Shea Darian, M.Div.
Each time you grow, a part of you has to die a little. Rest assured, with this death, you will become more than you are.
~ Shea Darian, from Doing Grief in Real Life
The Work I Do
Family Educator
My work as a family educator gave birth to three parenting books on family spirituality, beginning with Seven Times the Sun: Guiding Your Child Through the Rhythms of the Day. Award-winning books include Sanctuaries of Childhood: Nurturing a Child’s Spiritual Life (Foreword Book of the Year) and Living Passages for the Whole Family: Celebrating Rites of Passage from Birth to Adulthood (Nautilus Book Awards). See more about my parenting books and CDs at www.sheadarian.com.
Chaplain & Spiritual Care Provider
As a chaplain and certified spiritual director with four units of Clinical Pastoral Education, I have offered pastoral care and spiritual support in home, hospital, parish, retreat center, and interfaith settings. During the Covid-19 pandemic, I am offering spiritual care online to support those suffering grief during this difficult time of loss and isolation. Click the link below to learn more about these offerings.
Grief Educator & Theorist
My work with parents seeking greater balance, peace, and healing for their families, inspired me to become a spiritual director and grief educator and theorist. I created the Model of Adaptive Grieving Dynamics, published in the journal, Illness, Crisis & Loss, Vol. 22(3) 2014. The E-book edition of my new book, Doing Grief in Real Life: A Soulful Guide to Navigate Loss, Death & Change is on sale now and the print edition is forthcoming (Feb, 2022). Buy books here.
by Shea Darian
A Soulful Guide to Navigate Loss, Death & Change
Like hope or love, grief is as common as rain in Pensacola, but we humans collectively know so little about it. I aim to change that.
Doing Grief in Real Life: A Soulful Guide to Navigate Loss, Death & Change is intended to make learning about grief and grieving a growth-inspiring, life-shifting event.
The book translates my new paradigm of the grieving process – the Model of Adaptive Grieving Dynamics (Illness, Crisis & Loss, 2014) – into a personable, story-rich, family-friendly guide for everyday grievers and care providers like you and me. Readers describe the book as enlightening, engaging, and even uplifting!
For me, Doing Grief in Real Life is not just a book. It’s a mission.
Words of Recommendation
“We’ll get through it together”
“It is what it is” is frequently heard. Shea Darian would answer “We’ll get through it together.” Shea is insightful about human behavior. Her life experiences have seasoned her spirit; her studies have sharpened her mind; her writing experience has developed her clarity of expression.”
Rev. Howard Schenk, DMin
“I trust her completely”
“Simply put, I would give her my highest recommendation. I would hire her to be on staff with me; I would want her to visit my loved ones or me in the hospital; I would gladly be a member of a church where she was the pastor. I trust her completely.
Listen to her for she is of God.”
Rev. Paul Whitlock, The Church of the Palms
“The depth of Shea’s compassion”
Shea has been an integral part of (our church) ministry, creating a Doing Grief in Real Life program for members in need of grief healing. She set up small group, confidential, Healing Circles which met via Zoom. It was in one of these circles that I experienced the depth of Shea’s compassion and understanding of the grief process.
Sandy Znetko
Latest Posts
- Helping Children Reconnect with Loved Ones Who DieA free download to offer some practical guidance in these trying times. Forever After by Shea Darian ~ A reprint from Lilipoh magazine. “The problem with much of the advice being doled out to parents and caregivers concerning death isContinue reading “Helping Children Reconnect with Loved Ones Who Die”
- Doing Grief in Real Life ~ E-book on sale now!It’s been over a decade since I started writing this book. It has been through many transformations – like me. Like all of us. This seems to be the perfect timing to hand it over to the grievers and healersContinue reading “Doing Grief in Real Life ~ E-book on sale now!”
- Songs of PrayerI have been writing prayers as song since I got my first guitar at the age of twelve. As a child and youth, I found no greater way than singing to express the depths of my love and awe forContinue reading “Songs of Prayer”