Crossing the River

Crossing the River

Author: Carol Smith

Publisher: Abrams

Published: 2021-05-04

Total Pages: 272

ISBN-13: 1647000963

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A powerful exploration of grief and resilience following the death of the author's son that combines memoir, reportage, and lessons in how to heal Everyone deals with grief in their own way. Helen Macdonald found solace in training a wild gos­hawk. Cheryl Strayed found strength in hiking the Pacific Crest Trail. For Carol Smith, a Pulitzer Prize­ nominated journalist struggling with the sudden death of her seven-year-old son, Christopher, the way to cross the river of sorrow was through work. In Crossing the River, Smith recounts how she faced down her crippling loss through reporting a series of profiles of people coping with their own intense chal­lenges, whether a life-altering accident, injury, or diag­nosis. These were stories of survival and transformation, of people facing devastating situations that changed them in unexpected ways. Smith deftly mixes the stories of these individuals and their families with her own account of how they helped her heal. General John Shalikashvili, once the most powerful member of the American military, taught Carol how to face fear with discipline and endurance. Seth, a young boy with a rare and incurable illness, shed light on the totality of her son's experiences, and in turn helps readers see that the value of a life is not measured in days. Crossing the River is a beautiful and profoundly moving book, an unforgettable journey through grief toward hope, and a valuable, illuminating read for anyone coping with loss.


Book Synopsis Crossing the River by : Carol Smith

Download or read book Crossing the River written by Carol Smith and published by Abrams. This book was released on 2021-05-04 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A powerful exploration of grief and resilience following the death of the author's son that combines memoir, reportage, and lessons in how to heal Everyone deals with grief in their own way. Helen Macdonald found solace in training a wild gos­hawk. Cheryl Strayed found strength in hiking the Pacific Crest Trail. For Carol Smith, a Pulitzer Prize­ nominated journalist struggling with the sudden death of her seven-year-old son, Christopher, the way to cross the river of sorrow was through work. In Crossing the River, Smith recounts how she faced down her crippling loss through reporting a series of profiles of people coping with their own intense chal­lenges, whether a life-altering accident, injury, or diag­nosis. These were stories of survival and transformation, of people facing devastating situations that changed them in unexpected ways. Smith deftly mixes the stories of these individuals and their families with her own account of how they helped her heal. General John Shalikashvili, once the most powerful member of the American military, taught Carol how to face fear with discipline and endurance. Seth, a young boy with a rare and incurable illness, shed light on the totality of her son's experiences, and in turn helps readers see that the value of a life is not measured in days. Crossing the River is a beautiful and profoundly moving book, an unforgettable journey through grief toward hope, and a valuable, illuminating read for anyone coping with loss.

The River of Grief

The River of Grief

Author: C. J. Hines

Publisher: Tate Publishing

Published: 2012-07-03

Total Pages: 92

ISBN-13: 1618620975

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If you picked up this book hoping to find an easy answer to grief, this isn't it.People die. It's inevitable. But when someone close to you dies, you may feel like you have died too. The trouble is that the rest of the world doesn't share in your grief. They are still alive, and their lives have gone on normally. Grieving is like being stuck in a murky, tangled, rock-ridden river with no way out and no one to throw you a lifeline. But God doesn't intend for you to make this journey alone. You'll see that with God's help and a little understanding of the grieving process, you can be happy again. Learn from author CJ Hines, who shows you, through sharing stories of her own grief, how to navigate the swirling waters of The River of Grief, with God's hand guiding you all the way.


Book Synopsis The River of Grief by : C. J. Hines

Download or read book The River of Grief written by C. J. Hines and published by Tate Publishing. This book was released on 2012-07-03 with total page 92 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: If you picked up this book hoping to find an easy answer to grief, this isn't it.People die. It's inevitable. But when someone close to you dies, you may feel like you have died too. The trouble is that the rest of the world doesn't share in your grief. They are still alive, and their lives have gone on normally. Grieving is like being stuck in a murky, tangled, rock-ridden river with no way out and no one to throw you a lifeline. But God doesn't intend for you to make this journey alone. You'll see that with God's help and a little understanding of the grieving process, you can be happy again. Learn from author CJ Hines, who shows you, through sharing stories of her own grief, how to navigate the swirling waters of The River of Grief, with God's hand guiding you all the way.

