New American Funerals

<p><em style=background-color: rgba(0 0 0 0)>New American Funerals </em><span style=background-color: rgba(0 0 0 0)>is the first book in more than 30 years to focus solely on nonreligious American end-of-life ceremonies and how the professional celebrant can create them. Many changes have since impacted American death practices from technology demographics and climate change to the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Amid these changes more Americans are finding that religious ceremonies are no longer meaningful yet they still want to honor their loved ones with authenticity and meaning. The humanist worldview stands as a refreshing contrast to traditional burial rites. </span></p><p><br></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(0 0 0 0)>Inside this comprehensive guide the professional celebrant will find strategies for </span></p><ul><li><span style=background-color: rgba(0 0 0 0)>identifying the appropriate tone for various end-of-life ceremonies</span></li><li><span>hitting the main beats of end-of-life ceremonies</span></li><li><span style=background-color: rgba(0 0 0 0)>writing refreshing eulogies</span></li><li><span style=background-color: rgba(0 0 0 0)>conceiving custom rituals</span></li><li><span>building a collection of nonreligious readings and music suggestions and</span></li><li><span style=background-color: rgba(0 0 0 0)>designing mourning events of all kinds. </span></li></ul><p><br></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(0 0 0 0)>The book also covers pragmatic aspects of contemporary funeral celebrancy such as </span></p><ul><li><span style=background-color: rgba(0 0 0 0)>inquiry and interview practices</span></li><li><span style=background-color: rgba(0 0 0 0)>interacting with families and clients in a variety of emotional states</span></li><li><span style=background-color: rgba(0 0 0 0)>sensitive language for difficult deaths and ceremonies</span></li><li><span style=background-color: rgba(0 0 0 0)>fee models</span></li><li><span style=background-color: rgba(0 0 0 0)>racial and gender imbalances in the profession and </span></li><li><span style=background-color: rgba(0 0 0 0)>the wider economic context in which American celebrants work. </span></li></ul><p><br></p><p><em style=background-color: rgba(0 0 0 0)>New American Funerals </em><span style=background-color: rgba(0 0 0 0)>also encourages celebrants to be receptive to the myriad vibrant contemporary end-of-life customs found throughout communities in the United States.</span></p><p><br></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(0 0 0 0)>In highlighting concepts and materials from the natural world the arts science and culture humanist end-of-life ceremonies rise to the occasion and meet the need that today's growing secular society has for connection beauty and transcendence. </span></p>