Candi Cann, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Baylor Interdisciplinary Core and Religion Baylor University

  • Waco TX

Leading expert on death, dying & grief, diversity in death & the intersection of death & technology around the world

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Spotlight

4 min

Navigating Grief During the Holiday Season

The holiday season is a time of joy, togetherness and celebration, but for many – especially those who are grieving the death of a loved one or a deep loss – it can bring a complex mix of emotions, ranging from sadness and sorrow to gratitude and joy. Baylor University professors Candi Cann, Ph.D., a death scholar and associate professor of religion in the Honors College, and Jo-Ann Tsang, Ph.D., a leading gratitude researcher and associate professor of psychology, offer four strategies for people experiencing difficult emotions and grief during the holidays. Embrace the spectrum of emotions Both Tsang and Cann say the key to maintaining balance and authenticity – even while deep in grief – is understanding and accepting where you are emotionally. “It’s possible and normal to feel different emotions at one time,” Tsang said. “You can feel happiness during the holidays, but also sad that you miss someone who you wish were present. Being grateful does not rule out feeling other emotions; we can cultivate gratitude, but that does not necessitate running away from other emotions.” Cann pointed out that grief can be complicated if the death or loss is from a difficult relationship. “It is okay to feel relief in addition to grief and it is important to validate all of your feelings – it’s a complicated grief because it was a complicated relationship,” Cann said. The importance of self-care Self-care is vital during this time, Cann said. She encourages grieving people to stay active, eat healthy, go outside to be in nature and get enough sleep. “It’s totally normal to need more sleep when you're depressed and grieving. You just have to be gracious with yourself about that,” Cann said. Allowing ourselves to feel emotions like stress, sadness or grief gives us insight into what we value and “can motivate us to take some time for self-care,” Tsang said. Acknowledging that we are stressed might lead us to reach out to others for help with tasks that overwhelm us or to let go of things to reduce stress. In addition to taking care of your physical health, staying engaged in your community or church and being in community with others is beneficial for mental health, Cann said. But at the same time, be honest with yourself about what you want to do and only accept invitations or participate in activities that you feel you can handle, she added. The place of gratitude Tsang suggests approaching challenging emotions with gratitude as it “might also provide context and perspective for our loss and potentially transform our negative emotions.” “As an example, I might feel frustrated that I am sad but then feel grateful that I have good family and neighbors to check on me and coworkers to help me finish the tasks that I can’t do while I’m down,” Tsang said. “This gratitude might help reduce my frustration by helping me see the support that is present in my life, on which I had not previously reflected.” At the same time, she reiterated that, in addition to cultivating gratitude, it’s important for people to permit themselves to experience negative emotions such as grief and sadness in response to life circumstances. “It’s okay if it’s hard to experience gratitude. God meets us where we are,” Tsang said. Evaluate traditions and embrace memories Cann suggests evaluating family traditions, choosing those that are most important to continue and starting new traditions that include their loved one. “A lot of people feel like when that person is gone, the love is gone too, but the love is still there,” Cann said. “You wouldn't feel the grief or the big hole that you now have if you didn't have all of this love in the first place.” She suggests embracing their loved one’s presence by including a place at the table for Christmas dinner, making their favorite recipe or finding other ways to continue the bonds. By doing these things, “you're including them in your conversation, and you're making space for that person, both literally and symbolically,” Cann said. Supporting someone who is grieving Being supportive of someone grieving requires patience and vulnerability. “Engage with the person and ask how you can best support them, and let them know that you are thinking about them during this time,” Cann said. Sometimes, friends or family members don’t want to bring up death during the holidays because they don't want to make people sad at a joyful time. “But the point is, they already are sad, so bringing it up allows them to express it” and feel accepted in their pain, Cann said. It also is important to remember that not all grief is related to death. There are many types of loss that people experience such as divorce or disease. The Baylor researchers note that we can’t decide or predict what defines another person's grief, but we can offer love and support. Approaching the holidays when experiencing grief over a death or a deep loss may be painful at first, but using these strategies can help us face the future by celebrating with gratitude what we had in the past. Ultimately, the holidays are a time for reflection, connection and self-compassion. Allow yourself to feel your emotions fully – whether joyful, challenging or a mix of both – and use them as guides for meaningful action. Looking to know more or arrange an interview? Simply click on the expert's icon below or contact: Shelby Cefaratti-Bertin today.

Candi Cann, Ph.D.

