Losing our parents when we ourselves are adults is in the natural order of things, a rite of passage into true adulthood. But whether we lose them suddenly or after a prolonged illness, and whether we were close to or estranged from them, this passage proves inevitably more difficult than we thought it would be. A much-needed and knowledgeable discussion of this adult phenomenon, The Orphaned Adult validates the wide array of disorienting emotions that can accompany the death of our parents by sharing both the author's heart-felt experience of loss and the moving stories of countless adults who have shared their losses with him. From the recognition of our own mortality and sudden child-like sorrow to a sometimes-subtle change in identity or shift of roles in the surviving family, The Orphaned Adult guides readers through the storm of change this passage brings and anchors them with its compassionate and reassuring wisdom. "...explores the wide array of disorienting emotions that can accompany the death of our parents by sharing both the author's experience of loss and the moving stories of countless adults who have shared their losses with him."

While the death of a parent is always painful, losing both is life-altering. When author Allison Gilbert lost both parents at age 32, she could not find any books that spoke to her with the same level of compassion and reassurance that she found in the support group she belonged to, so she decided to write one of her own. The result is a sensitive and candid portrayal of loss that brings together experiences from famous and ordinary grief-stricken sons and daughters that explores the regrets, heartache and sometimes, relief, that accompanies pain and healing. Always Too Soon provides a range of intimate conversations with those — famous and not — who have lost both parents, providing readers with a source of comfort and inspiration as they learn to negotiate their new place in the world. Contributors include Hope Edelman, Geraldine Ferraro, Dennis Franz, Barbara Ehrenreich, Yogi Berra, Rosanne Cash, and Ice-T, as well as those who lost parents to the Oklahoma City bombing, the World Trade Center bombings, drunk driving, and more.

Mourning the death of a loved one is a process  all of us will go through at one time or another.  But wherever the death is sudden or anticipated,  few of us are prepared for it or for the grief it  brings. There is no right or wrong way to grieve;  each person's response to loss will be different.  Now, in this compassionate, comprehensive guide,  Therese A. Rando, Ph.D., bereavement specialist and  author of Loss And Anticipatory  Grief, leads you gently through the painful but  necessary process of grieving and helps you find  the best way for yourself. Whether  the death was sudden of expected, from accident,  illness, suicide, homicide, or natural causes, Dr.  Rando will help you learn  to: Understand and resolve your  grief. Talk to children about  death. Resolve unfinished business. Take  care of yourself. Accept the help  and support of others. Get through  holidays and other difficult times of the  year. Plan funerals and personal  bereavement rituals. How To Go On  Living With Someone You Love Dies also  includes a comprehensive resource listing and a  chapter on finding professional help and support  groups. There is no way around the  pain of loss, but there is a way through it. Dr.  Rando offers the solace, comfort, and guidance to  help you accept your loss and move into your new  life without forgetting your treasured  past.

reveals The Remarkable Change In Our Sense Of Self Following The Loss Of A Parent. library Journal according To The Research Model Developed By Umberson (sociology, Univ. Of Texas, Austin), Loss Of A Parent At Midlife Is A Predictable Yet Transformative Experience. Umberson, Who Has Published Widely In The Areas Of Family Relationships And Health, Analyzes In Serviceable Prose How Such A Loss Affects An Adult Child's Physical And Psychological Health As Well As His Or Her Relationships With Siblings, Surviving Parents, And Children. Drawing On Extensive Research (sponsored By The National Institute On Aging) And Interviews With A Representative National Sample Of Research Respondents In 1986, 1989, And 1994, Umberson Comes To Some Truly Illuminating Conclusions, Shedding Light On Such Issues As How A Loss Can Negatively Affect Survivors Or Liberate Them And Improve Their Long-term Health, Depending On The Social Context, And Why Adult Children Become More Like Their Parents After They Die. She Also Includes Coping Strategies. This Clear, Insightful Study Provides A Unique Combination Of Research-based Self-help And Scholarly Enterprise. Highly Recommended For Large Public Libraries And Academic Social Science Collections.-antoinette Brinkman, M.l.s., Evansville, In Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

