Book Review - The Essential Guide to Grief and Grieving
BY: Lisa Florjancic, MA, LSW
CATEGORY: Grief and Loss
PUBLICATION: About Grief
The Essential Guide To Grief and Grieving
By Debra Holland, M.S., Ph.D.
"My wish is that this book gives you hope that you'll eventually recover from your grief." author Debra Holland states at the beginning of the book.
The Essential Guide to Grief and Grieving helps grieving persons understand the grief process, their emotions and reactions. It also helps people who are supporting grieving individuals.
This book is divided into four sections:
- Loss and Grief
- Bereavement – (which examines specific losses one may encounter in life)
- Loss in Other Life Circumstances
- Recovery
Each section has very detailed chapters which provide definitions, describe emotions, tell stories and describe reactions to loss.
Ms. Holland does a nice job explaining the grief journey or walk. She adds "side-bar boxes" throughout the book listing survival strategies, cautions and concerns, definitions and typical expressions of grief. At the end of each chapter, there are "Essential Takeaways," which are bullet points summarizing the chapter. The book is very easy to understand and informative to read. It covers many situations and leaves the reader with a better understanding of grief.