Coping with / advice about death and bereavement Books

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Book SynopsisThis book offers an in-depth sociological analysis of parent and professional experience of baby loss, examining the role that post-mortem can play in the wider context of bereavement. -- .

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Book SynopsisGrief isn't always the result of something finite, marking a death or complete end. Soul-shattering grief can also be activated by a dramatic shift in an important relationship, such as a divorce or significant breakup, a life-changing medical diagnosis, or a broken connection with an addicted child. How do we grieve people who are still alive, but no longer who they once were to us?Most people will experience this type of traumatic event over the course of their lifetime, yet the complications of these situations often leave grievers feeling alienated or ashamed. Soulbroken is a guidebook that recognizes this often-misunderstood grief, validates the unique challenges posed by its ambiguity, and champions tools for healing. In it, Stephanie Sarazin presents the ambiguous grief process, offering insights to help readers better understand the nuances of their grief experience when a loved one is not lost to death. With intimate stories of others' path to recovery using Sarazin's advice, this book will help anyone ready to find a way through their own grief, regardless of where they are on their journey.

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Book SynopsisAt the age of thirty-nine, Christian theologian Todd Billings was diagnosed with a rare form of incurable cancer. In the wake of that diagnosis, he began grappling with the hard theological questions we face in the midst of crisis: Why me? Why now? Where is God in all of this? This eloquently written book shares Billings's journey, struggle, and reflections on providence, lament, and life in Christ in light of his illness, moving beyond pat answers toward hope in God's promises. Theologically robust yet eminently practical, it engages the open questions, areas of mystery, and times of disorientation in the Christian life. Billings offers concrete examples through autobiography, cultural commentary, and stories from others, showing how our human stories of joy and grief can be incorporated into the larger biblical story of God's saving work in Christ.Table of ContentsContents1. Walking in the Fog: A Narrowed Future or a Spacious Place?2. Sorting through the Questions: The Book of Job, the Problem of Evil, and the Limits of Human Wisdom3. Lamenting in Trust: Praying with the Psalmist amid a Sea of Emotions4. Lamenting to the Almighty: Discerning the Mystery of Divine Providence5. Joining the Resistance: Lament and Compassionate Witness to the Present and Future King6. Death in the Story of God and in the Church7. Praying for Healing and Praying for the Kingdom8. In the Valley: Toxins, Healing, and Strong Medicine for Sinners9. The Light of Perfect Love in the Darkness: God's Impassible Love in Christ10. "I Am Not My Own": Our Story Incorporated into Christ's

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Book SynopsisTold through the eyes and heart of an interfaith hospice chaplain, The Three Regrets shares stories of remarkable men and women who have struggled with regrets. Some harbored them until the very end. Others embraced them as opportunities to resolve their regrets and live life fully… celebrating strength, the power of choice, and peace.

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Book SynopsisSurviving the Fourth Cycle is a uniquely-told, true story about overcoming suicide, for anyone affected by the harsh realities of mental illness. Nathan Daniels rips his closet door off its hinges and the skeletons come rattling out through his intense writing. Read along as he picks through the bones, examining the powerful relationships and experiences that have led to both his struggle to function in society and his ability to persevere.

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Book SynopsisA Grief and Trauma Recovery and Wellness Guide"Such a wise, gentle book, born of great loss, on healing, grief and transformation."─Anne Lamott, American novelist and non-fiction writerFinalist 2020 Indie Book Award for Mind, Body and SpiritHow inspired qualities and affirmations helped one mother honor her loved one, cope with grief, and give grief meaning. Help through the mourning process using self-healing methods. How do you make sense of loss and tragedy? After the sudden and devastating loss of her infant daughter, Lily Dulan (a marriage and family therapist, psychotherapist and certified yoga teacher) meditated, prayed, and ruminated on the only thing she had left–her baby girl’s name. In Lily’s courage to address and move through her pain, she developed a cross pollination of proven psychological modalities, 12-step wellness tools, spiritual healing applications, meditations, and ancient yoga. She calls this self-help process “The Name Work”. In her heartfelt memoir, Lily shares her healing journey and her method for unleashing the power in names and giving them special meaning to help move through the grief process in a thoughtful and transformative way.What’s in a name? Meanings! The Name Work method teaches you how to assign special meaning and qualities to the letters in names–a deceased loved one’s or your own–and how to create positive affirmations for each letter’s attribute. It is a tangible and personal self-healing method for whatever obstacles arise; a unique, new wellness tool for healing and self-discovery.The Name Work also includes: Affirmations, self-guided questions, meditations, and practices An A-Z dictionary of qualities to help create your own affirmations Life hacks for addictive behaviors and moving though trauma and loss A first-hand account of the author’s personal healing journey If you benefited from books like Finding Meaning, It’s OK That You’re Not OK, or Healing After Loss, then you’ll be inspired by Giving Grief Meaning.

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Book SynopsisAs a therapist, Dr. Sherry Walling knew all the “right” things to say to help people through grief. But when she lost her father and her brother within six months of each other, she learned how much our current thinking about grief has to change. “There is no precise GPS for getting through grief,” says Dr. Walling. “And truth be told, we never arrive on the other side. It is a landscape we live in now.” In Touching Two Worlds, this trusted expert dares to open the inner workings of her own grief - and in the process, provides a clear map for anyone searching for hope in the aftermath of loss. The book is the ideal gift to bring comfort to friends and family when there are few helpful words to say - written with honesty, gentle humor, and deep understanding. Dr. Walling shares moving personal stories while offering a broad range of healing strategies and exercises for those currently moving through grief - like how to talk to bereaved people, cry on airplanes, and cope with survivor’s guilt. These are tips from someone who has been there, as well as approaches supported by her professional experience with her own patients. Touching Two Worlds is a story of love, sadness, and renewal. Whether your loss is recent and sharp or old and familiar, Dr. Walling delivers wise and tender guidance through this new land - to carry the weight of grief while finding your own path forward.

