Caring Through Loss: A Conversation on Bereavement

In this powerful episode, we’re joined by Dr. Wendy G. Lichtenthal, a leading expert in grief and bereavement care. Dr. Lichtenthal is the Founding Director of the Center for the Advancement of Bereavement Care at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center and Professor at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. A licensed clinical psychologist with over 20 years of experience, she brings deep compassion and groundbreaking research to the field of psychosocial oncology.

We discuss the complexities of grief after cancer loss, the evolving nature of bereavement care, and how clinicians and caregivers can better support those navigating life after loss. Dr. Lichtenthal also shares insights from her work developing Meaning-Centered Grief Therapy and the EMPOWER intervention — both designed to help individuals find meaning and resilience in the face of profound sorrow.

Whether you're a healthcare professional, a grieving loved one, or someone seeking to better understand bereavement, this conversation offers validation, hope, and expert guidance.

ABOUT OUR GUEST: Wendy G. Lichtenthal, PhD

Wendy G. Lichtenthal, PhD, FT, FAPOS is founding director of the Center for the Advancement of Bereavement Care at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center and Professor in the Department of Public Health Sciences, Division of Prevention Science and Community Health at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, which she joined in 2023. She is a licensed clinical psychologist and has worked as a grief specialist for over 20 years.

In 2005, she began her career at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) in New York City, where she was Founding Director of the Bereavement Clinic and Associate Attending Psychologist, and where she now serves as Consultant Faculty. She was a recipient of the 2012 International Psycho-Oncology Society Kawano New Investigator Award, the 2019 Association for Death Education and Counseling Research Recognition Award, and the 2023 American Psychosocial Oncology Society Outstanding Clinical Care Award.

She is a Fellow in Thanatology and was elected a Fellow of the American Psychosocial Oncology Society in 2024. Her federally funded research has been supported by the National Institute of Mental Health, National Cancer Institute, National Institute of Nursing Research, American Cancer Society, T.J. Martell Foundation, and MSK’s Cycle for Survival and has focused on grief and bereavement, cancer survivorship, intervention development and evaluation, and finding meaning in the face of adversity. She is an inventor of the Meaning-Centered Grief Therapy and EMPOWER intervention manuals that are used in her research.