The Smell of Rain on Dust

The Smell of Rain on Dust

Author: Martín Prechtel

Publisher: North Atlantic Books

Published: 2015-04-14

Total Pages: 185

ISBN-13: 1583949402

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"Beautifully written and wise … [Martin Prechtel] offers stories that are precious and life-sustaining. Read carefully, and listen deeply."—Mary Oliver, National Book Award and Pulitzer Prize winner Inspiring hope, solace, and courage in living through our losses, author Martín Prechtel, trained in the Tzutujil Maya shamanic tradition, shares profound insights on the relationship between grief and praise in our culture--how the inability that many of us have to grieve and weep properly for the dead is deeply linked with the inability to give praise for living. In modern society, grief is something that we usually experience in private, alone, and without the support of a community. Yet, as Prechtel says, "Grief expressed out loud for someone we have lost, or a country or home we have lost, is in itself the greatest praise we could ever give them. Grief is praise, because it is the natural way love honors what it misses." Prechtel explains that the unexpressed grief prevalent in our society today is the reason for many of the social, cultural, and individual maladies that we are currently experiencing. According to Prechtel, "When you have two centuries of people who have not properly grieved the things that they have lost, the grief shows up as ghosts that inhabit their grandchildren." These "ghosts," he says, can also manifest as disease in the form of tumors, which the Maya refer to as "solidified tears," or in the form of behavioral issues and depression. He goes on to show how this collective, unexpressed energy is the long-held grief of our ancestors manifesting itself, and the work that can be done to liberate this energy so we can heal from the trauma of loss, war, and suffering. At base, this "little book," as the author calls it, can be seen as a companion of encouragement, a little extra light for those deep and noble parts in all of us.


Book Synopsis The Smell of Rain on Dust by : Martín Prechtel

Download or read book The Smell of Rain on Dust written by Martín Prechtel and published by North Atlantic Books. This book was released on 2015-04-14 with total page 185 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Beautifully written and wise … [Martin Prechtel] offers stories that are precious and life-sustaining. Read carefully, and listen deeply."—Mary Oliver, National Book Award and Pulitzer Prize winner Inspiring hope, solace, and courage in living through our losses, author Martín Prechtel, trained in the Tzutujil Maya shamanic tradition, shares profound insights on the relationship between grief and praise in our culture--how the inability that many of us have to grieve and weep properly for the dead is deeply linked with the inability to give praise for living. In modern society, grief is something that we usually experience in private, alone, and without the support of a community. Yet, as Prechtel says, "Grief expressed out loud for someone we have lost, or a country or home we have lost, is in itself the greatest praise we could ever give them. Grief is praise, because it is the natural way love honors what it misses." Prechtel explains that the unexpressed grief prevalent in our society today is the reason for many of the social, cultural, and individual maladies that we are currently experiencing. According to Prechtel, "When you have two centuries of people who have not properly grieved the things that they have lost, the grief shows up as ghosts that inhabit their grandchildren." These "ghosts," he says, can also manifest as disease in the form of tumors, which the Maya refer to as "solidified tears," or in the form of behavioral issues and depression. He goes on to show how this collective, unexpressed energy is the long-held grief of our ancestors manifesting itself, and the work that can be done to liberate this energy so we can heal from the trauma of loss, war, and suffering. At base, this "little book," as the author calls it, can be seen as a companion of encouragement, a little extra light for those deep and noble parts in all of us.