4 min

DIY’ing Grief: How Modern Memorials Help Us Navigate the Death of Loved Ones

Americans really don't want to talk about it: Everyone dies, and everyone will experience the death of a loved one. Grief is a universal human experience – and a very challenging one – with its range of difficult emotions and processes. Baylor University researcher Candi Cann, Ph.D., has made it her life’s work to study death and dying. In fact, the associate professor of religion in the Baylor Interdisciplinary Core, is known as a “death scholar,” with media outlets ranging from NPR’s Science Friday to the Washington Post seeking her expertise about the impact of remembering (and forgetting) in shaping how lives are recalled, remembered and celebrated. Cann is the author of “Virtual Afterlives: Grieving the Dead in the Twenty-first Century,” and her research on modern grief has found that some Americans – in a move away from organized religion – have lost the grieving framework that prayer and Christian practices traditionally offered. She calls that framework the “syntax of grief” – the common language once rooted in religious practices – that has evolved over the generations, prompting people to seek more personal ways of expressing grief and memorialization customs. “This new language of mourning is being defined by the culture, rather than religious ritual,” Cann said. “And these new practices are emerging at the grassroots level in response to a popular need to express grief through more personal expressions in almost a do-it-yourself or DIY approach.” These DIY or modern remembrances – such as virtual memorials, tattoos and using cremains in creative ways – can help individuals navigate the grieving process. Virtual memorialization With contemporary grieving practices shifting from the physical to the online world, Cann said these virtual memorialization spaces, such as social media and memorial websites, are just as real and meaningful as physical spaces and can offer a shared space for more people to share in their grief. For example, Cann said funeral services have evolved to incorporate digital services such as a virtual memory page or guest book or live-streaming wakes. Social media profiles and websites are created as virtual locations for people to remember and mourn those who have died. “The internet can democratize grief. It allows people a way to have these conversations about the dead that they may not be able to do on an everyday basis,” Cann said. “You know, you’re at work and you’re grieving, but it’s not really an appropriate conversation. In this way, you can go online and leave a message and find a community of people who are also grieving with you.” Tattoos Tattoos have become a popular way for individuals, especially younger people, to carry their grief with them, Cann said. The inked images can function as a badge or emblem for the person, they tell stories, honor meaningful moments and allow people to carry their grief with them in both literal and virtual ways. "Tattoos allow people to occupy the space as a mourner, while also continuing to carry on with their everyday activities. Many people get tattoos to symbolize their first loss, like their grandparent or pet,” Cann said. “Though the body has disappeared, is remapped onto living flesh to become a symbol of mourning in a world where mourning is denied.” Use of cremains A growing trend is incorporating cremains (cremated remains) into various objects like tattoos, jewelry, records or even fireworks. This practice offers a portable and customizable way to keep a connection with the deceased, which is not an option with burials, Cann said. “Cremation has become much more widely accepted and much more widely practiced because it's cheaper, more economical, but also because of the options of what can be done with cremains in memorial,” Cann said. “Cremains are portable and divisible, so you can share them with other people. Plus, you can carry them in ways that disguise the fact that they are ashes, such as putting cremains in a locket.” The conversation These more personal expressions and do-it-yourself solutions to memorialize a death allow people to find places where they can feel and experience their grief more readily and move from the loss into a place of restoration, Cann said. While death is complete and universal, finding ways to grieve – from the traditional to the contemporary – helps process the loss, but it’s just as vital to have that difficult conversation about preparing for the death of loved ones. “I encourage everyone to have difficult conversations about death and discuss your wishes with your loved ones about what you want when you die,” Cann said. “Allowing death to be part of regular discussions can help your family and your friends deal with their sorrow when you die because the everyday practical matters of sorting through your estate or figuring out what you would have wanted are not compounding the grief. Talking about death is ultimately and way to show how much you love someone.” Looking to know more? We can help. If you're a journalist interested in speaking with Candi Cann, simply click on her icon now to arrange an interview today.

Candi Cann, Ph.D.

