Michael J Sansone

Dr.Joanne Cacciatore specializes in counseling those affected by traumatic losses, most often the death of a child. She is Board Certified in Bereavement Trauma by the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress and the National Center for Crisis Management. She is also Board Certified through the American Psychotherapy Association. Her therapeutic interventions include Mindfulness Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Logotherapy, and various post traumatic stress therapies, such as Repeated Exposure Therapy. She is an Assistant Professor and researcher at Arizona State University.

As the founder of the Center for Loss and Trauma/MISS Foundation, she is an advocate of “green” mental health care and holds memberships in: the American Psychotherapy Association, the Association for Contemplative Mind in Higher Education, the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, and the National Center for Crisis Management. She is regarded as an expert in traumatic loss and child death in families, and has been counseling and aiding individuals and families since 1996. She spearheaded and now directs the Certificate of Trauma and Bereavement graduate program and is a faculty affiliate in the Family Communication Consortium at ASU.

Dr. Cacciatore is an acclaimed public speaker and provides expert consulting services in the area of traumatic loss. Her research has been published in peer reviewed journals such as Death Studies, Omega Journal of Death and Dying, Birth, Social Work and Healthcare, Social Work, and Families in Society.

Dr. Cacciatore received her Doctorate from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and her Masters degree and Bachelor's degree in psychology from Arizona State University. Her work has been featured in major media sources such as People and Newsweek magazines, the New York Times, Boston Globe, CNN, National Public Radio, and the Los Angeles Times. She received the prestigious Hon Kachina Award in 2007, and the Sr Teresa Compassionate Care Award in 2008. She is a mother to five children, now mostly grown, she notes “four who walk and one who soars”. On a personal note, she has been a vegetarian since 1976 and enjoys hiking, reading, surfing, and rock climbing.

Her life changed profoundly in 1994 when her infant daughter, Cheyenne, died.

The results of any traumatic experience can only be resolved by experiencing, articulating, and judging

Center for Loss and Trauma/MISS Foundation

In Sedona, Arizona on Brewer Road by appointment only

928.554.4394

In North Phoenix

2525 N Carefree Highway 7-152

Phoenix, Az 85085

623.979.1000

by appointment only

CHECK OUT THIS WONDERFUL ORGANIZATION

They Have been my backbone for the last 9 years.....Michael..

About MISS

More than 120,000 children die every year in the United States. Of those, more than 80% die before their first birthday...
The MISS Foundation is a nonprofit corporation committed to helping families discover hope and eventually heal from the trauma of a child's death.

More information on the MISS Foundation visit our information packet link:
http://www.missfoundation.org/news/mediakit/index.html

Vision

That our programs will serve to strengthen families and communities when a child has died, and that through education and research, we will help to reduce the number of child deaths. No family should have to endure the pain of a child family member's death alone: The MISS Foundation is committed to building interdisciplinary communities that provide long-term support to families after a child's death. We are committed to the memory of the children who lived, who died, and who continue- even in death- to matter.

"A community of sorrow is the strongest community of all."

Memorial Donations

You may make a memorial donation in memory of a child. Acknowledgements will be listed in the MISSing Angels Newsletter and acknowledgement memorial cards sent. The monies will be used for our Emergency Services program, which provides free literature, books, and support group brochures to families who have experienced the death of their child. You can sponsor an entire Emergency Packet. We will also include a Kindness Project card signed in honor of your child or grandchild.

Memorial Donations or Emergency Packet Sponsors can send their gift to:

MISS Foundation- Memorial Donations
P.O. Box 5333
Peoria, Arizona 85385-5333

Or Donate Online

All donations are tax deductible

To contact the MISS Foundation:

International Office
1.623.979.1000
1.623.979.1001 fax

Toll Free in the U.S.
888 455-MISS (6477)

Written inquiries:
PO Box 5333
Peoria, Arizona 85385-5333

Email:
info@missfoundation.org

About the Kindness Project
The Kindness Project began in October of 1997 as a way for families to honor their deceased child and to help themselves heal. Now, years later, more than 500,000 Kindness Project cards have been used around the world to perform random acts of kindness in memory of a child, parent, friend, or spouse who died before their time.
The idea is to perform random acts of, usually anonymous, acts of kindness in your community. A little card is left behind so that the person who benefits from the kindness knows that someone's life and death continues to matter. This beautiful movement has helped thousands of families to heal and find positive outlets for their overwhelming grief.

The History of the Kindness Project

The Kindness Project is a worldwide movement to share our children (or other loved ones) with those who never had the honor to meet them. Let me tell you why I am so excited about this project...

My daughter, Cheyenne, died in July of 1994. It was the worst day of my life. I never imagined myself laughing or ever experiencing joy again.

I began to seek out ways to keep Cheyenne's memory alive to my family and to the rest of the world: I wanted to create a legacy. I wanted people to know that she existed and, more importantly, I wanted to help change the lives of others because of her presence on this earth.

So I set out on various missions of random kindness. On a daily basis, I looked for opportunities to reach out and do something unexpected and unusually kind for someone else. Most often, strangers were the recipients of these good deeds. I began to feel a sense of peace in knowing that Cheyenne was the reason for my enlightening.

The Kindness Project blossomed out of the extraordinary experiences I had while doing things for others. Because truly miraculous things happen to our spirit when we reach out to help others, I sought a way to share that movement with others.

It is our hope that through the Kindness Project, we can make incredible transformations within our communities, in our families, and in ourselves. Just imagine if every person touched by death would participate in helping to transform the world into a gentler and more altruistic world! What an impact this would have on so many levels!

The Kindness Project reminds others that our children, and other loved ones, are so very important to us that we are willing to extend the life and love of our child and share it with others! It is a legacy that transcends death. It is a legacy of love.

Joanne Cacciatore
joanne@missfoundation.org

Kindness Stories Read stories about how others have used the Kindness Project to share their lost loved one with the world!

More Kindness Stories! Here you can read more stories of Kindness acts as well as post your own kindness story! Share *your* loved one with the world on the Kindness Project forum board.

Kindess Project Ideas The first step in Project Kindness is to seek out ways, look for opportunities, to do something nice for someone. This takes very little creativity, as I have found kind deeds waiting to be done thousands of times.

Kindness Cards Here are samples of the Kindness cards, available in two styles. Order yours today and start spreading kindness wherever you go!

Articles - Read articles that have appeared in local newspapers about the Kindness Project. Random acts of kindness are showing up all over!

"Above all we must realize that each of us
makes a difference with our life. Each of us
impacts the world around us every single
day. We have a choice to use the gift of our life to
make the world a better place - or not to bother."
-Jane Goodall