About
Vision
Improving bereavement literacy and care through empowering education and consultation services.
Mission
Equipping professionals and organizations with the knowledge and skill to engage, empower, and enrich the well-being and quality of care among persons navigating a death experience.
Values Statement
The core values of the Ripple of Light Bereavement Resource Center, LLC underscore the Center’s passion for equipping those encountering persons navigating the death of someone close with proper knowledge and skill to create engaging and impactful connections.
§ Lifelong relationships
§ Empathy and respect
§ Professional/organization-centered focus
§ Listening for understanding
§ Innovation and excellence
§ Interactive, hands-on learning
§ Continuous learning
Leadership
Julie A. Guistwite, PhD, LSW, FT is the owner of Ripple of Light Bereavement Resource Center, LLC. She is an Advanced Certified Thanatologist and Licensed Pennsylvania Social Worker with 20 years of professional experience assisting bereaved adults in healthcare, hospice, and funeral home settings. Dr. Guistwite also holds a decade of higher education instruction expertise and is a continuing education presenter, primarily in a virtual format. Teaching experiences include authoring of a palliative care course, instructing grief and health policy undergraduate classes as well as graduate level family and research offerings. Dr. Guistwite developed the social work profession’s first scale to evaluate and refine practitioners’ expertise in death, dying, and bereavement care. Her areas of professional expertise include older adults, thanatology, healthcare equity, and trauma. She holds a deep passion for the well-being of bereaved persons and growing providers skills in assisting the population.