David Kessler
World-renowned death and grief expert, author, and speaker specializing in grief and loss, trauma, and healing., author, and speaker specializing in grief and loss, trauma, and healing.
Coauthor with Kübler-Ross
Honorary Fellow — Univ. of Bristol
MA, Loyola Marymount
Founder, Grief.com
About David
David Kessler is a world-renowned grief expert, author, and speaker specializing in grief and loss, trauma, and healing. He is the author of seven books, including the bestselling Finding Meaning: The Sixth Stage of Grief and its accompanying workbook, and he coauthored two books with Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, including On Grief and Grieving, which helped adapt her groundbreaking work to the experience of grief. His first book, The Needs of the Dying, received praise from Mother Teresa.
For decades, David has taught physicians, nurses, counselors, police officers, first responders, and hospice professionals about grief, trauma, and end-of-life care. He leads talks, workshops, and an online program called Tender Hearts with 26 different grief groups for people experiencing loss and a grief educator certificate program for professionals who support them.
His Story
David’s path to this work began in childhood, when he witnessed a mass shooting while his mother was dying in a hospital. That early trauma shaped a lifelong commitment to helping people navigate tragedy, loss, and healing.
Later, despite his professional expertise, David’s own life was shattered by the sudden death of his twenty-one-year-old son. That loss inspired him to write Finding Meaning, a book that has helped countless readers understand that meaning does not erase grief, but can emerge through it.
Education & Honors
David earned his master’s degree from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles and completed his undergraduate studies at USC. In 2025, he was named an Honorary Fellow in Grief Research and Engagement at the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom.
Service & Community
His volunteer service includes working as an LAPD Specialist Reserve for traumatic events and serving on the Red Cross disaster services team. He also worked for more than a decade in a three-hospital system and received training in response to bioterrorism, epidemics, and pandemics.
David is the founder of Grief.com, a leading grief resource visited by more than five million people each year from 167 countries. He lives in Los Angeles.