After someone we love dies, it is not uncommon to receive an ADC, or an After Death Communication. In their book “Hello from Heaven!” Bill and Judy Guggenheim compile years of people’s first-hand experiences with ADCs. This book is a comforting and gentle read for those of us who need a reminder that our relationships don’t end with death!
Experiencing a loss can bring about a whirlwind of emotions. When the feeling of relief enters in, it can bring with it shame and misunderstanding. Jennifer Elison’s Liberating Losses: When Death Brings Relief provides readers with a judgment-free journey into what this relief means, and how we can express it.
The death of a friend can often be a disenfranchised loss in that your grief is not as widely recognized as the grief of the family. Harold Ivan Smith’s Grieving the Death of a Friend recognizes the impact of this type of loss and gives hope to the reader that you are not alone in your healing.
Blending families and taking on the role of the stepparent can be a daunting task. Throw bereavement into the mix, and a whole new layer is added! In Diane Ingram Fromme’s “Stepparenting the Grieving Child,” the author uses her experience along with the insight of professionals to demonstrate how she navigated (and sometimes faltered) on her journey. This is a must-read for any stepparent facing this situation!
The loss of a pregnancy affects us in so many ways, but it can be difficult to put your feelings into words. Kim Kluger-Bell’s book Unspeakable Losses dives into the concept of finding support after the loss of your baby when you don’t know quite what to ask for. Written by a therapist who experienced a miscarriage, this book provides real-time advice on getting through the day-to-day after your loss.
Processing the loss of your infant child feels nearly impossible, and the author of Silent Grief knows that pain all too well. In sharing her own experience and how she relates to the statistics of child loss, Clara Hinton send he clear message to readers that they are not alone in their silent grief.
When a parent experiences the shocking loss of a child, there can be so many questions raised about how to cope. In Hannah Lothrop’s book for parents in these circumstances, she uses both her training as a psychologist as well as her own experience with miscarriage, or perinatal loss, to provide insight to readers seeking direction. This book and many more on our shelves can be a comfort to you today.
In the first hours and days after the loss of a baby, Empty Arms by Sherokee Ilse is a resource that will cradle your family in its pages and guide you through the choices you are given to make. When the author and her husband lost their infant son, Brennan, they saw the need for a resource that answers the questions we may not even know to ask. Never hesitate to reach for this book if you need it or pass it along to a friend who might benefit from Ms. Ilse’s grace and wisdom.
After the loss of a child, you may not have the bandwidth to read a dense book. Anne McCracken’s A Broken Heart Still Beats is an easy-to-digest compilation of poetry, fiction, and essays, each written by a parent who has lost a child. These pieces of will touch your broken heart and remind you that your broken, or shattered, heart still beats.
When author Gail Griffith’s teenage son attempted suicide, their entire family’s lives were forever changed. Rather than thinking about life’s trivial conundrums, Gail was thrown into a life-or-death race to save her son’s life by getting him the right help. For any parent navigating a child with suicidal ideations, this resource is a source of hope and comfort to accompany your treatment journey.