and intensely personal experiences, including the sudden death of his twenty-one-year-old son, Kessler provides insights, collective wisdom, and powerful tools to help those experiencing loss. He argues that finding meaning beyond the traditional stages of grief can transform grief into a more peaceful and hopeful experience. The book emphasizes the importance of witnessing grief and finding ways to honor loved ones, ensuring their legacy continues through the living[1][2][4].
Most, if not all, of us are experiencing a cocktail of challenging emotions these days - whether in the background or in the foreground of our psyche. Speaking personally, I thought my primary issue was anxiety, but I had a vague sense that maybe it was more than that. Then I read an excellent, widely-circulated article that put a name to at least one aspect of my nameless, miasmatic dread. The article was from the Harvard Business Review, and the headline was, "That Discomfort You're Feeling is Grief." The article featured an interview with a grief expert named David Kessler, who explained that there are many flavors of grief. Some of us are grieving people we've lost, but millions more are grieving a way of life or a sense of security that seems lost - or we're experiencing anticipatory grief about an uncertain future. Not only was it helpful for Kessler to name this phenomenon, but he also had a bunch of excellent thoughts about how to manage it, including the exhortation to find meaning in this mess. In fact, that's the name of his new book: Finding Meaning: The Sixth Stage of Grief. So we invited him on. Here he is: David Kessler. Where to find David Kessler online: Website: https://grief.com/ Social Media: Twitter: @IamDavidKessler / https://twitter.com/iamdavidkessler Instagram: @iamdavidkessler / https://www.instagram.com/iamdavidkessler/ Facebook: David Kessler / https://www.facebook.com/IamDavidKessler/ Books Mentioned: Finding Meaning: The Sixth Stage of Grief / https://www.amazon.com/Finding-Meaning-Sixth-Stage-Grief/dp/1501192736 On Grief and Grieving: Finding the Meaning of Grief Through the Five Stages of Loss / https://www.amazon.com/Grief-Grieving-Finding-Meaning-Through/dp/0743266293 Other Resources Mentioned: David's Online Grief Group / https://www.facebook.com/groups/DavidKessler David's Harvard Business Review Article / https://hbr.org/2020/03/that-discomfort-youre-feeling-is-grief Paul Denniston & Grief Yoga / https://griefyoga.com/ Bessel van der Kolk / https://www.besselvanderkolk.com/ Elizabeth Kubler Ross / https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elisabeth_K%C3%BCbler-Ross Elizabeth Kubler Ross Foundation / https://www.ekrfoundation.org/ Additional Resources: Ten Percent Happier Live: https://tenpercent.com/live Coronavirus Sanity Guide: https://www.tenpercent.com/coronavirussanityguide Free App access for Health Care Workers: https://tenpercent.com/care Full Shownotes: https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/david-kessler-240
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