Working Together:
Grief Therapy for Suicide Loss

John (Jack) Jordan, PhD, is a licensed psychologist in private practice in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, where he has specialized in work with survivors of suicide and other traumatic losses for more than 45 years.  He served as the Clinical Consultant for the Grief Support Services of the Samaritans in Boston, Massachusetts, and was the Professional Advisor to the Loss and Healing Council of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP).  He also served as the Co-Chair of the Survivors of Suicide Loss Task Force of the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention.  In 2015, this Task force released postvention guidelines for the United States, titled Responding to Grief, Trauma, and Distress After Suicide: U.S. National Guidelines.  For over 45 years, Jack has also provided training nationally and internationally for professional caregivers, and has helped to lead many healing workshops for suicide loss survivors.  Jack has published over 50 clinical and research articles, chapters, and full books in the areas of the practice of grief therapy, bereavement after suicide, support group models, the integration of research and practice in thanatology, and loss in family and larger social systems.  He is the co-author of four books: After suicide loss: Coping with your grief (2nd ed.) (2015, self-published); Grief after suicide: Understanding the consequences and caring for the survivors (Routledge, 2011), Devastating losses: How parents cope with the death of a child to suicide or drugs (Springer, 2012); and Attachment-informed grief therapy: The clinician’s guide to foundations and applications (Routledge, 2016).

Rebecca Ladd, MA, is an educator, artist, classical musician, and dog lover.  She spent 30 years as a reading specialist.  After the suicide death of her son in 2010, she has slowly transformed into a new person.  She embraced the deep grief and the changes that have come.  She is now focused on sharing her story and the tools used for the evolution.  She welcomes all questions and feels she has many skills to help others both understand the trauma of violent death and the steps needed for healing.  She sings classical music, creates all types of art, especially woodturning and mandala making, and she is attuned to the natural world, adores all dogs, and loves the absurd.