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Countdown to Goodbye
Dr. Zadak developed Count Down To Goodbye while writing her dissertation on "The Psychosocial Effects of Grief in the Workplace". She realized, while working on her research, that individuals left behind were in need of something to hold on to after the death of someone they cared about. Mourning was now a part of their life forever. |
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"Dying is NOT about You. When and IF we think about our death, we think about how, when and where we will die. Many of us worry about the amount of suffering we will endure. Some of us consider the possibility of life support. Our death, we think, is about us. The reality is, death is not about us. It's about those we leave behind."
--Aimee Zadak
"Guilt is perhaps the most painful companion of death."
--Elisabeth Kubler Ross
"Eternity is not something that begins after you're dead. It is going on all the time. We are in it now."
--Charlotte Perkins Gilman
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Dr. Zadak's own experience with grief:
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  Count down to goodbye became my journey after I experienced the death process of my mother. Even at the very end of her life, my mother taught me a powerful lesson through these words she shared with me..."I feel sad for those I'll leave behind, I don't want them to be in pain." That statement, left a profound impact on me. My mother's last gift, to me, a statement that I was soon to understand, was that death isn't about those that die, but those we leave behind. I miss my mother everyday, as many people who have experienced a loss do, therefore, I am determined to provide some form of cushion for my family when I die. I believe I have found a way and I'd like to share that with you. |
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Creating A Legacy - We are all loved by someone. Creating a legacy helps us create specific memories to leave behind. Individuals are taught specific methods on leaving "peace of mind" to those we say goodbye to.
Write Down Your Wishes - We all have some idea of what we would like when we are dying. Some of us will be able to express these wishes, others will not. Individuals are assisted in easy ways to write down their wishes and share them in a positive light.
Humor is the Best Memory - Dying is a sad process. That goes without saying. The family suffers and as the dying person, there's not much you can do about it. However, in death there also can me some form of laughter that can be brought into the dying process. Individuals are helped with specific techniques that will leave humorous memories to those who they care about. |
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Compassion and Empathy - It is difficult to understand anyone's loss unless we experience it ourselves. Managers and leaders are assisted in understanding the many facets of grief.
Understanding Adolescent Grief - Adolescents are challenged with their place in the world. Grief is real to an adolescent. However, grief in adolescents is commonly misunderstood. Parents and teachers are assisted in understanding signs of grief. Adolescents are assisted in understanding how to deal with the world around them.
Culture and Mourning - Every culture mourns differently. Understanding and respecting the various types of cultural morning is important in assisting the grieving. Individuals are assisted in understanding why cultures mourn the way they do. |
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