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Book Synopsis"A startling debut... This book will make you want to hold everyone you love close, reminding you that life may be fleeting but the people in it never are." PICKED FOR ESQUIRE MAGAZINE'S BEST BOOKS OF 2022Best Books of 2022 - Picked by Readers - FINANCIAL TIMES When Freddy was 21 years old, his dad, a larger-than-life, successful TV producer, was diagnosed with glioblastoma, a particularly aggressive type of brain cancer. In vivid snapshots, Freddy recalls the ups and downs of an impossible time - from the entertaining antics of a wine-gum tossing competition in a hospital ward, to the comi-tragedy of trying to decipher his father's muddled riddles as his speech disintegrates, to painful moments of regret and self-loathing as he squanders precious time.Don't Put Yourself on Toast is a bittersweet coming-of-age memoir which shows how the power of humour and laughter can provide, even in our darkest moments, sustenance, comfort and hope.Trade Review'A book close to my heart. A tragicomic triumph told with love and humour, revealing how out of darkness comes so much light.' -- TOM DALEY'A startling debut... This book will make you want to hold everyone you love close, reminding you that life may be fleeting but the people in it never are.' -- Olivia Ovenden * Esquire magazine *'It takes quite a talent to make a reader smile and cry at the same time. This is exactly what Freddy Taylor manages to do in Don't Put Yourself on Toast. This book is light and deep, funny and sad, but, essentially, full of love.' -- Sonia Delesalle-Stolper, chief foreign editor * Libération *'An utterly fresh, unconventional memoir about realising what is important in life - and seizing it while it is still there.' -- Iona McLaren * The Telegraph *Life-affirming... Don't Put Yourself on Toast faces mortality head-on - and teaches us how to live... I read [the last] lines in tears, then found myself humming along and laughing. -- Helen Brown * Telegraph Review *'[Taylor] intersperses humorous anecdotes that he jotted down at the time, with more sobering medical notes taken by his stepmother. His writing is fresh, never sugar-coated, and full of hope, and the love and comfort of family shines through the fear and desperation.' * The Tablet *'Comedy and tragedy exist side by side and, in this snappy memoir, Freddy Taylor conveys both the utter awfulness of his father's two-year descent from diagnosis to death, and the moments of hilarity the family had on the way.' -- Ysenda Maxtone Graham * Daily Mail *'Powerful snapshots of love and grief... Always sad, often uplifting, this will stay with you.' -- Phoebe Luckhurst * Evening Standard *'[The book] reads like a Beckettian tragi-comedy, dark and light in equal measure, paired with a coming-of-age spirit, all the while peering through a grim foreboding.' -- Kate Demolder * The Irish Independent *'Deeply moving and, surprisingly, very funny' -- JACK WHITEHALL'It is so engaging that I challenge anyone to read the book in more than one sitting.... Taylor is funny because he observes the absurdity of human behaviour so accurately. But there are also moments of profound tear-jerking sadness.' -- Olenka Hamilton * Catholic Herald *

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Book Synopsis'Insightful, wise and life-affirming' Observer'Turns death into life, despair into hope, sorrow into joy' Stephen FryIn Radical Acts of Love, Janie Brown, oncology nurse and counsellor, offers a sensitive and wise insight into our final moments by recounting twenty conversations she has had with people who were dying.Trade ReviewJanie Brown demonstrates the power of a book to transform, in fact to turn things upside down. She turns death into life, despair into hope, sorrow into joy and pain into love with these twenty astonishing encounters with the dying . . . Unforgettably wise, kind and wonderful -- STEPHEN FRYA book about love as much as it is about death . . . This is a glorious book that I would not hesitate to give to anyone facing an unwelcome diagnosis or prognosis of their own or of a loved one. It is kind and practical. . I learned so much and feel glad that it exists and convinced that many people will be helped by Brown's generous sharing of more than 30 years' experience of working with the dying -- CATHY RENTZENBRINK * * The Times * *Brown is a deeply compassionate and sensitive interlocutor and these accounts brim with humanity . . . Insightful, wise and life-affirming, Brown's book teaches us that sharing someone's final weeks is perhaps the most radical act of love we can offer * * Observer * *Compassionate, sensitive and heart-warming tales of the one thing in life that's certain -- PROFESSOR STEPHEN WESTABY * * Sunday Times bestselling author of Fragile Lives * *For a book that concerns itself with so many ways of coming to terms with death, this remarkable book is hugely life-affirming. It makes you think not just of how you might want to approach death, but of how you might want to live. These conversations from the heart of dying are bold, gracious, often witty and full of love. They accompany you in the dark. Then they let the light in -- JACKIE KAYBrown's writing can be elegant and powerful . . . The book reframes what it means to heal, which we usually associate with recovery and, therefore, the continuation of life * * Guardian * *Remarkable . . . Everyone ought to read this book, because we are all going to die, and this book will help us to do it with grace and courage. More than that: it will help us help our loved ones to die without fear or regret. What greater gift than that can a book bestow on the reader? -- RICHARD HOLLOWAYThere is no one on earth who cannot benefit from reading this book. The insights, perspectives and wisdom in Radical Acts of Love can transform our approach to the end of life from fear to a sense of adventure -- RACHEL NAOMI REMEN * * author of Kitchen Table Wisdom * *The most surprising and beautiful travel guide to a journey we will all have to make. Janie Brown has accompanied many great souls through their final days on Earth, and what she has learned she offers us now in this exquisite book about life -- CHRIS CLEAVEThis book is itself a radical act of love . . . Reading the stories of these humans, compassionate, ordinary and profound, will help you be with the dying, and to be with yourself amidst the dying. Like the best books of every genre, this one is wrought with beauty, great care and attention, and can teach us all how not to look away -- PAM HOUSTON * * author of Deep Creek * *

