Life review is an important piece of counseling that I have studied and utilized in my work as a hospice social worker and volunteer.  It’s the process of thinking back on one’s life and sharing this with another person.  As a person brings their life to a close, this process can help a person know that they have left a legacy, that their life has had meaning and is of value.

This can be done with photos, scrapbooks, audio recordings, and video recording.  It can be done entirely orally, between two people, amongst a family together, and with friends.  Creating a permanent historical record (through journals, photo albums, collages, scrapbooks, family trees…) can be very meaningful for some families.

I’ve used aspects of life review in my own life.  This past weekend I got to spend time with my Aunt Gayle, also a social worker.  Sharing childhood stories has been…