A Journey Through Grief: Gentle, Specific Help to Get You Through the Most Difficult Stages of Grieving

I searched wide and far for a book to bring me some relief and understanding when my father died last year. I found this little book on a bookstore shelf, and it changed my life. I now send it out with all sympathy cards. I found it to be extremely profound and gentle. It explained my grief - physical symptoms and emotional upheaval. It's easy to read, not extremely religious, and very healing.

As much as I can't stand to cry, I have learned it is as important a release as is laughter. Unfortunately and especially for the male sex, we are, still to this day, taught that this act of crying is unbecoming to children, adolescents, and adults who "have their act together." And this misnomer taught by the very folks who do not have their act together.As a reader you would never know that this book is written by a Doctor. All that is needed is to know that this person speaks of what they themselves have been through. That is what makes the book valuable. The publishing industry is grossly mistaken by the belief that credibility goes hand in hand with a scholarly degree. It does not. Experience is the only true credibility. This author has real experience. The only way to know this is to be in the process of grieving and read this book, which proves to us through its compassion and understanding, that this is the way it is done.I am disappointed by the plethora of published authors who think that we, the reading public, need to be exposed to endless pages of type in order to get something out of the work we are reading. For me, the opposite is true. There are many books I do not purchase because all too often I find the author has severe difficulty getting to the point of the matter. You will find this book to be a refreshing change. If you have ever felt sad and more importantly if you have ever been depressed, my advise is to get your hands on this book. It will not take too much of your time and I believe you will benefit tremendously. This book is most valuable to those of us who have suffered from bouts of depression, as we all do in varying degrees from time to time. This book will help you to move through the emotion of grief so that your life is not a repeated adventure in something you are unable to overcome. I cannot recommend this book enough.

I found this book quite by accident, but the timing could not have been better. After reading this book I felt as though I'd received a much needed hug . It is short, to the point, very gentle, and beautifully written. The author is a true poet. I have given several copies to friends and relatives. I could not give a higher recommendation.

This book was the most helpful I found when dealing with deep grief. It's short, to the point, and hits the key heart strings with great simplicity and clarity. The idea that tears are what you do when you can't do anything else was such a relief to me--knowing I could cry for as long as I needed and it would pass. And the idea to be gentle with myself allowed me to go through all the stages of grief undisturbed. I recommend this to every person who goes through a significant death such as a parent.