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Book SynopsisSilver Butterfly Wings is my story. It’s a story of transformation, of the many paths and decisions I faced while going through the process of grief. My husband had died and I was utterly shattered; could not imagine a life without him. Then signs from the other side appeared, filling me with hope: flickering lights, hawks flying overhead, our song on the radio, a butterfly’s silvery wings, a hot spot on his side of the bed. At first I was sceptical. How could my dearly departed be sending signs and messages from across the veil? Over time I learned to trust these signs, these gifts from Spirit. There was a reason I was still here. I was meant to go on, to live my life with passion. I was to figure out who I was becoming in this totally different world and trust that life was taking me where I was meant to be. In short, I was to transform - like a butterfly.

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Book Synopsis250,000 people die in the UK each year, and almost half will have a Christian funeral service. Preaching at a funeral is a vital part of pastoral ministry, but too often funeral sermons consist of generalities and platitudes used for multiple services rather than illuminating the hope gifted to us by the resurrection. In There is Hope veteran pastor Paul Beasley-Murray offers practical advice to help Christian leaders craft meaningful, biblically driven sermons and preach with confidence and compassion at funeral services. Drawing on his years of experience, he offers a sensitive, pastorally rich exposition of twenty key Bible passages, exploring how preachers can draw on them to show the hope beyond death that the Gospel offers. Alongside are funeral sermon examples that he has preached himself, as well as ideas, outlines and guidance for writing your own. There is Hope is the perfect book for ordinands and preachers who are new to giving funeral sermons, as well as for experienced preachers and pastors wanting to improve and grow in their pastoral ministry and are looking for new ideas for funeral sermons. Full of biblical depth, this guide will equip priests and pastors with all the tools they need to deliver comforting funeral sermons that truly deliver the message that even in death, in the Gospel there is hope.Trade ReviewThis is a unique and treasure-laden book that provides a rich resource for the preacher tasked with preaching into the important but often difficult occasion of a funeral. In the hands of a master exegete and honed pastor the reader is led on a hope-filled journey that models how one can powerfully yet sensitively bring the good news of Jesus into the nuances of grief and loss in a multitude of contexts. This is an excellent book, and it ought to be on the shelves of every preacher. * Rev Jitesh Patel, Assistant Director of St Mellitus College East Midlands, convener of the New Wine Preaching Conferences *I wish I had been given this book when I first entered ministry. The Biblical exegesis is extremely helpful which should come as no surprise given his academic rigour, and his ability to communicate is second to none. I devoured this book like a hungry man presented with a hearty meal, and I would encourage anyone involved in the ministry to the bereaved to feast on its delights too. This is a great book, and it deserves to be widely read. * Pastor Rob James BA BD, Baptist Minister, Writer and Broadcaster Executive Chair Evangelical Alliance Wales *Thoughtful, appropriate, well-researched, theologically literate, interestingly communicated and with a fitting evangelistic edge: a wonderful resource which will enrich the ministry of many. * From the foreword by Derek Tidball, former pastor and principal of the London School of Theology *There is Hope It is biblically rich in content and theologically challenging in tone. It is pastorally full of practical insights as the author generously shares from his comprehensive experience of ministering to the bereaved. The rising popularity of direct cremations and humanist ceremonies reflects the spirit of the age, which has little to say about life after death. This book skilfully demonstrates that funerals are the opportunity to exercise pastoral care to the bereaved whilst ministering God’s grace to those who mourn. Death is a moment in life when our human vulnerabilities are left bare. There is Hope bears witness to the unique Christian tradition of the funeral service. Tributes are given to a good life while celebrating the unsurpassed goodness of the God of all comfort. * The Revd David Coffey OBE, Former General Secretary of the Baptist Union of GB, Past President of the Baptist World Alliance. *I sometimes think that funerals in churches presided over by ministers of the gospel demonstrate the worst of the church, not the best. Either the very lack of confidence in the Christian hope results in an absence of the story of Jesus, replaced merely by the fine words of a eulogy about the deceased; or a hectoring evangelism that exploits the congregation at a sensitive moment, and probably confirms in the minds of those who do not normally attend church the very reasons they avoid church as much as possible. Thankfully, Paul Beasley Murray, as an experienced and wise pastor and skilful exegete, avoids both and instead provides preachers at funerals with sermons, and the principles behind them, that contain faith-filled content and sensitivity of heart, profoundly declaring the Christian hope, without abusing those grief-stricken individuals in the congregation with a shallow evangelistic appeal. There is both the generosity of God's mercy and the truth about Jesus in these sermons. * Revd. Dr. Paul Goodliff, General Secretary, Churches Together in England *

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Book SynopsisVanessa May gives a moving account of what she went through after the unexpected death of her son, demonstrating that it's possible to survive such a shattering and traumatic loss, even when that might feel impossible. By sharing her personal experience, the author enables others who have gone through a similar loss to feel less isolated in their grief. She also provides advice on supporting physical, emotional, mental and spiritual wellbeing using her experience - not just as a bereaved mother, but as a nutritional therapist, wellbeing coach and now holistic grief coach. She offers the reader various tools for withstanding a devastating loss and for navigating a particularly challenging path. Love Untethered is about holding on to hope when it feels like there isn’t any, and about finding purpose as a means of surviving a devastating and life-changing bereavement.