Finding Meaning

Finding Meaning

Author: David Kessler

Publisher: Scribner

Published: 2019-11-05

Total Pages: 272

ISBN-13: 1501192736

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In this groundbreaking new work, David Kessler—an expert on grief and the coauthor with Elisabeth Kübler-Ross of the iconic On Grief and Grieving—journeys beyond the classic five stages to discover a sixth stage: meaning. In 1969, Elisabeth Kübler Ross first identified the stages of dying in her transformative book On Death and Dying. Decades later, she and David Kessler wrote the classic On Grief and Grieving, introducing the stages of grief with the same transformative pragmatism and compassion. Now, based on hard-earned personal experiences, as well as knowledge and wisdom earned through decades of work with the grieving, Kessler introduces a critical sixth stage. Many people look for “closure” after a loss. Kessler argues that it’s finding meaning beyond the stages of grief most of us are familiar with—denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance—that can transform grief into a more peaceful and hopeful experience. In this book, Kessler gives readers a roadmap to remembering those who have died with more love than pain; he shows us how to move forward in a way that honors our loved ones. Kessler’s insight is both professional and intensely personal. His journey with grief began when, as a child, he witnessed a mass shooting at the same time his mother was dying. For most of his life, Kessler taught physicians, nurses, counselors, police, and first responders about end of life, trauma, and grief, as well as leading talks and retreats for those experiencing grief. Despite his knowledge, his life was upended by the sudden death of his twenty-one-year-old son. How does the grief expert handle such a tragic loss? He knew he had to find a way through this unexpected, devastating loss, a way that would honor his son. That, ultimately, was the sixth state of grief—meaning. In Finding Meaning, Kessler shares the insights, collective wisdom, and powerful tools that will help those experiencing loss. Finding Meaning is a necessary addition to grief literature and a vital guide to healing from tremendous loss. This is an inspiring, deeply intelligent must-read for anyone looking to journey away from suffering, through loss, and towards meaning.


Book Synopsis Finding Meaning by : David Kessler

Download or read book Finding Meaning written by David Kessler and published by Scribner. This book was released on 2019-11-05 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this groundbreaking new work, David Kessler—an expert on grief and the coauthor with Elisabeth Kübler-Ross of the iconic On Grief and Grieving—journeys beyond the classic five stages to discover a sixth stage: meaning. In 1969, Elisabeth Kübler Ross first identified the stages of dying in her transformative book On Death and Dying. Decades later, she and David Kessler wrote the classic On Grief and Grieving, introducing the stages of grief with the same transformative pragmatism and compassion. Now, based on hard-earned personal experiences, as well as knowledge and wisdom earned through decades of work with the grieving, Kessler introduces a critical sixth stage. Many people look for “closure” after a loss. Kessler argues that it’s finding meaning beyond the stages of grief most of us are familiar with—denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance—that can transform grief into a more peaceful and hopeful experience. In this book, Kessler gives readers a roadmap to remembering those who have died with more love than pain; he shows us how to move forward in a way that honors our loved ones. Kessler’s insight is both professional and intensely personal. His journey with grief began when, as a child, he witnessed a mass shooting at the same time his mother was dying. For most of his life, Kessler taught physicians, nurses, counselors, police, and first responders about end of life, trauma, and grief, as well as leading talks and retreats for those experiencing grief. Despite his knowledge, his life was upended by the sudden death of his twenty-one-year-old son. How does the grief expert handle such a tragic loss? He knew he had to find a way through this unexpected, devastating loss, a way that would honor his son. That, ultimately, was the sixth state of grief—meaning. In Finding Meaning, Kessler shares the insights, collective wisdom, and powerful tools that will help those experiencing loss. Finding Meaning is a necessary addition to grief literature and a vital guide to healing from tremendous loss. This is an inspiring, deeply intelligent must-read for anyone looking to journey away from suffering, through loss, and towards meaning.

Grief Like a River

Grief Like a River

Author: Mea Smith

Publisher:

Published: 2021-07-10

Total Pages:

ISBN-13: 9781955173018

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"Even if the river dries to only morning dew and dust, the scar of it remains in the earth If the circumstances were prime, it could fill again, and that would be okay because I know why it flows now." Grief Like a River bares the iterative, complex process of grief through sincere, raw poetry. Smith's tender honesty delicately guides the reader through the human experience of loss. Her debut collection does not claim to be a solution or the final word on the matter. Rather, her personal revelations and inquiries offer companionship for those who have faced grief and for those who desire an example of hope. *This book includes a Reader's Guide*


Book Synopsis Grief Like a River by : Mea Smith

Download or read book Grief Like a River written by Mea Smith and published by . This book was released on 2021-07-10 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Even if the river dries to only morning dew and dust, the scar of it remains in the earth If the circumstances were prime, it could fill again, and that would be okay because I know why it flows now." Grief Like a River bares the iterative, complex process of grief through sincere, raw poetry. Smith's tender honesty delicately guides the reader through the human experience of loss. Her debut collection does not claim to be a solution or the final word on the matter. Rather, her personal revelations and inquiries offer companionship for those who have faced grief and for those who desire an example of hope. *This book includes a Reader's Guide*

Where the River Flows

Where the River Flows

Author: Rachel Havekost

Publisher:

