David Kessler
David Kessler is a renowned author and speaker who is best-known for his groundbreaking work exploring how we grieve. Throughout his books and lectures, Kessler deep dives into the common link between grief and other life-changing events, and how to navigate through the intense emotions that accompany them.
Throughout his career, Kessler has brought attention to the fact that grief involves no “one-size-fits-all” solution. Instead, he encourages readers and audiences alike to honor their own experiences and emotions. He is an advocate and proponent of the concept that grief is a journey each individual must approach differently. He believes in empowering people to work through their emotions on their own terms, patiently and with self-compassion.
Kessler’s career began as a child therapist. In this role, he specialized in helping children through loss, illness, and other life transitions. His research and insight into the complex emotion of grief ultimately led to the publication of his first book, The Grief Process, in 1997. In this book, he explored the essential elements of grief and presented six stages—shock and denial, pain and guilt, anger, yearning, adjustment and growth, and acceptance—along with strategies to move through one stage to the next.
In the years since, Kessler has written six additional books exploring grief, loss, and other life events. These include two companion pieces to his first book, On Grief and Grieving (with co-author Elisabeth Kübler-Ross) and Life Lessons (with co-author Elisabeth Kübler-Ross). He also wrote Visions, Trips, and Crowded Rooms: Who and What You See Before You Die, in which he addresses people’s frequently asked questions about the afterlife. Additionally, Kessler wrote Finding Meaning: The Sixth Stage of Grief, and The Next Place, which is a comforting children’s book about death.
Kessler’s work on grief has been incredibly influential and influential in all aspects. Currently, his books can be found in medical and bereavement centers, schools, and libraries around the world, and his lectures have filled auditoriums worldwide as he speaks to an audience eager to learn and improve how they cope with their own losses.
Beyond his books, Kessler has also appeared on TV, radio, and other media outlets, offering his helpful guidance. He has written articles on grief, loss, and aging for Huffington Post, Psychology Today, and many other publications. Through magazines, podcasts and more, Kessler continues to spread his knowledge of grief and its impact on life.
Overall, David Kessler is a pioneering author, lecturer, and thought leader in the world of grief. His stories have comforted and inspired readers around the world, giving them insight, strength, and hope as they work through their own difficult experiences. By tackling the hard topics and providing readers with a safe space to explore their emotions, Kessler has shaped the way people talk about and process loss and grief.