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Book SynopsisThe quiet letting go of Autumn, the reflective stillness of Winter, the bright rebirth of Spring, and the flourishing warmth of Summer trace the natural path of grief as it grows and changes to fit the spaces left behind by those we love. Easy-to-use exercise guides and activities invite readers to explore the changeable nature of grief through the ebb and flow of the seasons.As well as contributions from diverse creative practitioners, poems from Dr. Robert Neimeyer and reflections from Claudia Coenen create a starting point to delve into the emotional context of each chapter, encouraging the reader to view each personal account and case study through the lens of a different phase of grief. This heart-centred, compassionate approach infuses bereavement therapy with much-needed warmth, supporting clinically-proven techniques to guide users towards practical, healthy ways of processing their loss. Bringing together voices and art from across the spectrum of creative grief therapy, Coenen provides an accessible, compassionate guide to supporting those coping with bereavement throughout their journey.Trade ReviewThis poetically and aesthetically crafted volume of creative interventions for bereavement care is a wonderful resource for those facing loss and grief. Grounded in empirical science and informed by rich clinical experiences, it is an excellent contribution to the field of Thanatology. -- Dr Andy Hau Yan Ho, PhD, EdD, MFT, Immediate Past President, Association for Death Education and Counseling; Head of Psychology, Associate Professor of Psychology and Medicine, Nanyang Technological University.In Seasons of Grief Claudia Coenen has collected a rich, inspiring treasure trove of stories, reflections, guided meditations, art projects and suggestions to explore the world of creativity in the territory of grief. The chapters flow brilliantly with the cycle of seasons-- a superb way to organize all these powerful and splendidly varied approaches to creative expression. I look forward to regularly using In Seasons of Grief as a valuable resource for my grieving clients. Thank you, Claudia! -- Alexandra Kennedy MA MFT author of Honoring Grief, Losing a Parent, The Infinite Thread: Healing Relationships Beyond Loss and How Did I Miss All This Before: Waking Up to the Magic of Our Ordinary Lives.Seasons of Grief is a beautiful journey through the natural healing power of creative expression in grief. This book is filled with wisdom and compassion and is a gift for both grieving people and providers alike. There are so many creative methods, prompts, stories, activities and insight for the energy of grief and transformation to be channelled into expression, no one will put this book down without feeling inspired to create and explore their capacity to create. Thanks to Coenen and all the contributors for this exceptional book. -- Karla Helbert, MS, LPC, C-IAYT, author of Yoga for Grief & Loss, The Chakras in Grief and Trauma: A tantric Guide to Energetic Wholeness, and Finding Your Own Way to Grieve: A Creative Activity Workbook for Kids & Teens on the Autism SpectrumSeasons of Grief taps into a deep inner wisdom. In doing so, it achieves what I wish more of Psychology did; to move with the seasons, to acknowledge the wisdom of nature, and to celebrate our instinct to create. -- Dr Jennifer Dayes, Registered Counselling Psychologist

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Book SynopsisSupporting the Child and the Family in Paediatric Palliative Care provides a comprehensive overview of good practice in caring for terminally-ill children, young people and their families.Drawing from extensive personal experiences of working in paediatric palliative care, the author provides guidance on issues including symptom management and pain relief; cultural, religious and spiritual aspects of care; and the role of education for life-limited children. Addressing the importance of individual needs, the book looks at emotional, social and cognitive support at different stages of the illness, how parents and professionals can respond to children's own questions about death, and the impact of life-limiting illness on the whole family - including grandparents and siblings. The material offers helpful suggestions on how to support families in making informed choices during distressing periods, such as where their child will die and how to prepare for the funeral.This book is a practical and invaluable tool for nurses, paediatricians, hospice care staff, bereavement counsellors and all those caring for life-limited children.Trade ReviewA book with practical ideas, supported by references from the literature and the findings of recent research projects. -- Educational Book ReviewThe book will be invaluable to anyone thinking of working in this area and will also service those already established in this field. I highly recommend it. -- Nursing StandardUseful practical help is offered on the support of children and families as they make difficult choices at very stressful times, this will be appreciated by all professionals working in this area... Supporting the Child and the Family in Pediatric Care is a most helpful and accessible book... The multi disciplinary approach would make it a useful tool to all medical, pastoral or support staff. -- Evelyn Cairns, Scottish Journal of Healthcare ChaplaincyTable of ContentsForeword. Introduction. Introduction to Paediatric Palliative Care. 1. The Historical Background of Paediatric Palliative Care. 2. Working Collaboratively. Responding to Holistic Needs from Diagnosis through to Terminal Care and Bereavement. 3. Assessment of Needs and Models of Care. 4. Managing Children's Pain. 5. The End of Life Phase of Care. 6. Administrative and Practical Requirements When a Child Dies. 7. The Child's Funeral. 8. Counselling Support. 9. The Financial Impact of Caring. Meeting Individual Needs. 10. Children's Developmental Understanding and Emotional Response to Death and Dying. 11. The Impact of Life-limiting Illness on the Family. 12. Continuing Bonds. 13. Working with Siblings of Life-limited Children. 14. Grandparent Support. 15. Religious, Cultural, Secular and Spiritual Aspects of Care. 16. Post Mortem, Organ Donation and Tissue Retention. 17. The Education of the Life-limited Child. 18. Transition from Paediatric Palliative Care to Adult Services. 19. Acknowledging Staff Stress and Providing Support. The Way Forward. 20. Maintaining the Quality of Care. 21. The Role of Research and Development in Children's Hospices. References. Subject Index. Author Index.

