Fried, Norman J. 1963-

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Fried, Norman J. 1963-

PERSONAL:

Born 1963; married; children: three sons. Education: Graduated from Emory University with graduate degrees; holds a Ph.D.

ADDRESSES:

Home—Roslyn, NY. E-mail—[email protected].

CAREER:

Clinical psychologist. Winthrop University, Long Island, NY, director of psycho-social services for the Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology; American Red Cross of Greater New York, disaster mental health specialist; private practice, Long Island, NY, bereavement counselor. Previously taught at New York University and St. John's University; fellow in clinical and pediatric psychology at Harvard Medical School.

WRITINGS:

The Angel Letters: Lessons That Dying Can Teach Us about Living, Ivan R. Dee (Chicago, IL), 2007.

SIDELIGHTS:

Norman J. Fried is a clinical psychologist who specializes in working with pediatric oncology patients, or children who are dying from cancer. He earned his advanced degrees from Emory University and has taught at several universities, but his primary positions include a private practice where he works in bereavement counseling, aiding those who have lost young family members to cancer, and as director of psycho-social services at Winthrop University in Long Island, as part of the Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology. Fried has also written a book about his experiences helping children cope with the ravages of the illness and helping families face the hardship of losing a child. The Angel Letters: Lessons That Dying Can Teach Us about Living consists of a series of letters Fried wrote to some of his most memorable patients over his tenure as a psychologist, after they had passed away. While their initial purpose was to help him put his own loss into perspective, he offers them to readers as a way of coming to grips with death, particularly when the person dying is so young, and of living life more fully. Donna Chavez, in a review for Booklist, remarked that "each poignantly written missive points [to] a hauntingly hopeful lesson." A reviewer for California Bookwatch called the book "an inspiration." Lori Chance, in a review on Communati.com, concluded that "Dr. Fried combines his memories with … skilled writing to relay moments in life that few of us see."