Dr. Garland (Gary) DeNelsky is a psychologist who spent his career working with patients struggling with many types of life problems.  Most were depressed or anxious; some were at times suicidal as they struggled with life issues, relationship problems, and addictions.  Many of these patients had underlying issues involving the meaning of life, and of death.  A few were able to actually articulate their deeply felt angst about the finality and irreversibility of death, and their desire for an afterlife, or at least a major extension of life.

As he became increasingly intrigued with this topic, DeNelsky found that some therapists consider the fear of death to be at the root of nearly all phobias and many other psychological disorders, and a few had actually developed specific therapies directed at this fear.  Most, however, ignored or avoided it, perhaps in part because of their own discomfort in dealing with the topic.  A Life Without End is a novel that explores these issues in depth, and contains both futuristic and romantic bents as well.

DeNelsky was born in Des Moines, Iowa, and grew up in Indianola. He obtained his undergraduate degree from Grinnell College, and his master’s and doctoral degrees in psychology from Purdue University. He did an internship in medical psychology at the Oregon Health and Science University.  He practiced clinical and health psychology for 30 years at the Cleveland Clinic where he also served as Head of Psychology and founded and directed the Clinic’s Psychology Post-doctoral Training Program and the Clinic’s Smoking Cessation Program. In addition to receiving numerous awards and recognitions from local, state and national psychological associations, he was inducted into the American Cancer Society’s Hall of Fame for his efforts against tobacco use and his leadership in helping Ohio secure smoke-free indoor public places. DeNelsky  has given over 280 invited lectures and presentations, has over 90 publications including three books, and  made over 300 media appearances. Father of three and grandfather of six, DeNelsky is now retired and resides in Solon, Ohio with his wife, Ellen.