Beyond Death Anxiety: Achieving Life-Affirming Death Awareness

by Robert W. Firestone, Ph.D.,
Joyce Catlett, M.A.

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This book examines the many destructive consequences of death anxiety, including introversion, depression, and withdrawal from life. Throughout the book, the authors demonstrate the importance of achieving what they call life-affirming death awareness.

Key topics include:

• The dawning awareness of death and its impact on the developing child
• Literal and symbolic defenses against death anxiety
• Separation theory and "the fantasy bond"
• Challenging the defenses that interfere with living fully
• Microsuicide: the death of the spirit
• Breaking with limiting religious dogma and cultural worldviews

With this book, mental health practitioners and their clients will be able to better understand death awareness, overcome the defenses against death anxiety, and ultimately lead richer, more fulfilling lives.

392 pages, Springer Publishing Company; 1 edition (July 20, 2009), ISBN-10: 08261055/ ISBN-13: 978-0826105516