The American Psychiatric Association (APA) is about ready to publish their Fifth Edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5); and it’s created no small stir among the psychiatrist community. One of the main issues that psychiatrists are having with the DSM-5 is that it is lumping normal grief into Major Depressive Disorder. Here’s […]
“Jason, listen. I think I found a lump.” Karen’s eyes were full of gentle severity. “But hey, we’re okay. We’re gonna get through this. It isn’t our first rodeo.” Karen was too young for cancer—just thirty four—and full of life. She and her husband George had been my friends for nine years, and part of […]
“And her eyes opened wide, and she started whispering Jesus’ name … and then she started whispering the names of her dead parents … and she smiled … and moments later she died.” We hear these stories a couple times a year. And I want to believe them. Those who tell us these stories, tell […]
The following is some of the key text from a TEDx lecture called “Rethinking the Bucket List”. It’s presented by Kathleen Taylor who is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, who directs the community engagement function of a large nonprofit hospice program: People always ask me, “How could you enjoy your job … how could you […]
I’ve never heard of hazing practices in the funeral industry (although I’m sure it’s happened). And, thankfully, I’ve never been hazed. But if it was common place to haze interns, here’s what hazing might look like in the funeral industry: 1.) At 2 AM in the morning you call out Intern Johnny and say, “Johnny, […]