What Must Be Carried - by Whitney Lyn Allen Gadecki (Hardcover)

About the Book

"About 2.5 million people die in the United States annually, each leaving an average of five grieving people behind. What Must Be Carried provides vital emotional support for the grieving, imparting wisdom from her own experiences with grief and advice on navigating life after a devastating loss."--

Book Synopsis

A guide to start living again for those who have lost a loved one, written by a mother and widow

What Must Be Carried: Living a Beautiful Life Beyond Loss is an empathetic guidebook that walks readers through the grieving process, giving them the tools they need to carry the pain of their loss and start truly living again. With relatable personal narratives from Whitney Lyn Allen Gadecki, mother of two boys, Jackson and Leo, certified grief educator and coach, and a widow whose life has been forever altered by the loss of her husband, as well as actionable advice for those grieving, this book is a perfect, steady companion for anyone impacted by a devastating loss.

This book explores ideas including:

• The emotional range of processing grief, from numbness, to agony and rage, to cascading waterfalls of tears and beyond
• Patience, experimentation, time, curiosity, and practice as difficult but essential foundations of living with and healing from grief
• How to discover contentment, peace, love, and beauty anew, even when it often feels like life is all downhill from here
• Grief's hidden gifts of helping you live more authentically, ambitiously, purposefully, and fearlessly despite its heavy burden

What Must Be Carried: Living a Beautiful Life Beyond Loss is an important, helpful, and cathartic read for widows and all those who have lost someone precious to them seeking to once again shine brightly in the face of darkness.

From the Back Cover

YOU CAN FIND YOUR WAY TO A NEW AND BEAUTIFUL LIFE AFTER GRIEF

When Whitney Lyn Allen Gadecki abruptly lost her husband at the age of thirty-five, she was left alone with a newborn and toddler to care for. She had no choice but to pick up the pieces of her shattered life and bravely carry on.

In What Must Be Carried, Whitney shares stories of her own grieving journey and how to help others move forward after a devastating loss. With her empathetic guidance, readers can manage complicated emotions, find self-comfort, navigate love after loss, and embrace new joys.

This book is a supportive companion to all those impacted by grief, as we learn to carry the pain of loss and start truly living again.

"Without shying away from the deep and heavy truth of what it takes to endure profound loss, Allen offers personal wisdom that helps us feel seen and inspires us to both follow and eventually become the light of hope that grievers need to survive."
--MEGHAN RIORDAN JARVIS, MA, LICSW, author of Can Anyone Tell Me: Essential Questions About Grief and Loss

"Whitney Allen brings us a raw, but sensitive, gentle, but fierce look at the messy journey of moving forward after significant loss, and the hidden gifts that lie therein. This beautiful book is for anyone going through the confusing, unpredictable experience of grief after loss, and looking for tender ways to begin carrying it forward."
--GINA MOFFA, LCSW, grief and trauma therapist and author of Moving On Doesn't Mean Letting Go: A Modern Guide to Navigating Loss

About the Author

WHITNEY LYN ALLEN GADECKI is a mother of two boys, a certified grief educator, and an attorney. She was a medical malpractice attorney for 10 years before her late husband, Ryan, suffered anaphylactic shock from a bee sting, resulting in his death. Whitney wrote about her grieving journey in her memoir Running in Trauma Stilettos. She is currently a full-time grief coach.