Murder Survivor's Handbook: Real-Life Stories, Tips & Resources provides information, resources, and strategies for learning to live with the aftermath of a homicide, including safety issues, dealing with the criminal justice system, addressing the news media, and coping with traumatic grief, while preserving the memory of a loved one. In the book, Survivor Writers describe their own experiences and, through their tips and suggestions, lend a helping hand to those who follow in their footsteps.
The second edition of the Survivors' Burial and Resource Guide was written for survivors across the country and the providers who serve us. My intention is to offer you support, guidance, and strategies for regaining control and finding peace after your loved one's murder. The Guide can help you keep track of the information provided by the many professionals who will be serving you. Make this guide your own: carry it with you and write in it as you are meeting different people and making plans.
This is the book that Tawna Righter never wanted to write. But as she recovered after two profound tragedies, she realized that there were men, women, and children who had suffered this same heartbreak-that of a murder-suicide of friends, loved ones, fellow students and co-workers-yet had no printed guide from which they could derive support, information, and resources. Living With the Unimaginable; Life in the Aftermath of Murder-Suicide is Tawna Righter's answer to this need. In 1990, her best friend's husband killed his wife and then himself, leaving behind small children and friends who were confused and distraught. How could this happen? The author could not imagine such an act. And yet, eight years later, her own son killed his girlfriend and then himself. Struggling with profound grief, Righter followed a path toward recovery, a path culminating with this supportive, compassionate, and valuable guide. Each section in this book acts as a support mechanism, addressing the myriad emotions-from anger to loss-that survivors inevitably experience. From the nightmare of the tragic event to the quest to understand why; from learning to live with the grief to providing comfort to the survivors, everything is explained through Righter's own experiences and those of the people she interviews. There is nothing lightweight about her approach-she tackles the hard issues head-on-and yet readers find hope and compassion, and they soon understand that life goes on, albeit in a different and newly defined way.
Based on clinical work with over 300 bereaved survivors of murder victims, this book focuses much-needed attention on practical methods for assisting the "forgotten mourners" who experience the intense psychological trauma caused by the sudden, intentional & unexpected death of a loved one. The core of SURVIVING is a detailed account of the program Redmond instituted in Florida, the Homicide Survivors Group of Pinellas County (HSGP). This program offers a variety of services to survivors, including a twelve-week group grief therapy program, individual counseling, mutual support groups, a volunteer training course, an educational & clinical skills training program to mental health professionals, educational outreach to concerned community organizations & a newsletter directed to concerns of survivors. Using HSGP as a tested & proven model, Redmond has created a clearly written & comprehensive guidebook, or "how-to-do-it," for mental health professionals who wish to develop similar programs in their own communities. Information is provided on program start-up, design & organization, as well as on developing sources of funding. Procedures for assisting survivors--from the initial intake session through long-term followup--are explained thoroughly. Clear expositions of thanatological theory & research provide the necessary underpinnings for descriptions of the practical, nuts-&-bolts issues associated with running a community-based program of assistance to this population of bereaved persons. Organizational materials (including intake & release forms as well as project proposals) & materials relevant to therapist training are reproduced in an appendix, as are suggested readings for group members & other bibliographic references.
Social scientist, victim advocate, and the mother of a murder victim - Deborah Spungen is well acquainted with all facets of what she defines as "the blackest hell accompanied by a pain so intense that even breathing becomes an unendurable labor." In Homicide: The Hidden Victims, Spungen illustrates just how and why family members become co-victims when a loved one is murdered, and she poignantly addresses the emotional, physical, spiritual, and psychological effects of such traumatic events. The timely information and innovative modalities discussed in this book make it ideal for mental health and criminal justice professionals, pastoral counselors, social workers, and victim advocates.
Victim Support Services, formerly Families and Friends of Missing Persons and Violent Crime Victims originally published this booklet in 1983 under a different title called "Grief by Homicide". The new title of this book, "Rebuilding your Life after Homicide" has been chosen because it reflects the experience that surviving victims of homicide undergo after the unthinkable happens. Survivors report that they literally had to pick up the pieces of the old, and find a new way to carry on. Rebuilding a new normal and a new way of living. Life as they knew it was different after the violent loss of their loved one. The most important message of this book is to convey that you are not alone. Many mothers, fathers, husbands, wives, sisters, brothers, aunt's, uncle's, steps, grandparents, and close friends have walked a similar path before you. Losing a loved one to homicide is a very misunderstood form of grief, no one is prepared for such a sudden and violent act. We are sorry that you are going through this. This book was written with you, your loved one, and your family in mind. Everyone's story is unique. There is no blue print available to get you through this. There is no right way to grieve or recover. This book has been developed as a guide of what you might expect along the way. This journey will not be easy. It will take everything that you have to make it through it, there will be really difficult moments, as well as positive ones. You are not alone, agencies like Victim Support Services are across the United States to help guide you through this process. Please don't hesitate to reach out to someone if you need help.
If ever there was an area requiring that the research-practice gap be bridged, surely it occurs where thanatologists engage with people dealing with human mortality and loss. The field of thanatology—the study of death and dying—is a complex, multidisciplinary area that encompases the range of human experiences, emotions, expectations, and realities. The Handbook of Thanatology is the most authoritative volume in the field, providing a single source of up-to-date scholarship, research, and practice implications. The handbook is the recommended resource for preparation for the prestigious certificate in thanatology (CT) and fellow in thanatology (FT) credentials, which are administered and granted by ADEC.
