Emmalee Havertz. Book cover courtesy of Amazon.com.

Cheers to KSL TV in Utah for this article and news segment about social worker Stephen Havertz, who lost his eight-year-old daughter Emmalee to cancer in 2009.

A month before Emmalee died Havertz, MSW, who is a therapist, began writing “Dragonfly Wings for Emmalee.” The book chronicles Emmalee’s strength in the face of illness and offers advice on dealing with grief.

“For someone who’s grieving, it’s okay to go up and ask them about their loved one,” Havertz  said. “Ask them to share memories and if they cry, it’s ok.”

To learn more about how social workers help clients deal with death  visit the National Association of Social Workers’ “Help Starts Here” Grief and Loss web site by clicking here.