With over 1.5 million copies sold, this accessible, bestselling picture book phenomenon about the unbreakable connections between loved ones has healed generations of children and adults alike. A Spanish edition (El hilo invisible by Patrice Karst and Joanne Lew-Vriethoff) and a companion workbook are also available (The Invisible String Workbook).Parents, educators, therapists, and social workers alike have declared The Invisible String the perfect tool for coping with all kinds of separation anxiety, loss, and grief. It's also been joyfully embraced as a year-round celebration of love--gifted at births, graduations, weddings, Valentine's Day, and beyond. In this relatable and reassuring contemporary classic, a mother tells her two children that they're all connected by an invisible string. "That's impossible!" the children insist, but still they want to know more: "What kind of string?" The answer is the simple truth that binds us all: An Invisible String made of love. Even though you can't see it with your eyes, you can feel it deep in your heart, and know that you are always connected to the ones you love. Does everybody have an Invisible String? How far does it reach? Does it ever go away? This heartwarming picture book for all ages explores questions about the intangible yet unbreakable connections between us, and opens up deeper conversations about love.Recommended and adopted by parenting blogs, bereavement support groups, hospice centers, foster care and social service agencies, military library services, church groups, and educators, The Invisible String offers a very simple approach to overcoming loneliness, separation, or loss with an imaginative twist that children easily understand and embrace, and delivers a particularly compelling message in today's uncertain times. This special paperback edition includes vibrant new illustrations and an introduction from the author."This book is a beautiful way to begin to try, as parents, to instill in children the impenetrable power of the heart, the energy of love, and the flow that can be felt from the grace in every moment." —Tony RobbinsRead all the books in The Invisible String series:The Invisible String Backpack: Your very own tool kit for school—and life!The Invisible String Workbook: Creative Activities to Comfort, Calm, and ConnectThe Invisible Leash: An Invisible String Story About the Loss of a PetThe Invisible Web: An Invisible String Story Celebrating Love and Universal ConnectionYou Are Never Alone: An Invisible String Lullaby

Rev. Richard Gilbert Has Created A Compassionate Guide For Those Struggling With The Loss Of A Parent. From The Disorientation That Can Come Immediately After Death To Healing Old Emotional Wounds, The Topics Dealt With Here Will Be Of Tremendous Help To Many.

The beloved classic from New York Times bestselling author Leo Buscaglia that has helped thousands of children and adults come to grips with life and death—a warm, wonderfully wise, and strikingly simple story about a leaf named Freddie.Appropriate for all ages—from toddlers to adults—and featuring beautiful nature photographs throughout, this poignant, thought-provoking story follows Freddie and his companions as their leaves change with the passing seasons and the coming of winter, finally falling to the ground with winter's snow.An inspiring allegory that illustrates the delicate balance between life and death, The Fall of Freddie the Leaf has helped a generation of readers navigate death and dying, grief and bereavement, the passage of time, and loss of a loved one.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A groundbreaking exploration of the ancient rules women unwittingly follow in order to be considered “good,” revealing how the Seven Deadly Sins still control and distort our lives and illuminating a path toward a more balanced, spiritually complete way to liveWhy do women equate self-denial with being good?We congratulate ourselves when we resist the donut in the office breakroom. We celebrate our restraint when we hold back from sending an email in anger. We feel virtuous when we wake up at dawn to get a jump on the day. We put others’ needs ahead of our own and believe this makes us exemplary. In On Our Best Behavior, journalist Elise Loehnen explains that these impulses—often lauded as unselfish, distinctly feminine instincts—are actually ingrained in us by a culture that reaps the benefits, via an extraordinarily effective collection of mores known as the Seven Deadly Sins.Since being codified by the Christian church in the fourth century, the Seven Deadly Sins—pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath, and sloth—have exerted insidious power. Even today, in our largely secular, patriarchal society, they continue to circumscribe women’s behavior. For example, seeing sloth as sinful leads women to deny themselves rest; a fear of gluttony drives them to ignore their appetites; and an aversion to greed prevents them from negotiating for themselves and contributes to the 55 percent gender wealth gap.In On Our Best Behavior, Loehnen reveals how we’ve been programmed to obey the rules represented by these sins and how doing so qualifies us as “good.” This probing analysis of contemporary culture and thoroughly researched history explains how women have internalized the patriarchy, and how they unwittingly reinforce it. By sharing her own story and the spiritual wisdom of other traditions, Loehnen shows how we can break free and discover the integrity and wholeness we seek.

Offering heartfelt and simple advice, this book provides realistic suggestions and relief for an adult child whose parent has died. Practical advice is presented in a one-topic-per-page format that does not overwhelm with psychological language, but provides small, immediate ways to understand and reconcile grief. Some of the action-oriented tips include writing down memories, completing a task or goal left unfinished by your deceased parent, or honoring the parent's birthday. In addition the common challenges that face grieving adult children, such as helping the surviving parent, resolving sibling conflicts, and legal and financial issues, are addressed clearly and concisely.Author Biography: Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D., is the director of the Center for Loss and Life Transition, a faculty member at the University of Colorado Medical School, and the author of Understanding Grief: Helping Yourself Heal, Journey Through Grief: Reflections on Healing, and the Healing a Grieving Heart series. He is best known for his method of companioning versus treating the bereaved. He lives in Fort Collins, Colorado.

