Memorial tattoos have become a popular way of remembering loved ones. Our guest today is Deborah Davidson, creator of The Tattoo Project.  Deborah has done some amazing research and work into how we express our grief through tattoo body art.  Tattoos have become more mainstream than ever. As a sociologist, Deborah has researched deeply into death and dying, bereavement and grief.  She had her own personal grief experiences as well.  Working as a volunteer for a bereavement families organization, she began seeing more and more tattoos in memory of loved ones who had died.  Historically, tattoos have been used for sacred ceremonies and marking rites of passage; they have great meaning for those who bear them.  These days, people get memorial tattoos for pets as well as people.  Many times having a meaningful symbol enshrined on their skin is an outward sign of remembering for the person with the tattoo. When someone asks about the tattoo design, it provides an opportunity to talk about the loved one memorialized in the design.  Some people use their memorial tattoos to recall the memory of a beloved pet.  

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Read more about Deborah Davidson and her work on the Tattoo Project at thetattooproject.info. 

Connect with Professor Davidson by sending an email to: [email protected].  

To purchase your copy of The Tattoo Project book, click here.

Find more information about hospice philosophy, end of life care, and self care for both personal and professional caregivers here. 

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