January 2001
The Director - Features
Beginning the Grief Journey
Five mourning tasks facing the bereaved, and how funeral directors can help
Funeral directors are among the first with an opportunity to help the bereaved begin their journey through grief. How a survivor thinks about the visitation of family and friends, the actual funeral service, and the disposition of the body are the initial steps in paving the way for a healthy grief journey.
Beginning the Grief Journey focuses on the significant role funeral directors play in setting the stage for a healthy understanding of the grief process for their client families. The article describes five tasks that bereaved individuals must attend to in order to move through their grief, and gives advice for funeral directors to help the bereaved.
The article was written by Dr. Susan Zonnebelt-Smeenge and Dr. Robert DeVries. They are the authors of Getting to the Other Side of Grief: Overcoming the Loss of a Spouse, published by Baker Book House Company in Grand Rapids, MI. Dr. Zonnebelt-Smeenge is a clinical psychologist at Pine Rest Mental Health Services, and Dr. DeVries is an ordained minister and professor at Calvin Theological Seminary, both located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Both authors have been widowed and now speak widely on the topic of death and bereavement to professional conferences, support groups and aftercare programs sponsored by funeral homes.
