The Phoenix Phenomenon

Rising from the Ashes of Grief

This is a book of hope and promise about bereavement therapy. The Phoenix Grievers, ordinary people whose attributes enable them to transform and transcend their own grief, are used as models of the self-actualization that can result in the aftermath of an unbearable loss. Based on the experiences of these exceptional grievers, bereavement therapist Joanne Jozefowski offers guidelines on how to avoid hazards, adapt with healthy coping mechanisms, and eliminate unnecessary suffering. She provides a developmental model of the process of grief; identifies the phases of impact, chaos, adaptation, equilibrium and transformation; and offers phase-specific recommendations for the bereaved and their therapists.

A well-written and valuable resource for both grievers and the mental health professionals who help them, this book provides hope for transformational grief and the tools to forge that outcome.