"To those of us who have been aware of the
innovative service to families facing death and
bereavement that has been developed by David W.
Kissane and Sidney Bloch this book has been eagerly
awaited. Their work is a logical development in the
field of Palliative Care in which it has long been
recognized that, when life is threatened, it is the
family (which includes the patient) which is, or ought
to be, the unit of care.
The work also has great
relevance for the wider field of bereavement
care...all who work to help families at times of death
and bereavement will find much to learn from this book
which represents a useful addition to our
understanding of the losses which, sooner or later, we
all have to face." - Colin Murray
Parkes
Family members are often intimately
involved in the care of dying people and themselves
require support through both their experience of
palliative care and bereavement. This innovative book
describes a comprehensive model of family care and how
to go about it -
Family Focused Grief Therapy is
an approach which is new, preventive, cost effective and
with proven benefits to bereaved people. It describes a
highly original and creative approach to bereavement
care, one likely to revolutionize psychosocial care in
oncology, hospice or palliative care and grief work.
The book has been designed rather like a therapy
manual, providing a step-by-step approach to assessment
and intervention. Its rich illustration through many
clinical examples brings the process of therapy alive
for the reader, anticipating the common challenges that
arise and describing how the therapist might respond.
Families are recognised throughout as the central social
unit, pivotal to the success of palliative
care.
Family Focused Grief Therapy will be of
use to doctors, nurses, psychologists, social workers,
pastoral care workers, psychiatrists and other allied
health professionals who work in caring for the dying
and for their bereaved relatives. Based soundly on a
decade of internationally regarded research, this book
will alter the direction of future medical practice and
is destined to become a classic in its field.
