April 1999
The Director - Features
After the Funeral
Creative ways to comfort the grieving mind, body and spirit
Many American companies have established three days as the formal bereavement period for employees experiencing the death of a loved one. Consequently, many individuals are thrust into the workplace before they are emotionally ready to return to their normal day-to-day routine.
Anne Black, Ph.D., has created an innovative line of products called Comfort Baskets to help individuals who do not have the luxury of time to cope with their grief. Founded in 1996, Comfort Baskets bring active, healing resources into the everyday life of mourners. Each basket contains a collection of therapeutic, comforting, multi-sensory items that can help make the journey through grief a little easier.
After the Funeral—Creative ways to comfort the grieving mind, body and spirit, Black describes how items in the baskets are designed to meet the emotional and spiritual needs of grieving women, men and children.
Black holds a doctorate in community psychology and thanatology from the Union Institute, a master's degree in education, and certificates of study in the art therapies. Black co-founded The HEALS Program, a school-based bereavement project, and The Center for Creative Healing, a non-profit organization committed to childhood loss in Brattleboro, VT. She also authored books and journal articles, and offers seminars and training covering a full spectrum of loss and transition topics.