Published: 2021-05-08

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9781736099216

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Where the River Flows is an honest, poetic, heartbreaking account of how my divorce catapulted me down a yearlong obsession to find the answer to the burning question I had every single day after my husband asked me for a divorce:"Why?"Was it my inability to show him love like he'd told me? Was it an old attachment wound, still unhealed and bubbling at the surface? Was it the sexual trauma I'd never resolved and carried into our marriage? Was it my very real and frequent urge to end my life? Or was it him? Was it his lack of understanding for my mental illness? His lost patience for me as I tirelessly worked through old wounds in therapy? Stress from the yearlong motorcycle trip of his dreams that I vowed to go on, and did just after our wedding day?As I spiraled myself around this question and fell deeper and deeper into a depression, as the binges became more intense and the purges returned for the first time in years, as the urges to die grew stronger and when I curled myself in a ball on the shower floor, banging my fists against my belly like I'd first done seventeen years before, I started to believe that what my husband said to me in our last few days together might be true: "It's like there are three people in our marriage. You, me, and your Eating Disorder. And sometimes I think you love her more than me."If you or someone you know has struggled with an Eating Disorder, sexual or developmental trauma, depression, anxiety, suicidal thinking, divorce, grief, then it is my hope you will find yourself and your loved ones in the pages of this memoir.You are not alone.


Book Synopsis Where the River Flows by : Rachel Havekost

Download or read book Where the River Flows written by Rachel Havekost and published by . This book was released on 2021-05-08 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Where the River Flows is an honest, poetic, heartbreaking account of how my divorce catapulted me down a yearlong obsession to find the answer to the burning question I had every single day after my husband asked me for a divorce:"Why?"Was it my inability to show him love like he'd told me? Was it an old attachment wound, still unhealed and bubbling at the surface? Was it the sexual trauma I'd never resolved and carried into our marriage? Was it my very real and frequent urge to end my life? Or was it him? Was it his lack of understanding for my mental illness? His lost patience for me as I tirelessly worked through old wounds in therapy? Stress from the yearlong motorcycle trip of his dreams that I vowed to go on, and did just after our wedding day?As I spiraled myself around this question and fell deeper and deeper into a depression, as the binges became more intense and the purges returned for the first time in years, as the urges to die grew stronger and when I curled myself in a ball on the shower floor, banging my fists against my belly like I'd first done seventeen years before, I started to believe that what my husband said to me in our last few days together might be true: "It's like there are three people in our marriage. You, me, and your Eating Disorder. And sometimes I think you love her more than me."If you or someone you know has struggled with an Eating Disorder, sexual or developmental trauma, depression, anxiety, suicidal thinking, divorce, grief, then it is my hope you will find yourself and your loved ones in the pages of this memoir.You are not alone.

Opening to Grief

Opening to Grief

Author: Claire Willis

Publisher: Red Wheel/Weiser

Published: 2022

Total Pages: 146

ISBN-13: 1590035267

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"Excellent and simple and as clear as a needed glass of water in the desert. I cannot think of a better companion for our current time." --Katy Butler, New York Times bestselling author of The Art of Dying Well All of us experience loss. Some of us have lost a spouse, a child, a parent, a beloved pet, a dear friend, or a neighbor. In the pandemic, we have lost hundreds of thousands of lives in the US and around the world. Many of us have lost our livelihoods. All of us have lost our familiar routines and textures of work, family, and community. And the losses are not over. Opening to Grief is a companion to this tender time. With the demeanor and tone of a loving friend, the authors offer an invitation to grieve fully, to turn toward your emotions and experiences however they arise, and to follow your own path toward healing. The book explores the deep truth that grief and love are richly intertwined. Because we love, we grieve. And when we fully feel our sorrow, we open to loving ourselves and other beings more deeply.


Book Synopsis Opening to Grief by : Claire Willis

Download or read book Opening to Grief written by Claire Willis and published by Red Wheel/Weiser. This book was released on 2022 with total page 146 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Excellent and simple and as clear as a needed glass of water in the desert. I cannot think of a better companion for our current time." --Katy Butler, New York Times bestselling author of The Art of Dying Well All of us experience loss. Some of us have lost a spouse, a child, a parent, a beloved pet, a dear friend, or a neighbor. In the pandemic, we have lost hundreds of thousands of lives in the US and around the world. Many of us have lost our livelihoods. All of us have lost our familiar routines and textures of work, family, and community. And the losses are not over. Opening to Grief is a companion to this tender time. With the demeanor and tone of a loving friend, the authors offer an invitation to grieve fully, to turn toward your emotions and experiences however they arise, and to follow your own path toward healing. The book explores the deep truth that grief and love are richly intertwined. Because we love, we grieve. And when we fully feel our sorrow, we open to loving ourselves and other beings more deeply.