4 min

Coping with Grief During the Holiday Season

Baylor experts suggest three strategies to help cope with grief during the holidays (Image Credit: D-Keine/Getty Images) The holidays are typically a time of joy and celebration for most people, but this time of year can be very different for grieving people. The death of a loved one can be especially hard during the holidays as they are full of memories, traditions, and sensations associated with the holidays – all reminders that this year is different, and someone is no longer here. What can someone in the midst of grief do to make this time more positive and step toward emotional healing? William (Bill) G. Hoy, D.Min, FT., clinical professor and associate director of Medical Humanities, and Candi Cann, Ph.D., associate professor of religion in the Honors College at Baylor, suggest three strategies for grieving people to cope with their loss during the holidays. “Holidays are also hard in grief because they are built around relationships,” Hoy said. “Family gatherings cannot ever be the same, and, of course, memories of bad relationships cause us to realize the past cannot be changed.” Acknowledge your pain The first step is to admit the pain of grieving. “Saying goodbye to a loved one is no easy task, and, undoubtedly, it feels different than you could ever have expected,” said Hoy. Cann pointed out that some deaths bring about complicated grief if the loss is from a difficult relationship. “It is okay to feel relief in addition to grief and it is important to validate all of your feelings – it’s a complicated grief because it was a complicated relationship.” Hoy said that culturally people tend to try to get around the pain without facing it, which only makes it harder later on. “There is an empty chair at the table on this special occasion. The grief following a death assault at every turn with the reality that they will not be returning to the table. Because holiday grief is so painful, there is no need to try to escape the pain this holiday season.” Take care of yourself Self-care is vital during this time, said Cann. She encourages grieving people to stay active, eat healthy, go outside to be in nature and get enough sleep. “It’s totally normal to need more sleep when you're depressed and grieving, you just have to be gracious with yourself about that,” she said. Hoy added, “Remember that grief is very tiring and even under the best of circumstances holidays are very taxing.” Give yourself permission to turn down invitations or leave parties early. In addition to taking care of your physical health, Cann recommends staying engaged in your community or church. “Being in community with others is very beneficial for your mental health.” At the same time, be honest with yourself about what you want to do and only accept invitations or participate in activities that you feel you can handle, said Hoy. Evaluate traditions and embrace memories When the holidays arrive, many people want to change everything about the holidays to avoid the sad feelings, said Hoy. Both he and Cann suggest evaluating family traditions, choosing those traditions that are most important to continue and including the dead through new traditions. “Don't forget to embrace your memories of past holidays and special events as you face this season,” Hoy said. “We cannot have things like they were, but we can hold in our hearts the memories of days gone by. You may want to light a special candle or purchase a special holiday decoration and hang it in your loved one's memory.” “A lot of people feel like when that person is gone, the love is gone too, but the love is still there,” Cann said. “You wouldn't feel the grief or the big hole that you now have if you didn't have all of this love in the first place.” She suggests embracing their presence by including a place at the table for Christmas dinner, making their favorite recipe or many other ways to continue the bonds and positively remember the dead in your life. By doing these things, “you're including them in your conversation, and you're making space for that person, both literally and symbolically.” How to support someone who is grieving Being supportive of someone grieving requires patience and vulnerability. “Engage with the person and ask how you can best support them,” Cann said. “And let them know that you are thinking about them during this time.” “A lot of people don't want to bring it up because they don't want to make people sad at a joyful time,” Cann said. “But the point is, they already are sad, so bringing it up allows them to express it” and feel accepted in their pain. Hoy said to remember that there is no set timeline for an individual grief journey. It is also important to remember that not all grief is related to death. There are many types of loss that people experience such as divorce or disease. We can’t decide or predict what defines another person's grief, but we can offer love and support. Approaching the holidays when experiencing grief over the death of someone or a deep loss may be painful at first, but using these strategies can help us face the future by celebrating with gratitude what we had in the past.

Candi Cann, Ph.D.
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Biography

A noted death scholar, Dr. Candi K. Cann, Associate Professor of Religion in the Baylor Interdisciplinary Core in the Honors College at Baylor University, teaches in both the BIC and the Religion department. Her research focuses on death, dying and grief, and she is especially interested in the intersections of marginality, diversity and death technologies.

Dr. Cann's books include "Virtual Afterlives: Grieving the Dead in the 21st Century," centered on grief and memorialization in the contemporary world; "Dying to Eat: Cross Cultural Perspectives on Food, Death and the Afterlife," an edited collection on the intersection of food in death and grief; and "The Routledge Handbook of Death and Afterlife," an edited collection of 35 chapters examining death and afterlife from around the world.

