Death and Dying

7 Pages 1789 Words

DEATH AND DYING
UNDERGRADUATE INTERVIEW WITH THE PROFESSIONAL

I was told that a gentleman who is a property manager also leads a class in death and dying at his church. I was able to get his phone number and we arranged to meet. I described the course that I am taking at USF and the profession I am pursuing. I told the gentleman that I work in marketing services for Time Warner and that I also attend USF in the evenings. I told him that I am interested in working with people who have experienced losses in their lives or with people who are going through the grieving process. I told him the requirements of the course that I am taking and that this interview fulfills one of the requirements to better help me understand how professionals intervene with clients who are experiencing loss and grief. I assured him that his name would not be used in the report and that it would remain confidential with my teacher.

1. The individual that I interviewed will be called by his initials, “R. M.” He is 57 years old.

2. R. M. is the Property manager of a 55+ community. R. M. has an Associate college degree. He himself attended a course to help him deal with the loss of his wife, who was terminally ill with breast cancer. His wife subsequently succumbed to this disease. The course he took was a “Church Counseling Ministry” course. After he attended the class, he was asked to get involved in teaching the course. The course that is taught, takes a person through the different stages of dying from vibrancy of the individual to the death of the person. But the course does not stop with the death of the person. It continues to help the grieving individuals get through life without this person and to help them with their needs, so that they can get on with their life.


3. R. M. is a tall, trim, slender, Afro-American gentleman who told me that he was born and raised in Florida. He was dressed casually and appropriately in...