The Inspiration of Hope in Bereavement Counselling stimulates the reflective practitioner to a multitude of questions. [It] speaks directly to the need for bereavement counsellors to attend to their own hope. John [Cutcliffe] has moved us beyond simply "hope as an outcome" to "hope as a process" of inspiring re-engagement with life.'

- From the foreword by Ronna Jevne

A person's sense of hope is essential to the process of bereavement counselling and nursing. This book brings together empirical research and theoretical thinking on hope to give practical guidance to professionals working with the bereaved. Experienced practitioner and academic John R. Cutcliffe takes into account evidence-based practice, describing not only what we know about the role played by hope, but also how we know about it.

The text builds on the requirements of practitioners consulted in its development, identifying and examining the dynamics, principles and social processes involved in bereavement counselling and helping practitioners to understand how they can break through grief, anger and despair to inspire hope in their clients. In addition it covers the wider implications of hope-centred counselling on training and policy.

Taking in a variety of sources from philosophy to health policy, this book gives a unique and comprehensive view of the developments and possibilities in hope-inspiring bereavement counselling, providing a wealth of advice and guidance for practitioners at all levels.