The Association for Death Education and Counseling (ADEC) is committed to excellence in the care of the dying, grief counseling, and research in thanatology. In this episode of Heartbeat we share information about the role and purpose of ADEC. ADEC wants to help educate professionals who work in the field of death, dying, and bereavement, including mental health professionals, social workers, counselors, educators, clergy, funeral directors, hospital and hospice personnel, and psychologists.  ADEC also offers certifications and fellowships in thanatology. Thanatology is the science and study of death and dying. To learn more about ADEC, you can visit their website at www.adec.org. Also on this episode we tell you about the Order of the Good Death.  The mission of The Order is to help make death a part of life. According to their website, “accepting that death itself is natural, but the death anxiety and terror of modern culture are not.” Read more about The Order of the Good Death at their website, www.orderofthegooddeath.com. Don’t forget to read our weekly blog that publishes every Sunday on our website at www.theheartofhospice.com.  There are also resources on our website about hospice, caregiving, advance care planning, and self care tips for personal and professional caregivers.