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Book Synopsis***A SUNDAY TIMES AND INDEPENDENT BOOK OF THE YEAR AND INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER***The bestselling author of Everything Happens for a Reason (And Other Lies I've Loved) asks, how do you move forward with a life you didn't choose?Hailed by Glennon Doyle as 'the Christian Joan Didion', Kate Bowler used to accept the modern idea that life is an endless horizon of possibilities, a series of choices which if made correctly, would lead us to a place just out of our reach. A beach body by summer. A trip to Disneyland around the corner. A promotion on the horizon. But then at thirty-five she was diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer, and now she has to ask one of the most fundamental questions of all: How do we create meaning in our lives when the life we hoped for is put on hold indefinitely?In No Cure for Being Human, Kate searches for a way forward as she mines the wisdom (and absurdity) of our modern 'best life now' advice industry, which offers us exhausting positivity, trying to convince us that we can out-eat, out-learn and out-perform our humanness. With dry wit and unflinching honesty she grapples with her cancer diagnosis, her ambition and her faith and searches for some kind of peace with her limitations in a culture that says that anything is possible.Frank and funny, dark and wise, Kate's irreverent, hard-won observations in No Cure For Being Human chart a bold path towards learning new ways to live.Trade ReviewA clear-eyed, beautifully written account of coming to terms with that fact that "so often the experiences that define us are the ones we didn't pick" * The Sunday Times *'Dry, witty and compassionate; a balm for the prickly soul' * The Independent *A breathtaking, utterly beautiful memoir about what it means to be human. No Cure for Being Human reminds us of all the horrors and beauty of this precious life. Kate Bowler is an incredible writer with something important to tell us. I'll be pressing this book into the hands of everyone I know, and I'll be hugging my kids so hard tonight too. * Christie Watson, bestselling author of The Language of Kindness and The Courage to Care *I began reading No Cure for Being Human after dinner one evening and didn't move until I finished the last gorgeous page. As I finally put this masterpiece down, I thought: Kate Bowler is the only one we can trust to tell us the truth. Bowler is a prophet and her new offering is another true gift to the world. This book will open minds and warm hearts. * Glennon Doyle, bestselling author of Untamed *If you want your life changed and your heart expanded - and to laugh - read this amazing, amazing book. * Julia Samuel, bestselling author of Grief Works and This Too Shall Pass *

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"In the beginning, I lived day to day, sometimes even hour to hour. I was pleased at the end of the day, to have survived, more or less. Now I know, I am strong. Life continues, for which I am glad." For Julia Engelhorn life divides into the Before and After. There was a time Before, when her life was filled with the joys and struggles of parenthood, when she was run off her feet trying to take care of a seven year old and three year old twins Octavia and Maximo. And then there was a time After, when her world was encased in darkness, when there was only one child left and she had become a member of a club that no one wants to join. On 6 April 2016 Julia went to pick up her three children from the rental home of her ex- husband Mario Deus where he had been taking care of them over the Easter holidays. Although it had been a difficult couple of years, Julia hoped that now the divorce was finalised they could get their relationship on a better and more stable footing for the sake of the children. Nothing could have prepared her for what happened that day. On arrival to the house, Mario told her to pick up a knife because he intended to kill her. When she asked what was happening he said that the twins were dead. Julia's world shattered in that moment, she ran to the bedroom where she thought her children were asleep, only to find their lifeless bodies. This is the story of her Before and After - a story of healing after unimaginable loss. Precious Scars is Julia's inspiring story of how she put herself back together again after being broken apart by unthinkable loss. It is about finding a way through impenetrable grief and learning to love, laugh and sing again. "The scars I carry with me, inside me, are a reminder of what I have survived. From the broken pieces of my old self, something new was created, just as beautiful, but different."

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Book Synopsis‘Grief is a new landscape. The roads ahead are unfamiliar, and there are no signs to point the way. Those of us who have been there before cannot tell you the right way, but we can talk of how we found our own way, and how we kept breathing and moving in spite of ourselves in the hope it might bring you some peace. Step by step. Day by day.’ A Landscape of Grief presents, as daily readings, excerpts from a diary kept by inspirational artist and writer Jenny Hawke in the days, weeks and months following the death of her husband Peter. The written reflections are combined with a selection of Jenny’s beautiful paintings to help as you navigate your own journey through grief. This book will also help those who want to support others who are grieving.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"A New Yorker Best Book We've Read This Year""An elegant and useful rumination on resilience as a practice, achievable through study, creation, companionship, and deep reflection." * New Yorker *"A concise exploration of how three major 19th-century thinkers overcame the experience of personal tragedy. . . . Three Roads Back is Richardson’s legacy condensed, his grace note to posterity, the massive effort behind his three great books . . . refracted in the shimmering prism of a hundred pages of perfectly polished prose. . . . [A] lovely, uplifting book."---Christoph Irmscher, Wall Street Journal"[An] extraordinarily cogent and exquisitely concise exploration of the life-affecting course of early grief."---Diane Cole, Washington Post"[A] profound volume. . . . [Richardson] suggests that [Emerson, Thoreau, and James’s] responses to loss can help guide modern-day readers who are navigating bereavement themselves. . . . [An] elegant and affecting book."---Barbara Spindel, Christian Science Monitor"[A] slim but profoundly affecting volume." * Christian Science Monitor *"A book worth savoring, especially if you’re grappling with grief and loss. . . . [a] beautifully authentic book. . . . Richardson is an excellent guide."---Emily Blackshear, Brooklyn Rail"Stimulating. . . . [Three Roads Back is] a moving, candid group portrait. Fans and students of American literature will find this worth picking up." * Publishers Weekly *"[A] remarkably rich study. . . . [Richardson] expertly frames the emotional and intellectual lives of these three significant artistic figures and demonstrates the relevance, for anyone, of what they accomplished in their profound negotiations with loss. . . . A stirring and keenly perceptive examination of bereavement and recovery." * Kirkus Reviews starred review *"[A] moving study."---Gordon Fraser, Times Literary Supplement"Three Roads Back [is Richardson’s] final gift to the world."---Paul Krause, University Bookman"The effect of this little volume, which looks hardly more than a pamphlet, is wholly out of proportion to its modest dimensions. . . . Three Roads Back is not only a consideration of the thought and actions of a group of singular historical figures: it is also a treatise for our time."---John Banville, New York Review of Books

