UBC Press Storymaking in Bereavement book Paperback 336 pages

Myths and related stories describe essential human experience which, requiring the use of the imagination, reconcile and give voice to fantasy and reality. In this book the author reflects on the processes of grief and more than 50 folk tales are included. The ancient stories vividly convey mankind's struggle with death and loss, the despair and hope, with bitterness and love. The use of stories in therapy is explained, specifically bereavement counselling through storymaking.

Alida Gersie is a London-based dramatherapist and organizational consultant. Her work with deprived individuals and communities inspired her to develop a story-based method that facilitates productive change in seemingly hopeless situations. For several decades she was Principal Lecturer in the Postgraduate Arts Therapies Department of the University of Hertfordshire. She has taught the story-based approach to planned change in many countries, and has authored and edited several books, including Reflections on Therapeutic Storymaking: The Uses of Stories in Groups, Dramatic Approaches to Brief Therapy, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Dramatherapy, Storymaking in Bereavement: Dragons Fight in the Meadow and Storymaking in Education and Therapy, and published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers.