Carole Geithner's Blog - Posts Tagged "unique-grief-path"
Fostering Empathy Through Fiction
I just received the wonderful news that IF ONLY, Corinna's story about the challenging year following the death of her mother, has been added to a NJ public school district's curriculum.
It is my deep hope that my book can contribute in some small way to the much-needed empathy-building efforts in our schools.
By giving readers access to a protagonist's innermost thoughts and feelings, a fictional story can give a wide range of readers the opportunity to "walk in someone else's shoes." Readers can gain insight into and develop empathy for people whose life experiences are different, or similar in some ways and different in others, all in the safety of the story.
I wrote this book not only for grieving teens and adults, but also for their circle of support: their friends, teachers, neighbors, and family members, to give them a chance to empathize with what life might be like for a grieving teen by entering that world through the novel.
My hope is that the people in our communities will be less afraid, less likely to pull away or say something that is insensitive or hurtful after reading Corinna's story. I hope they will be more likely to "walk alongside" grieving children and teens as each one finds his or her own unique way.
It is my deep hope that my book can contribute in some small way to the much-needed empathy-building efforts in our schools.
By giving readers access to a protagonist's innermost thoughts and feelings, a fictional story can give a wide range of readers the opportunity to "walk in someone else's shoes." Readers can gain insight into and develop empathy for people whose life experiences are different, or similar in some ways and different in others, all in the safety of the story.
I wrote this book not only for grieving teens and adults, but also for their circle of support: their friends, teachers, neighbors, and family members, to give them a chance to empathize with what life might be like for a grieving teen by entering that world through the novel.
My hope is that the people in our communities will be less afraid, less likely to pull away or say something that is insensitive or hurtful after reading Corinna's story. I hope they will be more likely to "walk alongside" grieving children and teens as each one finds his or her own unique way.