Dr. Cann has been a featured guest on NPR Science Friday, various BBC radio programs and CSPAN's Book TV and has written numerous articles and book chapters, including "African American Deathways" in Oxford Bibliographies in African American Studies. Her co-written piece on "Death, Grief, and Funerals in the COVID Age" (www.covidpaper.org), centered on optimal strategies for helping people develop new rituals to honor those who die during the COVID-19 era. The article’s resources and best practices for support during an unprecedented time were recognized and utilized by OptionB.org, National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, Presidential Taskforce on Grief and Loss, and the New York State Psychological Association, among many others.

For 2022-2023, Dr. Cann received the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award from the Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The award allowed her to teach and conduct research in South Korea as the first Fulbright Scholar at Han Nam University, one of a few Christian universities in South Korea. Her research focused on the rise of the country’s hospital funeral homes, examining the ways in which they promote religious pluralism, a topic that aligned with her current research on diversity in death, and the intersection of death and technology around the world.

Areas of Expertise

Digital Death and Afterlife
Death and Technology
Modern Mourning Practices

Education

Harvard University

Ph.D.

Harvard University

A.M.

University of Hawaii at Manoa

M.A.

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Media Appearances

College of Nursing to host James Wake Memorial Lecture on Nov. 8

Marquette Today  online

2024-10-13

Candi Cann, Ph.D., associate professor of religion in the Baylor Interdisciplinary Core in the Honors College, will give the 2024 James Wake Memorial Lecture, sponsored by Marquette’s College of Nursing and the Institute for Palliative and End of Life Care. Cann will speak on “Death, Culture, and Religion: How Different Worldviews Impact the Dying Process,” comparing various faith traditions within a medical framework, revealing how culture impacts how dying is managed, how death is defined and how different conceptions of life after death affect grief.

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For immigrant workers who die in US, a body's journey home is one last struggle

Baltimore Sun  online

2024-05-02

Candi Cann, Ph.D., associate professor of religion in the Baylor Interdisciplinary Core who studies death, dying and grief, was interviewed for this article about how “repatriation” of remains of workers from the Baltimore bridge collapse is a complex, costly process, but for the many immigrants who come to the U.S. out of economic necessity, repatriation is a last “gift” a family can give the deceased.

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Culinary tradition: Why family memories live in the kitchen

Deseret News  online

2024-04-01

Candi K. Cann, Ph.D., associate professor of religion in the Baylor Interdisciplinary Core, is quoted in this article about the effects of family recipes as a means to honor loved ones who have died. She said the psychological and chemical reactions can soothe and sustain someone during their grief and mourning. Cann is the editor of “Dying to Eat: Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Food, Death, and the Afterlife.”

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Research Grants

Saving and Selling Black Bodies: Examining the Role of Christian Identity in the African-American Funeral Home

Louisville Institute

African American churches and funeral homes have always held close ties with each other, serving as bastions of black identity in the United States, from the formation of the first AME burial societies in Philadelphia in 1778. In a culture where black bodies have been routinely bought and sold, how does the corporatization of the death industry in the United States change the identity politics of the African American funeral home, and in what ways does this commercialization impact black religiosity and identity?

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Articles

Palatable and Portable: Do Memorial Diamonds Aid in the Grieving Process?

Eastern and North European Journal of Death Studies

Candi K. Cann

2022-01-26

Examining the importance of cremation as a disposal choice in Europe, the article traces a possible connection between the initial emergence of lab-grown memorial diamonds and the popularity of cremation, examines the grief journey process from turning cremains from humans and pets into lab-grown diamonds and concludes that the process of transforming cremains into wearable diamonds may correspond to the grief journey moving from acute grief to integrated grief, though timeline expectations sometimes interfered with grief outcomes.

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Pocket Memorials: Digital Death and the Smartphone

Oxford Academic

Candi K. Cann

2022-12-19

This chapter examines digital media’s intersection with death, dying, and memorialization through the lens of smartphone technology. Drawing on earlier work on the role of social media, the Internet, and forms of memorializing the dead online, the chapter examines how digital spaces for the dead expand, contract, and shift through the technology of the smartphone.

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Black Deaths Matter Earning the Right to Live: Death and the African-American Funeral Home

Religions

Candi K. Cann

2020-07-29

Black Deaths Matter: Earning the Right to Live—Death and the African-American Funeral Home recounts the history of black funeral homes in the United States and their role in demanding justice for bodies of color and the black community. Through funeral pageantry and vigilant support for local communities, the African American funeral home has been central to ensuring that not only do Black Lives Matter, but black deaths count and are visible to the larger community.

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