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Book SynopsisA journal for meeting grief with honesty and kindness-honoring loss, rather than packing it away With her breakout book It's OK That You're Not OK, Megan Devine struck a chord with thousands of readers through her honest, validating approach to grief. In her same direct, no-platitudes style, she now offers How to Carry What Can't Be Fixed-a journal filled with unique, creative ways to open a dialogue with grief itself. "Being allowed to tell the truth about your grief is an incredibly powerful act," she says, "This journal enables you to tell your whole story, without the need to tack on a happy ending where there isn't one." Grief is a natural response to death and loss-it's not a problem to be fixed. This workbook contains no cliches, timetables, or checklists of stages to get through; it won't help you "move on" or put your loss behind you. Instead, you'll find encouragement, self-care exercises, daily tools, tear-and-share resources to help you educate friends and allies, and prompts to help you honor your pain and heartbreak. "Your grief has an intelligence of its own," Devine writes. "Let it tell you what it knows." With How to Carry What Can't Be Fixed, this pioneering author brings you an essential resource to help you enter a conversation with your grief, find your own truth, and live into the life you didn't ask for-but is here nonetheless.

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Book SynopsisA poem to mortality and the beauty of how we can cope with it.Atul Gawande, author of Being MortalNew York Timesbestselling artist Wendy MacNaughton shares wisdom from hospice caregivers: how to be, when to help, what to saywith full-color drawings throughout.As artist-in-residence at the Zen Hospice Project Guest House in San Francisco, Wendy MacNaughton witnessed firsthand how difficult it is to know what to do when we're sharing final moments with a loved one. In this tenderly illustrated guide to saying goodbye, MacNaughton shows how to make sure those moments are meaningful. Using a framework of the five things taught to her by a professional caregiver, How to Say Goodbye provides a model for having conversations of love, respect, and closure: with the words I forgive you, Please forgive me, Thank you, I love you, and Goodbye, each oriented toward finding mutual peace and understanding when it matters most.With a foreword by renowned physician and author BJ Miller, and practical resources, How to Say Goodbye features MacNaughton's drawn-from-life artwork from both the Zen Hospice Project Guest House and her own aunt's bedside as she died, paired with gentle advice from hospice caregivers on creating a positive sensory experience, acknowledging what you can't control, and sharing memories and gratitude. A poignant guide to embracing the present and deepening relationships during great vulnerability, How to Say Goodbye shows that just as there is no one right way to live a good life, there is no one right way to say goodbye. Whether we're confused, scared, or uncertain, this book is a starting point.

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Book SynopsisNEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Passionate advocate for end-of-life care and TikTok star Hadley Vlahos shares moving stories of joy, wisdom, and redemption from her patients’ final moments in this “brilliant” (Zibby Owens, Good Morning America) memoir. “This extraordinary book helps dispel fear around death and dying—revealing it to be a natural part of our soul’s evolution.”—Laura Lynne Jackson, New York Times bestselling author of Signs and The Light Between UsTalking about death and dying is considered taboo in polite company, and even in the medical field. Our ideas about dying are confusing at best: Will our memories flash before our eyes? Regrets consume our thoughts? Does a bright light appear at the end of a tunnel? For most people, it will be a slower process, one eased with preparedness, good humor, and a bit of faith. At the forefront of changing attitudes around palliative care is hospice nurse Hadley Vlahos, who shows that end-of-life care can teach us just as much about how to live as it does about how we die. Vlahos was raised in a strict religious household, but began questioning her beliefs in high school after the sudden death of a friend. When she got pregnant at nineteen, she was shunned by her community and enrolled herself in nursing school to be able to support herself and her baby. But nursing soon became more than a job: when she focused on palliative care and hospice work, it became a calling.  In The In-Between, Vlahos recounts the most impactful experiences she’s had with the people she’s worked with—from the woman who never once questioned her faith until she was close to death, to the older man seeing visions of his late daughter, to the young patient who laments that she spent too much of her short life worrying about what others thought of her—while also sharing her own fascinating journey. Written with profound insight, humility, and respect, The In-Between is a heartrending memoir that shows how caring for others can transform a life while also offering wisdom and comfort for those dealing with loss and providing inspiration for how to live now.

