Author Laurel Elizabeth Hilliker, PhD, FT’s New Book, “Grief-Stricken: Stories of Altered Loss in a Pandemic Haze,” Explores Grieving in a Post-Pandemic World

Okemos, MI, November 22, 2023 --(PR.com)-- Laurel Elizabeth Hilliker, PhD, FT, a sociologist with sixteen years of experience as a collegiate lecturer in both sociology and public health courses, has completed her new book, “Grief-Stricken: Stories of Altered Loss in a Pandemic Haze”: a collection of grief narratives that follow the author and her family as they collectively process the traumas and losses they endured during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Author Laurel Elizabeth Hilliker, PhD, FT has earned two graduate degrees in sociology, a Master of Arts degree, and a doctorate in philosophy from Michigan State University with a concentration in health and well-being and a specialization in grief and bereavement studies. Hilliker also holds a fellow in thanatology through the Association for Death Education and Counseling.

Hilliker’s work has appeared in “Faith Catholic Magazine” as well as in scholarly journals, and she developed a college level course for both undergraduate and graduate students, Wellness in the Face of Loss, which she teaches annually. Guest lectures and speaking engagements are provided through her own consulting firm, Bearing Loss: Grief Education and Consulting, LLC, which is the result of her continued desire to provide education for the bereaved and their families, as well as for the professionals who assist them. Dr. Hilliker is also an expert contributor for Help Texts, which provides mental health and grief support through text messages.

“If you have experienced a significant loss of someone loved, cared for the dying in medical settings, or provided support to bereaved others in the pandemic years, this book is for you. If you want to understand how twenty-first-century post-pandemic bereaved individuals are experiencing loss and change in their lives, this book is for you,” writes Hilliker.

“We have all seen the disheartening data for lives lost because of the pandemic (over one million in the United States alone). Also, some of our family members’ lives ended naturally but occurred, unfortunately, during this global pandemic. Although the cause of their deaths might not have been from the contagion, the experiences of their dying and our grief were altered in many ways.

“I have witnessed numerous stories from the bereaved relatives of people who died alone or in the presence of medical providers whom they had never met. These stories of hardship impacted not only the dying but also the helping professionals at all levels and the disenfranchised family members who were not able to be present.”

Published by Covenant Books of Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, Laurel Elizabeth Hilliker, PhD, FT’s new book is a compelling read that brings to light the ways in which post-pandemic bereaved individuals are experiencing loss and change in their lives. Through sharing these stories, the author hopes readers will become equipped with a better understanding of what bereaved individuals are processing and what they continue to need.

Readers can purchase “Grief-Stricken: Stories of Altered Loss in a Pandemic Haze” at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes store, Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

Covenant Books is an international Christian owned and operated publishing house based in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina. Covenant Books specializes in all genres of work which appeal to the Christian market. For additional information or media inquiries, contact Covenant Books at 843-507-8373.