Gina Belton, Ph.D.: On Contemplative End of Life Care and the Humanistic Ethos

Grief. Death and dying. Most of us have experienced the death of a loved one, a close friend, or a relative. The range of emotions one can feel ranges from emptiness to searing pain. What, then, is grief all about? Why do we have more acute feelings in some instances than others? How do we address the existential aspects of death while ensuring an honoring of the other in the fullest possible way? And, importantly, what can we do to be better stewards of the death and dying process? Serious questions to be sure…

Enter Dr. Gina Belton, a faculty member in the College of Integrative Medicine and Health Sciences and specialization director for the Contemplative End of Life Care specialization. Gina and I first talked about grief in one of the very first episodes of this podcast. Today, she's built an incredible specialization that looks at death and dying and our work in that space uniquely, holistically, and humanistically. We're going to cover some fascinating territory, including a range of other topics in which she is leading the way!