Contributor
Dr. Ken Druck
Mental health expert and author writing about grief, resilience, communication, relationships, leadership, and aging.
Grief and lossResilienceFamily relationshipsAgingLeadership
Ken Druck, Ph.D. is a mental health expert whose work focuses on grief and loss, resilience, interpersonal communication, leadership, family relationships, and aging. Over more than four decades, he has worked with individuals, families, communities, and organizations and has written several books, including How We Go On, Raising an Aging Parent, Courageous Aging, and The Real Rules of Life.
Published work
Articles by Dr. Ken Druck
12 pieces
The Do’s and Don’ts of Grief Support
Practical ways to be present for a grieving person—without minimizing their pain, rushing their healing, or trying to fix what cannot be fixed.
3 Steps to Building Resilience
Resilience begins by accepting life’s difficult terms, practicing humility, and learning how to care for ourselves when plans fall apart.
3 Ways to Leave a Legacy of Love
A meaningful legacy is built in the present: through how we treat others, put our families in order, and pass our blessings forward.
6 Tips for Dealing with Aging Parents
Supporting aging parents requires patience, honest conversation, realistic expectations, and respect for the dignity of everyone involved.
4 Positive Ways to Deal with Jealousy
Jealousy can expose fear, insecurity, and unmet needs. Facing those feelings honestly can turn them into a path toward confidence and growth.
The Empowerment Effect: How to Become a Better Leader
Effective leadership is less about controlling every decision than helping people develop the confidence and judgment to lead themselves.
4 Ways to Improve Family Communication
Healthier families learn to slow down, listen without preparing a rebuttal, and speak honestly before misunderstandings harden into distance.
Closure Is a Myth. Healing Is a Lifelong Process
Loss does not end neatly, but healing remains possible when we replace pressure and self-criticism with patience, courage, and self-compassion.
Grieving the Living Losses of Our Lives
Some losses arrive without a death: illness, divorce, estrangement, upheaval, or the end of a life we expected to keep living.
When Aging Parents Enable
Parents who repeatedly rescue an adult child may unintentionally preserve destructive patterns. Compassion works best when paired with clear boundaries.
Taking Away Your Parents’ Car Keys
When an aging parent may no longer be safe behind the wheel, families need a plan that protects everyone without sacrificing dignity and trust.
Learning Not to Take Things So Personally
A pause between what happens and how we respond can keep another person’s frustration from becoming a verdict on our own worth.