Current Environment: Production

Medical Services

Programs & Services

Professional History

Dr. Sue Morris is the Director of Bereavement Services at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. She also overseas the Bereavement Task Force at Boston Children's Hospital and is a member of Robert's Program on Sudden Unexplained Death in Pediatrics. Dr. Morris studied Clinical Psychology specializing in adult mental health and cognitive behavior therapy. She has worked in bereavement for the past 20 years in both Sydney and Boston and is the author of Overcoming Grief and An Introduction to Coping with Grief, published in London by Constable Robinson. Dr. Morris also lectures on the topic of bereavement for the Harvard Medical School Center for Palliative Care continuing medical education courses and teaches medical students, residents and fellows about grief and loss. She currently holds the position of Instructor in Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.

Publications

  1. Primary Mental Health Competencies for Hospice and Palliative Medicine Physicians: A Delphi Study. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2025 May 20. View Abstract

  2. Self-Care for Psychosocial and Palliative Care Clinicians: Stakeholder-Informed Recommendations for Medical Education and Clinical Training. Am J Hosp Palliat Care. 2025 May 09; 10499091251339745. View Abstract

  3. Storytelling Through Music With Parents Whose Children Have Died From Cancer: A Randomized Controlled Feasibility Trial. Psychooncology. 2025 Apr; 34(4):e70143. View Abstract

  4. Interventions for Children of Parents With Cancer From the Time of Cancer Diagnosis Through Bereavement: Two Systematic Reviews. Psychooncology. 2025 Mar; 34(3):e70105. View Abstract

  5. A Randomized Controlled Feasibility Study to Evaluate the Online Delivery of Storytelling Through Music With Oncology Nurses. Cancer Nurs. 2024 Dec 19. View Abstract

  6. The Development of a Bereavement Support Group Curriculum for Bereaved Parents of Young Adult Children: Bridging the Gap. J Adolesc Young Adult Oncol. 2024 04; 13(2):281-287. View Abstract

  7. Survey Study of a Hospital-Based Bereavement Program During COVID-19: Insights to Improve Support of the Bereaved. J Palliat Med. 2023 11; 26(11):1542-1546. View Abstract

  8. At a Loss: Patient Deaths and Clinical Research Coordinators. J Clin Oncol. 2023 06 01; 41(16):3072-3073. View Abstract

  9. Early Bereavement Psychosocial Outcomes in Parents of Children Who Died of Cancer With a Focus on Social Functioning. JCO Oncol Pract. 2023 04; 19(4):e527-e541. View Abstract

  10. Caring for People We Know: An Unrecognized Risk for Burnout? J Palliat Med. 2023 04; 26(4):472-480. View Abstract

  11. "I think that she would have wanted. . .": Qualitative interviews with bereaved caregivers reveal complexity in measuring goal-concordant care at the end of life. Palliat Med. 2022 04; 36(4):742-750. View Abstract

  12. One Size Doesn't Fit All in Early Pediatric Oncology Bereavement Support. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2022 Mar; 63(3):366-373. View Abstract

  13. The parental role before and after SIDS. Death Stud. 2022; 46(10):2316-2326. View Abstract

  14. Burnout in psychosocial oncology clinicians: A systematic review. Palliat Support Care. 2021 04; 19(2):223-234. View Abstract

  15. Bereavement via Zoom during COVID-19. J Psychosoc Oncol. 2021; 39(3):316-319. View Abstract

  16. Parental Perceptions of Hospital-Based Bereavement Support Following a Child's Death From Cancer: Room for Improvement. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2021 06; 61(6):1254-1260. View Abstract

  17. The Development of a Bereavement Support Group Curriculum for Young Adults Dealing with the Death of a Partner: A Quality Improvement Project. J Adolesc Young Adult Oncol. 2021 06; 10(3):260-265. View Abstract

  18. Grieving and Hospital-Based Bereavement Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic. J Hosp Med. 2020 11; 15(11):699-701. View Abstract

  19. Engaging Parents of Children Who Died From Cancer in Research on the Early Grief Experience. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2021 04; 61(4):781-788. View Abstract

  20. Bereavement care for family caregivers of neuro-oncology patients. Ann Palliat Med. 2021 Jan; 10(1):953-963. View Abstract

  21. Caring for Bereaved Family Members During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Before and After the Death of a Patient. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2020 Aug; 60(2):e70-e74. View Abstract

  22. Insights from Bereaved Family Members about End-of-Life Care and Bereavement. J Palliat Med. 2020 08; 23(8):1030-1037. View Abstract

  23. Transitional objects of grief. Compr Psychiatry. 2020 Jan 11; 98:152161. View Abstract

  24. A standardized approach to bereavement risk-screening: a quality improvement project. J Psychosoc Oncol. 2020 Jul-Aug; 38(4):406-417. View Abstract

  25. Reconsidering early parental grief following the death of a child from cancer: a new framework for future research and bereavement support. Support Care Cancer. 2020 Sep; 28(9):4131-4139. View Abstract

  26. Initial validation of a needs instrument for young people bereaved by familial cancer. Support Care Cancer. 2020 Aug; 28(8):3637-3648. View Abstract

  27. The Grief of Parents After the Death of a Young Child. J Clin Psychol Med Settings. 2019 09; 26(3):321-338. View Abstract

  28. "Remembrance": A Self-Care Tool for Clinicians. J Palliat Med. 2019 03; 22(3):316-318. View Abstract

  29. Primary Care for the Elderly Bereaved: Recommendations for Medical Education. J Clin Psychol Med Settings. 2018 12; 25(4):463-470. View Abstract

  30. Pre-loss personal factors and prolonged grief disorder in bereaved mothers. Psychol Med. 2019 10; 49(14):2370-2378. View Abstract

  31. The "Liaison" in Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry: Helping Medical Staff Cope with Pediatric Death. Child Adolesc Psychiatr Clin N Am. 2018 10; 27(4):591-598. View Abstract

  32. The Grief of Mothers After the Sudden Unexpected Death of Their Infants. Pediatrics. 2018 05; 141(5). View Abstract

  33. When Our Worlds Collide. J Palliat Med. 2017 11; 20(11):1299. View Abstract

  34. The Development of a Hospital-Wide Bereavement Program: Ensuring Bereavement Care for All Families of Pediatric Patients. J Pediatr Health Care. 2017 Jan - Feb; 31(1):88-95. View Abstract

  35. Adding Value to Palliative Care Services: The Development of an Institutional Bereavement Program. J Palliat Med. 2015 Nov; 18(11):915-22. View Abstract
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