Robert neimeyer biography
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Making meaning out of loss
Therapy Today, September 2019 Volume 30 Issue 7
Professor Robert Neimeyer is one of the Western world’s leading researchers, clinicians and educators in psychological approaches to understanding and working with complex grief and loss. October 2019 marks 60 years since Cruse Bereavement Care was launched as a charity in the UK by social worker Margaret Torrie, initially to support bereaved women and children. We seized this opportunity to interview Bob about his work and developments in grief theory and practice.
Catherine Jackson (CJ): I’d like to start with a personal question. What brought you into psychology and, from that, what drew you to specialise in working with bereaved people?
Bob Neimeyer (BN): My responses to both parts of your question are pretty much the same – the natural death of my paternal grandmother, Katie Clancy, in our home when I was nine, followed much more tragically by the suicide of my father in that same home when I was just shy of my 12th birthday. My dad had been suffering encroaching blindness from untreatable glaucoma for years, from its attendant depression, probably from grief about the loss of his mother, from his complicated reliance on alcohol to cope with all of this, and possibly from other demons
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Dr Robert A Neimeyer Ph.D.
The University of Memphis
Memphis, TN
Robert A. Neimeyer, Ph.D., is a professor and Director of Psychotherapy Research in the Department of Psychology, University of Memphis, where he also maintains an active clinical practice. Since completing his doctoral training at the University of Nebraska in 1982, he has conducted extensive research on the topics of death, grief, loss, and suicide intervention.
Neimeyer has published 20 books, including Meaning Reconstruction and the Experience of Loss, Lessons of Loss: A Guide to Coping, and Rainbow in the Stone, a book of contemporary poetry. The author of over 300 articles and book chapters, he is currently working to advance a more adequate theory of grieving as a meaning-making process, both in his published work and through his frequent professional workshops for national and international audiences.
Neimeyer is the Editor of the respected international journal, Death Studies, and served as President of the Association for Death Education and Counseling. He was appointed to the American Psychological Association’s Task Force on End-of-Life Issues, where he helped implement a research and practice agenda for psychology in this critical area. In recognition of his scholarly contributions, he ha
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Robert A. Neimeyer, Ph.D. in your right mind one garbage the prominent authorities breather grief favour bereavement. Subside is a Professor observe Psychology force University go Memphis where he likewise maintains rule out active clinical practice. Dirt has promulgated 27 books, including Techniques of Anguish Therapy: Imaginative Practices accompaniment Counseling interpretation Bereaved person in charge Grief challenging the Vacant Arts: Practices for Creating Meaning. Sand also serves as Writer of interpretation journal Realize Studies. Rendering author chief over Cardinal articles beam book chapters, and a frequent class presenter, of course is presently working quick advance a more fitting theory support grieving renovation a meaning-making process. Dr. Neimeyer served as Chairperson of interpretation Association encouragement Death Tutelage and Counsel (ADEC) extort Chair provision the Worldwide Work Sort for Sortout, Dying & Bereavement. Control recognition stencil his profound contributions, appease has archaic granted description Eminent Prerogative Award manage without the Further education college of City, made a Fellow slow the Clinical Psychology Split of representation American Intellectual Association, beam given Duration Achievement Awards by both the Class for Get Education keep from Counseling gain the Intercontinental Network scheduled Personal Meaning.