Braving the Fire

Braving the Fire

Author: Jessica Handler

Publisher: Macmillan + ORM

Published: 2013-12-10

Total Pages: 218

ISBN-13: 1250014557

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Braving the Fire is the first book to provide a road map for the journey of writing honestly about mourning, grief and loss. Created specifically by and for the writer who has experienced illness, loss, or the death of a loved one, Braving the Fire takes the writers' perspective in exploring the challenges and rewards for the writer who has chosen, with courage and candor, to be the memory keeper. It will be useful to the memoirist just starting out, as well as those already in the throes of coming to terms with complicated emotions and the challenges of shaping a compelling, coherent true story. Loosely organized around the familiar Kübler-Ross model of Five Stages of Grief, Braving the Fire uses these stages to help the reader and writer though the emotional healing and writing tasks before them, incorporating interviews and excerpts from other treasured writers who've done the same. Insightful contributions from Nick Flynn, Darin Strauss, Kathryn Rhett, Natasha Trethewey, and Neil White, among others, are skillfully bended with Handler's own approaches to facing grief a second time to be able to write about it. Each section also includes advice and wisdom from leading doctors and therapists about the physical experience of grieving. Handler is a compassionate guide who has braved the fire herself, and delivers practical and inspirational direction throughout.


Book Synopsis Braving the Fire by : Jessica Handler

Download or read book Braving the Fire written by Jessica Handler and published by Macmillan + ORM. This book was released on 2013-12-10 with total page 218 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Braving the Fire is the first book to provide a road map for the journey of writing honestly about mourning, grief and loss. Created specifically by and for the writer who has experienced illness, loss, or the death of a loved one, Braving the Fire takes the writers' perspective in exploring the challenges and rewards for the writer who has chosen, with courage and candor, to be the memory keeper. It will be useful to the memoirist just starting out, as well as those already in the throes of coming to terms with complicated emotions and the challenges of shaping a compelling, coherent true story. Loosely organized around the familiar Kübler-Ross model of Five Stages of Grief, Braving the Fire uses these stages to help the reader and writer though the emotional healing and writing tasks before them, incorporating interviews and excerpts from other treasured writers who've done the same. Insightful contributions from Nick Flynn, Darin Strauss, Kathryn Rhett, Natasha Trethewey, and Neil White, among others, are skillfully bended with Handler's own approaches to facing grief a second time to be able to write about it. Each section also includes advice and wisdom from leading doctors and therapists about the physical experience of grieving. Handler is a compassionate guide who has braved the fire herself, and delivers practical and inspirational direction throughout.

Next Door Savior

Next Door Savior

Author: Max Lucado

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Published: 2012-12-31

Total Pages: 241

ISBN-13: 1418516945

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We applaud men for doing good things. We enshrine God for doing great things. But what about a man who does God things? One thing is certain. We can't ignore him. If these moments are factual, if the claim of Christ is actual, then he was, at once, man and God. The single most significant person who ever lived. Forget MVP. He is the entire league. The head of the parade? Hardly. No one else shares the street. Who comes close? Humanity's best and brightest fade like dime-store rubies next to him. Dismiss him? We can't. Resist him? Equally difficult. Why would we want to? Don't we need a God-man Savior? A just-God Jesus could make us, but not understand us. A just-man Jesus could love us, but never save us. But a God-man Jesus? Near enough to touch. Strong enough to trust. A next door Savior.


