“An essential guide for anyone experiencing loss.”
—Sharon Salzberg, author of Lovingkindness and Real Life
Grief is a journey that can lead to powerful, personal growth. This compassionate guide, written by a team of mental health and grief experts, will help you heal the pain of loss—no matter the cause—and move forward in life with a renewed sense of meaning and purpose. Grief comes in many forms. You may grieve a loved one who has passed on, a romantic relationship which has ended, the loss of a job you loved, or even a place you used to go that no longer exists or has changed. You may also be dealing with another kind of loss—a sense of
who you are and how you can live your life in an increasingly uncertain and changed world. But what if you could transform your grief into lasting positive growth?
Filled with the most effective therapeutic tools drawn from acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), mindfulness, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and more, How to Grieve What We’ve Lost will help you heal from the pain of loss, move forward, and reconnect with what truly matters to you right now. You’ll find strategies for immediate relief—including present-moment awareness and mindful breathing. You’ll learn how to create a safe sanctuary for your grief, so you can honor your feelings and give them the space they deserve. And you’ll discover ways to create a support network, give voice to your sorrow, and share your humanity with others.
This heartfelt guide also includes simple tools to help you:
- Identify the things that really matter to you
- Honor your grief
- Prioritize your mental health and self-care
- Learn and grow from your loss
Whether you are struggling with your own loss or a collective sense of grief, the evidence-based skills in this book will help you mourn in healthy and resilient ways—leading to profound personal growth and a renewed sense of meaning and purpose in life.
Mary Beth Williams, PhD, LCSW, CTS, is an author, researcher, lecturer, and trainer in the area of trauma. In addition, she treats trauma survivors in private practice at the Trauma Recovery Education and Counseling Center in Warrenton, VA. Williams is the former president of the Association of Traumatic Stress Specialists She is a trainer for Customs and Border Protection, cofounder of the proposed 501(c)(3) US Vet Source (www.usvetsource.com); and author of many articles, chapters, and books about trauma disorders.
Dr Russ Harris, M.B.B.S., is a physician and psychotherapist, working in private practice in Melbourne, Australia.
He was born in England in 1966, and graduated in medicine from the University of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, in 1989. He emigrated to Australia in 1991, where he began working as a GP. He became increasingly interested in the psychological aspects of health and wellbeing, and this interest led to a career change - from medical practitioner to therapist.
Since 2005, Russ has provided training in ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) for over 80,000 health professionals around the globe. He has authored four ACT textbooks, and six ACT-based self-help books. His best-known book, The Happiness Trap, has sold over one million copies worldwide, with translations into over thirty languages.
In 2015 Russ created an ACT protocol for the WHO (World Health Organization), for use in refugee camps. The WHO have now researched and published three trials based on this protocol, showing that it not only significantly reduces depression and PTSD but also prevents the onset of mental health disorders in those at high risk. Russ also wrote and designed a cartoon-based book for the WHO (based on ACT) called Doing What Matters In Times of Stress - and this is now the most commonly downloaded mental health resource on the WHO website.
Soili Poijula, PhD, is a clinical psychologist, licensed psychotherapist, and director at Oy Synolon, Ltd., Center for Trauma Psychology in Finland. She has done pioneering work in Finland as a developer of post-trauma psychotherapy, is a member of the Finnish Red Cross Catastrophe Group, and serves on Finland's Ministry of Health Advisory Board.
