Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, M.D. (1926-2004) was a Swiss-born psychiatrist and the author of the groundbreaking book On Death and Dying, where she first discussed what is now known as the Kübler-Ross model. The 5 stages of her model.. also known as the 5 stages of grief.. with examples of each stage.. are as follows:

1. Denial: "I feel fine."; "This can't be happening."'Not to me!"
   


2. Anger: "Why me? It's not fair!" "NO! NO! How can you accept this!"
   


3. Bargaining: "Just let me live to see my children graduate."; "I'll do anything, can't you stretch it out? A few more years."
   


4. Depression: "I'm so sad, why bother with anything?"; "I'm going to die . . . What's the point?"
   


5. Acceptance: "It's going to be OK."; "I can't fight it, I may as well prepare for it."
   

Here are a few things that Elisabeth said:

Live, so you do not have to look back and say: 'God, how I have wasted my life.

There is no need to go to India or anywhere else to find peace. You will find that deep place of silence in your room, your garden or even your bathtub.

The ultimate lesson all of us have to learn is unconditional love, which includes not only others but ourselves as well.

I've told my children that when I die, to release balloons in the sky to celebrate that I graduated. For me, death is a graduation.

It is difficult to accept death in this society because it is unfamiliar. In spite of the fact that it happens all the time, we never see it.

I say to people who care for people who are dying, if you really love that person and want to help them, be with them when their end comes close. Sit with them - you don't even have to talk. You don't have to do anything but really be there with them.