The Long Grief Journey - by Pamela D Blair & Bradie McCabe Hansen (Paperback)

About the Book

"There is an idea in Western society that grieving for a loved one should only last six months to a year. But those who have felt this loss know that the grieving process continues silently for much longer. This book is for the people who have experienced loss and who by all appearances seem to have "moved on"-but internally they bear the sometimes-crippling weight of sadness and longing for their loved one. Written by grief experts, The Long Grief Journey is a much-needed resource that includes exercises, journal prompts, and introduces rituals that aid the bereaved as they learn to live with loss"--

Book Synopsis

An essential grief guide and recovery workbook for those who have said, "I thought I'd feel better by now."

Grief does not follow a timeline or a set path. It is nonlinear and messy, doubling back on itself just when you thought you were out of the woods. Those who have experienced the loss of a loved one know this unequivocally, but Western society still seems to think that grief should only last six months to a year--tops--when in fact, grief can last throughout a person's entire life and manifest as serious mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, anger, and despair.

The Long Grief Journey, co-written by a psychotherapist and a clinical psychologist who have both worked with grieving individuals for decades, is for the people who are past the acute pain and effects of a sudden loss and are now learning to live beyond that. It is for those who by all appearances seem to have "moved on." They're working, carrying out their responsibilities, showing up for important life events, yet they quietly bear the weight of their sadness and longing for their loved one. There's a name for this type of long-term, unresolved grief. In fact, there are several: complicated grief, traumatic grief, complex bereavement, prolonged grief, extended grief, abnormal grief, exaggerated grief, and pervasive grief disorder. If you feel "stuck" after experiencing the death of a loved one, even if much time has passed, this book is for you.

With exercises, journal prompts, and rituals that will further help readers along their grief path, The Long Grief Journey, co-written by one of the authors of the classic grief book, I Wasn't Ready to Say Goodbye, is designed to educate, support, and coach you to rekindle a desire to live life fully, all while still cherishing and embracing the memories of your loved one.

Named one of Choosing Therapy's "14 Best Books on Losing a Parent for 2022."

Review Quotes

"A much-needed aid that encourages us to move through our grieving in our own way and at our own pace. Highly recommended to all!" -- Daniel H. Gallagher PhD, clinical psychologist

"This book is inclusive of all types of grief and loss, making it an excellent resource for anyone needing information on this subject." -- Library Journal