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Book Synopsis*The basis for the wonderfully funny and moving TV series developed by Amy Poehler and Scout Productions* A charming, practical, and unsentimental approach to putting a home in order while reflecting on the tiny joys that make up a long life.In Sweden there is a kind of decluttering called döstädning, dö meaning “death” and städning meaning “cleaning.” This surprising and invigorating process of clearing out unnecessary belongings can be undertaken at any age or life stage but should be done sooner than later, before others have to do it for you. In The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning, artist Margareta Magnusson, with Scandinavian humor and wisdom, instructs readers to embrace minimalism. Her radical and joyous method for putting things in order helps families broach sensitive conversations, and makes the process uplifting rather than overwhelming. Margareta suggests which

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Book SynopsisIn Ordinary Deaths, Dr. Samuel LeBaron reminds us of our need for human connection when experiencing death and loss. Based on more than thirty years of working with children and adults dying from cancer, LeBaron’s memoir contains stories of longing, confusion, love, and humility—often woven together. Sharing recollections from his childhood in rural Alberta and experiences from his career, LeBaron reveals a life of vital, intimate connection with others. His employment at a morgue during medical school, his early years as a clinical psychologist, and later careers in primary care and hospice in California, all translate into compassion and a deep understanding of death. Writing as he faces his own terminal illness—Stage IV lung cancer—LeBaron helps readers find acceptance and solace.Trade ReviewSamuel LeBaron … has collected his lessons from a lifelong dance with death into a profound memoir…. LeBaron’s recollections brim with emotional insights, celebrate the virtue of honesty between caregiver and patient, and authentically depict the value of letting each person find their particular way to peace and acceptance…. Ordinary Deaths reminds us that each individual’s path to death is as different and unique as their own life has been. In our death-denying world, that is extraordinary indeed.” John Terauds, Quill & Quire, August 31, 2022 [Full review at https://quillandquire.com/review/ordinary-deaths-stories-from-memory/]"Writing [Ordinary Deaths] was a 15-year process made all the more poignant by the fact that LeBaron is, himself, dying. Two and a half years ago, LeBaron was diagnosed with stage-4 lung cancer…. LeBaron’s ability to hold space for the uncertainty, mystery and doubts we have about dying is anything but ordinary." Deb Cummings, Alumni News, October 10, 2022 [Full article at https://alumni.ucalgary.ca/news/ordinary-deaths-anything]"Through LeBaron’s stories and the filter of his imagination, we witness his experiences as psychologist, physician and person. His clinical testimony makes us reflect: We may not want to look at death, but we can’t look away from it either. Our fascination with the death of others is often accompanied by the denial of our own death.... But the book is more than a memoir of how to face death: Ordinary Deaths is about how to face life." Tony Errichetti, The Intima, October 24, 2022 [Full review at https://www.theintima.org/book-reviews-intima/ordinarydeathbysamuellebaron]Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. Magic Medicine 2. Worms 3. Voices 4. Under Water 5. In the Barn 6. Aunt Margie 7. Charlie Gough 8. In the Field 9. To Tell the Truth 10. The Laughing Cure 11. La Llorona 12. Día de Muertos 13. Second Chances 14. Permission to Breathe 15. The Ferryman 16. Winterreise 17. Fathers 18. Lost Horses 19. The River Styx 20. Dream Baby 21. Safe Harbor 22. The Tillandsia Epilogue  Notes Appreciations"

