"A masterful melding of clinical expertise and personal revelation, the book is an eloquent, jargon-free resource for those who seek to help someone who has experienced the violent death of a loved one, whether by suicide, homicide, or an accident, as well as for survivors of traumatic death who seek compassionate, wise counsel for their own journey. Although Rynearson professes that the practice of retelling violent death does not clarity, the book itself is written with a refreshing clarity seldom found in his field. (As the owner of an outsize professional library that makes my husband dread moving day, I possess few volumes more valuable than this one. It has been useful from the first day I opened it.)." -- Death Studies, May 2003 "This is a warm, compassionate, and wise book. The emphasis on resilience and safety, on restorative retelling and human concern and kindness, provides guidance for those who would assist others to find their way through traumatic grief, or who would, themselves, seek to do so. This work will be of great value to all who offer care to others in this tragic life circumstance." -- Beverley Raphael, AM, MBBS, MD, FRANZCP, FASSA, FRCPSych, Emeritus Professor, University of Queensland, University of Sydney, Australia "This valuable "how-to" book for clinicians responds to today's world. Retelling Violent Death . . . has much new, important, and useful information to offer, and does so with a level of humanity that is profound and deeply moving. This is a book that deserves a place on every clinician's bookshelf." -- Deborah Spungen, MSS, MLSP, CTS, Special Projects Director, Anti-Violence Partnership of Philadelphia "...sets out warmly readable guidance for the sufferers themselves and for nonprofessionals who want to help suffering friends or family emerge from the bewilderment, heartbreak, and confusion that come with violent death." -- Dart Center for Journalism & Trauma
Prologue: The Retelling of Violent Dying Part I:Coherent Retelling 1. My Own Retelling 2. Resilient Retelling 3. From Incoherent to Coherent Retelling 4. Illustrations of Restorative Retelling 5. Restorative Retelling for Kids PartII: Clinical Intervention 6. Model of Restorative Retelling 7. Specialized Interventions for Restorative Retelling 8. Retelling the Literature on Violent Dying 9. Foretelling Clinical Challenges Epilogue: While I Am Rowing Appendix References Index
Edward K. Rynearson, MD, is Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Washington, and Medical Director of the Homicide Support Project at the Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle. He has thirty years of experience in research and clinical practice in helping grief-stricken family members.