In this episode of Finding Hope, Counselor Mandy talks with counselor and interfaith chaplain Neil Beresin about how the loss of his parents, just five weeks apart, led him to shift his career path to becoming a Chaplain and discovering how poetry can be an integral piece in the grief process. Neil shared “When I would visit patients in the hospital, after I got to know them, I would select a poem from the collection I had put together and read it to them. I found that it opened up a space for feelings and reflection, and was a wonderful tool into their world to help them grieve or provide a respite from their worry.”
In Neil’s private practice he specializes in helping individuals navigate the unstable and disorienting waters of grief and loss. He may use poetry to provide additional comfort, deepen the space, and encourage reflection and opening. Neil moved into chaplaincy work as an encore pathway following the death of his parents five weeks apart in 2014. The experience of caring for and companioning them in their final nine months of life was profound and life-changing.
Neil’s article, “A Chaplain’s Notebook: Poetry as Spiritual Nourishment” was published by the Journal of Pastoral Care & Counseling in March of 2020. You can also find him at:
· @griefandpoetry (Instagram)
· www.facebook.com/griefandpoetry (Facebook)
· www.linkedin.com/in/griefandpoetry (LinkedIn)
· www.griefandpoetry.com (website)
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Website: http://mandybird.com/
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