Book Synopsis Next Door Savior by : Max Lucado

Download or read book Next Door Savior written by Max Lucado and published by Thomas Nelson. This book was released on 2012-12-31 with total page 241 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: We applaud men for doing good things. We enshrine God for doing great things. But what about a man who does God things? One thing is certain. We can't ignore him. If these moments are factual, if the claim of Christ is actual, then he was, at once, man and God. The single most significant person who ever lived. Forget MVP. He is the entire league. The head of the parade? Hardly. No one else shares the street. Who comes close? Humanity's best and brightest fade like dime-store rubies next to him. Dismiss him? We can't. Resist him? Equally difficult. Why would we want to? Don't we need a God-man Savior? A just-God Jesus could make us, but not understand us. A just-man Jesus could love us, but never save us. But a God-man Jesus? Near enough to touch. Strong enough to trust. A next door Savior.

Doing Grief in Real Life

Doing Grief in Real Life

Author: Shea Darian

Publisher:

Published: 2022-02-28

Total Pages: 368

ISBN-13: 9780967571348

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Filled with healing wisdom, inspirational stories, and practical ideas, Doing Grief in Real Life is a personable, engaging, family-friendly guide that makes learning about grief a growth-inspiring, life-shifting event. Award-winning author Shea Darian offers her Model of Adaptive Grieving Dynamics as an invaluable compass to guide you on your way to healing. She'll inspire you to become your own best grief expert and encourage your loved ones of all ages to do the same. Read it and let the healing begin. Praise: "Shea Darian has done something remarkable-created a well-written, practical, soulful book designed for those who are actively grieving and those who want to know about the process of grief intellectually for themselves and others. Her emphasis on the wholeness of grief-body, mind, heart and spirit, is spot on. Her Model of Adaptive Grieving Dynamics is a welcome and timely addition to the field of grief. Doing Grief in Real Life is a sure guide, just as she is." (Jim Miller, D.Min., founder of Willowgreen, author of When Mourning Dawns); "Shea has written a book that speaks to the heart and soul of who we are as humans. The compass she offers us for navigating the change and loss that we will all experience is nothing short of life-changing. And Shea does it with a voice that embraces readers and makes them feel like they are sitting in their living room with her as she shares her wisdom. Doing Grief in Real Life will be a gift to all readers who have the good fortune to open up its pages." (Dr. David Boninger, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology, Glendale Community College) "Books come to us at special moments in our lives. Before I knew it, I was enmeshed, taking notes, and doing the Contemplations. Through stories, poetry, personal contemplations, helpful quotations, and research, Shea shows that each person's grief is unique. Her subtitle is "A Soulful Guide to Navigate Loss, Death & Change." She promises this, and she delivers it with grace and love." (Betty Staley, M.A., Waldorf Educator, author of Tending the Spark)


Book Synopsis Doing Grief in Real Life by : Shea Darian

Download or read book Doing Grief in Real Life written by Shea Darian and published by . This book was released on 2022-02-28 with total page 368 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Filled with healing wisdom, inspirational stories, and practical ideas, Doing Grief in Real Life is a personable, engaging, family-friendly guide that makes learning about grief a growth-inspiring, life-shifting event. Award-winning author Shea Darian offers her Model of Adaptive Grieving Dynamics as an invaluable compass to guide you on your way to healing. She'll inspire you to become your own best grief expert and encourage your loved ones of all ages to do the same. Read it and let the healing begin. Praise: "Shea Darian has done something remarkable-created a well-written, practical, soulful book designed for those who are actively grieving and those who want to know about the process of grief intellectually for themselves and others. Her emphasis on the wholeness of grief-body, mind, heart and spirit, is spot on. Her Model of Adaptive Grieving Dynamics is a welcome and timely addition to the field of grief. Doing Grief in Real Life is a sure guide, just as she is." (Jim Miller, D.Min., founder of Willowgreen, author of When Mourning Dawns); "Shea has written a book that speaks to the heart and soul of who we are as humans. The compass she offers us for navigating the change and loss that we will all experience is nothing short of life-changing. And Shea does it with a voice that embraces readers and makes them feel like they are sitting in their living room with her as she shares her wisdom. Doing Grief in Real Life will be a gift to all readers who have the good fortune to open up its pages." (Dr. David Boninger, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology, Glendale Community College) "Books come to us at special moments in our lives. Before I knew it, I was enmeshed, taking notes, and doing the Contemplations. Through stories, poetry, personal contemplations, helpful quotations, and research, Shea shows that each person's grief is unique. Her subtitle is "A Soulful Guide to Navigate Loss, Death & Change." She promises this, and she delivers it with grace and love." (Betty Staley, M.A., Waldorf Educator, author of Tending the Spark)