FRAMINGHAM, MA--(Marketwire - November 3, 2010) - Veterans Day honors those who have sacrificed for our country. Each year on November 11th there is a National Ceremony held at Arlington National Cemetery with a wreath lying at the Tomb of the Unknowns and continues inside the Memorial Amphitheater with a parade of colors by veterans' organizations and remarks from dignitaries. The ceremony is intended to honor and thank all who served in the United States Armed Forces. In cities and towns all across the United States there are ceremonies and parades honoring those that have served. It is also a time to reflect on the loss and the types of loss veterans' experience.
Dr. Susan A. Berger, grief specialist and author of the book The Five Ways We Grieve: Finding Your Personal Path to Healing after the Loss of a Loved One (Trumpeter, October 2009) is a nationally known authority on loss and healing and has counseled numerous veterans and their families throughout the years. Her book offers practical advice for healing from major loss that many soldiers face -- whether it be death of a spouse or friend or "lifestyle" loss and goes beyond the commonly held theories on stages of grieving. She delves into the way one responds to loss and the lifelong effects on an individual's sense of mortality, identity and purpose in life.
With American military casualties exceeding 500,000 due to the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan alone, it is likely that an average of four family members have been personally affected. "They become the survivors -- widows and widowers, children without parents, parents without children, lovers without partners, friends without friends," notes Dr. Berger. "Perhaps Veterans Day should be renamed 'Veterans and Their Families' Day to honor all those who make huge sacrifices, not only during the war efforts, but throughout their lives." Dr. Berger further details her thoughts about Veterans Day on her blog posted on www.susanaberger.com.
Dr. Susan A. Berger, LICSW, EdD, founded The Center for Loss, Bereavement, and Healing in Framingham, Massachusetts, where she has a clinical practice and offers workshops to professionals and hospices as well as general audiences. She earned her Doctorate in Education from Harvard University as well as a Master's Degree in Social Work and a Bachelor's Degree in Philosophy from Boston University. She also holds a Certificate in Thanatology from Mt. Ida College.
Dr. Berger can provide additional information about grieving and Veterans Day, including tips and strategies for dealing with the loss of a loved one on a personal and family level. She can be reached at saberger@comcast.net, calling 617-962-6813 or via her website at www.susanaberger.com.
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www.jdcomm.biz