Supporting Families Through Their Grief, Loss & Change

About the Book

Created for those experiencing grief and loss: This little book was created to help grieving families develop an understanding of the emotional turmoil they are experiencing, move through the stages of grief and focus on new beginnings and the changes that come with grief and loss. The book is entitled Supporting Individuals & Families Through Their Grief, Loss & Change because its purpose is to help individuals and families process their grief, accept their loss, make positive changes and move forward with their lives rather than stay stuck in the clutches of their grief and pain. With a heart of compassion, Dr Valcourt has combined her professional knowledge of grief and loss and draws on biblically based examples of characters who have experienced grief and loss to help those who are grieving navigate their way through the grief process and move from loss to self-discovery and spiritual growth. Dr Valcourt has doctoral degrees in social work and Christian counseling psychology. She is a New York State (NYS) licensed mental health counselor and NYS licensed marriage and family therapist and a United Kingdom certified social worker and teacher. Dr Valcourt is also an educator with over 35 years of experience in working with individuals, children and families. She has worked in various clinical and family focused settings with private agencies and city government both in the United States and in the United Kingdom. Dr Valcourt continues in her efforts to transform lives from despair to fostering hope and recovery.

About the Author

When it comes to understanding the emotional turmoil of grief, loss and change, Dr Valcourt certainly understands because she has experienced it all. Dr Valcourt was born in Jamaica, West Indies and raised by her grandmother. Upon returning from school at age 11, she found her grandmother in bed complaining of feeling unwell, which was most unusual because her grandmother was only 62 years old and always very active. Within three hours of returning from school, while sitting on the bed next to her grandmother, the unexpected happened. Her grandmother had a massive heart attack and passed away. This was a traumatic experience for a child. Her grandmother’s death resulted in her joining her parents in London, England. Leaving the warmth of sunny Jamaica to the chilly shores of London was another loss and major change and adjustment. In London she attended Secondary School and Universities where she obtained professional qualifications in teaching and social work and a Master’s degree in Sociology and Social Policy. Having a desire to further understand human behavior, she left London and went to Loma Linda University in California where she pursued another master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. On her way back to London she stopped in New York to visit family who encouraged her to get work experience in New York before returning to London. In New York she obtained employment, developed an interest in child welfare research which she began at Columbia University and was able to complete her doctoral degree in Social Work at Fordham University with a concentration in Children and Families.. She also completed a doctoral degree in Christian Psychology. The Corona Virus pandemic had a significant impact on her and her desire to write this book because during this period she lost her father and brother-in-law, and her husband also lost several family members including his mother, uncle, aunt, sister and niece. Dr Valcourt credits her deep faith in God to helping her cope with grief, loss and change and she has tried to incorporate such beliefs in this book in an effort to support families through their grief, loss and change. This book is invaluable for everyone who is going through grief or Will experience grief and loss.