The Notes of Adam's Song: A Surviving Parent's Journey through the Valley

"The Notes of Adam's Song: A Surviving Parent's Journey through the Valley of the Shadow of Death" provides a practical "road map" to grief, bereavement, recovery, and healing processes....for Surviving Parents, and the people who care for them (Professionals, Family, and Loved Ones). The book also focuses on better-equipping grief and bereavement counselors, pastors, crisis interventionists, clinicians, law enforcement investigators, educators, and other helping professionals who assist victims and survivors of catastrophic trauma and loss.

This poignant, powerful, practical, and sometimes-funny book is written from the unique perspective of a veteran police officer and crisis intervention counselor, whose son, Adam, was shot and killed by another police officer, during an emergency mental health crisis. Adam Joshua Johnson was a gifted & talented musician and grass-roots humanitarian who suffered from mental illness. Yet, in spite of his own psychological and emotional pain, Adam never forgot to care for others. He believed that "caring" was something he was called to do...not merely feel. Through poetry, prose, memoirs, and photographs, this book is especially designed to facilitate healing for fellow Surviving Parents. It shares the beauty of Adam's gift to the world, and offers insight into the special kinship between a devoted father and his beloved son. Finally, this book explores how, as a Surviving Parent, Adam's Dad has ventured down the road toward Recovery & Restoration, and has found a meaningful way to carry on his son's legacy. Some of the topics addressed in the book include, but are not limited to: *Why There is No Word for a Parent Who Has Lost a Child. *How and Why the Death of a Child is a Unique and Terrible Type of Loss. *Recovering from the Loss of Sense of Humor, and the Capacity for Joy and Hope. *"God," "God's Will," and Other Hot Topics for Debate Among Surviving Parents. *Why Surviving Parents Become Angry at God. *How to Deal with Loss of Parental Identity and Significance. *Top 10 Things to Never Say to a Surviving Parent. *Special Messages to Those Who "Mean Well." *Why Surviving Parents' Marriages Suffer and Are At Risk. *Specifically How to Pray for Surviving Parents. *Available Local and Online Resources for Surviving Parents. *Healthy Networks for Surviving Parents. *How to Request a Psychological Autopsy for your Deceased Child. *AND MUCH MORE! While the Author operates from a Christian spiritual perspective, this book is written to be applicable to readers from all religious and spiritual orientations, including agnosticism and atheism.

Joel Johnson is a veteran police officer who directs the National Crisis Intervention Training Institute, Inc., a non-profit organization that provides training and technical support to professionals from law enforcement and social service personnel, and other helping professionals, such as crisis interventionists, medical and nursing clinicians, pastoral counselors, grief and bereavement counselors, and educators…as well as survivors of various forms of trauma, abuse, exploitation, and catastrophic loss. In addition to his other responsibilities as Director, and Chief Field Forensic Investigator of NCITI's Critical Response Division, he also heads up NCITI's Psychological Autopsy Team, as well as a special, mutual-aid support program called "Surviving Parents Network," dedicated to assisting fellow "Surviving Parents." Mr. Johnson's son, Adam, was shot and killed by a police officer, during a mental health crisis, on January 8, 2009.