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Book SynopsisThis innovative guide to the chakras explains how grief and trauma impacts on every level of our being, and provides the tools to help clients experiencing trauma and grief by influencing, balancing and nurturing the chakra system.The book provides thorough and clear explorations of each chakra, their connections to each other, and tantric ways of working with energy. It features over 100 expressive and experiential exercises to remedy the ill-effects of grief and trauma, including yoga poses, mudras, pranayama (breath exercises), journaling, creation of ritual, use of essential oils and crystals and stones. Drawing on expertise as a licensed counselor, psychotherapist and yoga therapist, and personal experience as a bereaved mother, the author shares the teachings, practices and philosophies of yoga's ancient wisdom in a new way, and shows how to sustain personal chakra balancing that will resonate through all areas of life.Trade ReviewKarla Hebert does not back away from the depth and complexity of grief and trauma, a territory she knows well. Here is a book that understands the darkness and offers an equally deep understanding of a system that can help us find balance, even when healing seems impossible. What I love most about this book, is that it is not written to "fix" you or your grief, but rather welcomes and understands that your loss will always be part of you. If you are struggling, you will want this book by your bedside, guiding you back into balance. Hebert's compassionate understanding is boundless, as is her wisdom of the ancient Tantric systems that can restore body, mind and spirit to equanimity after tragedy. If you are a healing professional, The Chakras in Grief and Trauma lays a foundation for a timeless approach to helping your clients return to a life where joy and gratitude can be fearlessly embraced alongside loss and grief. -- Amy Weintraub, Founder of LifeForce Yoga, author of Yoga Skills for Therapists and Yoga for DepressionThe Chakras in Grief and Trauma by Karla Helbert is an invaluable resource for those who are grieving or suffering trauma. By providing an introduction to the Chakra system, the book is accessible and relatable to anyone-from novice to master healer. I recently lost my father, and by applying a few of the practical techniques outlined within, I was able to not only acknowledge but lessen the anxiety and physical pain I felt as a result of my grief. For the bereaved, our world has changed, and with it, our energy, and our relationship to the world. This book offers multiple approaches to balancing the energy flowing through our bodies. It was extremely helpful. There are so many activities, no matter how you learn or process, there's something for everyone. The author knows of what she speaks. Her wisdom comes from personal experience and years of study. Her positive energy informs every page. -- Michele Young-Stone, author of O Magazine's Reading Room pick Lost in the Beehive and Above Us Only Sky.Grief is like a circle of energy. The circle, the chakraic shape of grief, is always moving, infinitely spiraling in one direction or another, or simply moving in its place, round and round. Karla Helbert has moved with this energy of catastrophic loss and has directed it beautifully into its fullest potential with this book. While we cannot stop the energy of grief from its movement, we can learn how to be with it and allow it to transform into a bigger kind of energy: the kind of energy with which we can cope, the kind of energy that is productive and meaningful rather than destruction and absent of meaning. With tenderness and compassion, Karla introduces the reader to ancient wisdom, colors, oils, and stones for example, that pushes back against a more modern, medicalized approach to grief. Cover to cover, this book honors the circular energy, the chakras, in grief and teaches us to muster the courage to stay with it as the motion transforms our very being into beauty that stands beside the pain. -- Dr. Joanne Cacciatore, PhD, author of Bearing the Unbearable: Love, Loss and the Heartbreaking Path of Grief, Founder of the MISS Foundation and the Selah Respite House and CarefarmAll those who have gone through grief and loss know that being expected to move on, as Karla writes, does not always work and might in fact be painful. It robs you from the space of fully being with your feelings and memories. In essence all you long for is to be yourself, and for the other to meet you with utter love and respect. There is no need for fixing, yet there is an inner longing of Being. The strongest message in this book is Karla's sharing of direct experience of feeling lost, how she stopped trying. This reveals the depth of the spiritual seeker, that one who is seeking to be inspired in finding freedom. This is the true meaning of all Vedic scriptures, to develop a relationship with your Inner Teacher and to let that guide you. The practical and sacred tools offered in this book, are open invitations. You get to choose which tool speaks to your heart and for that to guide you back to a state of serenity. I highly recommend this book for anyone experiencing loss, and walk your spiritual path, one step at a time. -- Chinnamasta Stiles, C-IAYT, NAMA-CAYT, PK, LMT, PCPN-AC, Founder at Shiva Shakti LokaA masterful blend of yogic wisdom, grief theory, and trauma-informed therapy, The Chakras in Grief and Trauma offers clear instructions on how to use the body's natural energy system to take back your power, restore balance, and rediscover your true self after the unthinkable has happened. Karla Helbert offers hope and compassionate guidance to those facing what feels like an insurmountable challenge, while shining a light on aspects of grief and trauma that are often left in the shadows. From self-care practices including aromatherapy and yoga, to easy-to-understand explanations of this complex topic, I am amazed at how much wisdom is packed into this one book! I recommend it to anyone working with trauma and grief - either personally or as a helping professional, including trauma therapists, yoga professionals and body workers. -- Heather Stang, MA, C-IAYT Mindfulness & Grief Author & Podcast HostThe Chakras in Grief and Trauma is a tender triumph. Intimate knowledge of multiple strands of yoga are woven together here to create a cohesive approach to grounding, healing and growth. This provides a framework for connective creativity and the possibility of refining this as a compassionate and practical art form. I love this book for valuing the details of peoples' experiences and the necessity of learning how to reconnect. It is a profoundly valuable contribution to the integration of yoga and contemporary psychotherapy. -- Todd Zemek, Clinical Psychologist & Yoga Teacher, Creator of YogaPsychology.comKarla Helbert has written the essential guidebook for anyone whose life has been impacted by grief and trauma. Rooted in wisdom traditions and backed by modern science, The Chakras in Grief and Trauma is a roadmap to healing and wholeness; destined to be a classic. -- r. R. Keith Bell Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine, Author of Refilling the Chalice: How to Heal from BurnoutThe Chakras in Grief and Trauma, is an in-depth journey offering wisdom rooted in Karla's own story of love, loss, and post-traumatic growth. The author's clinical skills, teaching experience, and subtle bodywork knowledge culminates into a comprehensive guide for healing. Karla holds the door wide open for the possibility of healing physically, emotionally and spiritually. The seven chakra energetic cycles accompanied with tantra yoga, meditation exercises, and recommendations for utilizing essential oils and crystals, comes together in rhythmic cadence. The accompanying illustrations and charts enhance clear understanding and demonstrate proper form. As an essential oil therapist and energy worker for several decades, I am in awe of her selection of oils for each chakra and demonstration for usage. I highly recommend this powerful book to everyone experiencing grief, loss and trauma. -- Katie Buggs, Certified Clinical Aromatherapist, Reiki Master, Cranial Sacral practitioner, holistic educator, owner of katybugs healingsense, author of katybugs PLANTSENSE deck with manualBefore losing my 20-year-old son Charles to suicide, I had not met grief. Since then, I have come to understand it's not my enemy but a connection to the one I love and lost. This book opened my eyes to a different kind of spiritual healing that allows me to embrace the journey, acknowledge and manage the emotional pain in a way that is healthy for my mind and my body. It offers tools to manage grief with love and grace. -- Anne Moss Rogers, writer & public speaker, founder of Beacon Tree Foundation and EmotionallyNaked.comThe Chakras in Grief and Trauma joins deep understanding of the chakras with instruction for helpful application to an individual's journey through times of grief and trauma. As a therapist who works with folks navigating these difficult waters, I find it extremely helpful. I love this book. It is a gift for all of us who engage with clients experiencing grief and trauma, in energy work and in therapy. Those who teach chakra material will also find that they can learn so much about how these events impact the energy system. I have such appreciation for this amazing book. It's a joy to read. -- Barbara H. Davis, LPC, FAMI, Reiki Master, Turning Point CounselingWhen grief and trauma occur, Western doctors too often turn to pharmaceuticals, which only suppress the emotions, which in turn prolongs the grieving instead of assisting it to its own natural stage of acceptance. If you are grieving and if you love yoga and resonate to the chakra system, Karla Helbert has laid out a beautiful methodology for walking your body and soul through the grieving process. -- Joy Gardner, author of Vibrational Healing Through the ChakrasTable of ContentsIntroduction. 1. Muladhara (Root Chakra). 2. Svadisthana (Sacral Chakra). 3. Manipura (Solar Plexus Chakra). 4. Anahata (Heart Chakra). 5. Vishuddha (Throat Chakra). 6. Ajna (Third Eye Chakra). 7. Svadisthana (Crown Chakra). References. Appendices.

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