The D-Word: Talking About Dying: A Guide for Relatives, Friends and Carers

Author(s): Sue Brayne

Grief & Loss

The D-Word is a practical guide to support relatives, friends and carers who are coping with the distress and anxiety of someone nearing the end of life, or who has suddenly died.


Today, life-extending treatments have over-ridden care for the soul. Death is regarded as a medical failure, and usually hidden away in hospitals, hospices, nursing homes and mortuaries. We have lost the ability to talk openly about the end of life. It's frightening to know how to talk to a relative or friend who is dying, or to someone who has been suddenly bereaved but unless we confront this fear, important things can remain unsaid or incomplete, which often turns into unresolved grief, guilt and anger.


Personal stories from people from all walks of life explore the different ways they have come to terms with the dying process or the sudden death of their spouse, partner, parent, friend or child, how they have confronted their fear of talking about it, and ways in which they found support during this very difficult time.


Product Information

"We all live with a terminal diagnosis. It's called life. At the end of which, we are going to die. However, our fast-living modern culture does little cater for this truth. It's what we have and look like - rather than who we are - that attracts attention and admiration. This lack of spiritual focus means that few of us have much idea of how to handle dying, or have access to a context, language or ritual in which to place safely the dying experience." - Extract from The D-Word

Sue Brayne is a published author, academic writer and researcher, workshop leader and psychotherapist. Sue is also an Accredited Psychotherapist, specialising in trauma and bereavement, and provides D-Word workshops on the dying experience for relatives, friends and carers. The D-Word website, www.d-word.co.uk has been launched to provide support and help to anyone who is facing the death of a close relative or friend. Dr Peter Fenwick is an internationally renowned neuropsychiatrist and a Fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists. He is Britain's leading clinical authority on near-death experiences and is president of the British branch of The International Association for Near-Death Studies.

All sections of the book contain personal stories from people from all walks of life.; Foreword; Introduction; The D-Word; Why I am writing the book; The Aim of the D-Word; Structure; SECTION ONE: CHANGING ATTITUDES TO DYING; SECTION TWO: HOW WE TALK - OR DON'T TALK - ABOUT DYING; SECTION 3: LEARNING FROM EACH OTHER; SECTION 4: DYING FROM A MEDICAL PERSPECTIVE; SECTION FIVE: DYING FROM A PERSPECTIVE OF FAITH; SECTION 6: A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO SUPPORT THE DYING; Conclusion: A Request for Change; RECOMMENDED READING; WHERE TO FIND HELP AND ADVICE.

General Fields

  • : 9781441186799
  • : Continuum Publishing Corporation
  • : Continuum Publishing Corporation
  • : December 2009
  • : United States
  • : books

Special Fields

  • : Sue Brayne
  • : Paperback
  • : 1
  • : 155.937
  • : 160
  • : illustrations