Alan Wolfelt

Dr. Alan Wolfelt has been recognized as one of North America’s leading death educators and grief counselors. His books have sold more than a million copies worldwide and have been translated into many languages. He founded the Center for Loss in 1984 to offer education and support both to grievers and bereavement caregivers. He also serves as a member of the TAPS Advisory Board. He is known around the world for his compassionate messages of hope and healing as well as his companioning philosophy of grief care. Dr. Wolfelt speaks on grief-related topics, offers trainings for caregivers, and has written many bestselling books and other resources on grief for both caregivers and grieving people. 

Telling a Story AfterTalk Grief Support

Companioning Tenet Five: Bearing Witness

Companioning is about bearing witness to the struggle of others; it is not about judging or directing these struggles. by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. “Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act caring, all of which have  the potential to turn […]

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Companioning Tenet Four: listening with the heart…

Companioning is about listening with the heart; it is not about analyzing with the head. by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. “Listen and attend with the ear of your heart.” -Saint Benedict Scientific analyses about grief and therapeutic theories surrounding interventions often result in caregivers overlooking the sacred art of listening with the heart. In fact,

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COMPANIONING: Tenet Three: honoring the spirit

Companioning is about honoring the spirit; it is not about focusing on the intellect. by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. “The ultimate cure, as many ancient and modern psychologies of depth have asserted, comes from love and not from logic.” Thomas Moore To be torn apart and to then become whole again we need more than

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COMPANIONING: Tenet Two-going to the wilderness of the soul with another human being

Companioning is about going to the wilderness of the soul with another human being; it is not about thinking you are responsible for finding the way out. by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. “The only map that does the spiritual traveler any good is the one that leads to the center.” —Christina Baldwin When someone we

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COMPANIONING: Tenet One-is about being present to another person’s pain…

Companioning is about being present to another person’s pain; it is not about taking away the pain. by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. To be bereaved literally means to be “torn apart.” When someone is torn apart, there is a natural need to embrace the heartfelt pain of the loss. There is no pill we can

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