Dana Snyder-Grant LICSW
Specializing in chronic illness and disability
Consultation and Education
Living with chronic illness or disability, your life has two kinds of movements:
forward through time and life stages, and around in cycles of illness, cycles of
feelings, and cycles of connection and disconnection with others. Together, these
movements make for a spiral journey through your medical, emotional, and
interpersonal worlds. My talks offer a way for patients, providers and families to help
navigate their way through this complexity.
Biography
Dana Snyder-Grant is a licensed clinical social worker with over 15 years of experience in a variety of settings. She writes and speaks about her specialty in chronic illness and disability. She provides individual and group psychotherapy, facilitates support groups for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and teaches in adult education settings. Dana was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1981. She is a member of a study group of the Stone Center at Wellesley College, applying relational theory to the experience of women with chronic illness and disability.
Here's what people have said about Dana's workshops:
"Excellent, well-informed speaker. [Dana] has a very engaging way of speaking. She provided valuable information in a matter of fact way."
"Her style was clear, crisp and connected... She has a good grasp of this topic yet welcomes input from the audience."
"She was great - very interesting, responsive and knowledgeable."
"Nice, relaxed, informal structure"
Presentations for patients
Living with Chronic Illness
Self-image and Altered Identity
Who am I now? Am I more than my illness?
Anger and Depression
Why me? How do I grieve my losses?
Interpersonal Relationships
How can I maintain a connection to existing friends? How do I create new relationships?
Independence and Dependence
How and when do I ask for help? Can I depend on others without seeing myself as "weak"?
Presentations for Providers
The Challenge of Chronic Illness
Explore a new model of the illness experience
Differentiate among
disease - the medical problem
illness - the human experience, and
sickness - the cultural influence
Recognize the need for grief and mourning
Understand family dynamics and other relationships
Learn steps to help break isolation
Recognize the importance of listening to stories
Identify feelings of powerlessness of the helper
Highlight the experience of women with chronic illness
Presentations for Parents
`Am I My Sibling's Keeper?':
Understanding Siblings of Children with Special Needs
Understand parents' emotions: `what do I do about my own dark feelings?'
Know the sibling's emotional world: fear, anger, jealousy, guilt, love
Differentiate experiences for the toddler, the school-age child, the adolescent
Offer solutions: open communication, quality time, sibling control and choice
Getting Help from the Extended Family
Understand the family life cycle
Recognize grandparents' hopes and dreams
Learn how to ask for and offer help
Help families come together
Presentations can be adapted to meet your group's needs. Call or write for more
information:
18 Half Moon Hill
Acton, MA
(978) 266-9409