A leading expert in emotions research establishes a bold new paradigm for understanding grief. Publishers Weekly He once helped debunk the theory of repressed memory; now this Columbia clinical psychology professor takes on the conventional wisdom about grieving. There's little evidence to support the existence of “stages of mourning” or the corollary that if the stages aren't followed completely, there's cause for alarm. What Bonanno does find is “a natural resilience” that guides us through the sadness of loss, and grief, rather than distracting us, actually causes the mind to focus; it also elicits the “compassion and concern” that humans are hard-wired to offer in response to another's suffering. Bonanno acknowledges that grief is sometimes extreme and requires treatment, much like post-traumatic stress disorder. But with this work, science and common sense come together in a thoughtful, kindhearted way; stories of loss go far beyond striking a familiar chord—they give us hope. As one mother who lost her daughter tells Bonanno, even years later she felt her daughter was like a “little ember, and if I need to, if I want to have Claire next to me, I blow on it, ever so gently, and it glows bright again.” (Oct.)

Many people who usually function well are thrown for a loop when a parent dies. They're surprised at the complex feelings of love, loss, anger, and guilt, and at the unresolved issues that emerge. Therapist Lois Akner explains why the loss of a parent is different from other losses and, using examples from her experience, shows how it is possible to work through the grief.Anyone who is going through or trying to prepare for this natural, normal, inevitable loss will find How to Survive the Loss of a Parent a powerful, healing message. In the tradition of the perennial bestseller How to Survive the Loss of Love, this guide offers frank and compassionate help to those who may need support in dealing with a parent's death. Based on the real-life experiences of participants in her extremely popular workshops, Akner has distilled rich, healing guidance as tangible help for adult readers.

Now there is a hand to hold...Each year about eight million Americans suffer the death of someone close to them. Now for thse who face the challenges of sudden death, there is a hand to hold, written by two women who have experienced sudden loss. This updated edition of the best-selling bereavement classic will touch, comfort, uplift and console. Authors Brook Noel and Pamela D. Blair, Ph.D. explore sudden death and offers a comforting hand to hold for those who are grieving the sudden death of a loved one.Featured on ABC World News, Fox and Friends and many other shows, this book acts as a touchstone of sanity through difficult times. I Wasn't Ready to Say Goodbye covers such difficult topics as the first few weeks, suicide, death of a child, children and grief, funerals and rituals, physical effects, homicide and depression. New material covers the unique circumstances of loss, men and women's grieving styles, religion and faith, myths and misunderstandings, I Wasn't Ready to Say Goodbye reflects the shifting face of grief.These pages have offered solace to over eighty thousand people, ranging from seniors to teenagers and from the newly bereaved to those who lost a loved one years ago. Individuals engulfed by the immediate aftermath will find a special chapter covering the first few weeks.Tapping their personal histories and drawing on numerous interviews, authors Brook Noel and Pamela D. Blair, Ph.D, explore unexpected death and its role in the cycle of life. I Wasn't Ready to Say Goodbye provides survivors with a rock-steady anchor from which to weather the storm of pain and begin to rebuild their lives.PRAISE FOR I WASN'T READY TO SAY GOODBYEI highly recommend this book, not only to the bereaved, but to friends and counselors as well. Helen Fitzgerald, author of The Grieving Child, The Mourning Handbook, and The Grieving TeenThis book, by women who have done their homework on grief... can hold a hand and comfort a soul through grief 's wilderness. Oustanding references of where to see other help. George C. Kandle, Pastoral PsychologistFinally, you have found a friend who can not only explain what has just occurred, but can take you by the hand and lead you to a place of healing and personal growth. Whether you are dealing with the loss of a family member, a close personal associate or a friend, this guide can help you survive and cope, but even more importantly... heal. The Rebecca ReviewFor those dealing with the loss of a loved one, or for those who want to help someone who is, this is a highly recommended read. Midwest Book Review

An eloquent and groundbreaking book that explores the impact on one's life of losinga parent in adulthood, including its effect on families, careers, and friendships In a book that is destined to strike a chord with baby boomers everywhere, journalist Victoria Secunda illustrates how losing a parent has a profound effect on all aspects of the lives of adults. Drawing from her original study of more than 100 adults as well as her own experiences, Secunda addresses a myriad of issues, such as: What does it mean to be alone or orphaned? How does this event transform relationships with one's siblings, spouse, friends, children, or own identity? Most importantly, Secunda explores how losing a parent dramatically reshapes one's sense of self, causing a re-evaluation of one's life and choices in ways that were not possible before. The first book to approach this life-changing, all-encompassing event from the perspective of adulthood, Losing Your Parents, Finding Your Self is destined to become a classic. Publishers Weekly While most writers on parental death focus on mourning, Secunda (When You and Your Mother Can't Be Friends) points out that this crucial event fosters major reassessment of one's attitude toward siblings, marriage, children and career. Having surveyed 94 people who have lost parents as adults, and interviewed several of them, as well as experts, she reports that each of the four possible familial pairings (father-son, etc.) has its own pattern, and that the loss of both parents has strong ripple effects. Notably, sibling relationships become primary, although affinities can fluctuate depending on birth order, age and previous closeness. Parental loss leaves many emotionally unmoored; in response, some feel a strong urge to marry, while others solidify or abort marriages, or confront their solitude. More than half of Secunda's respondents found that their relationship with their children changed, mostly for the better, while childless adults often paid new attention to nieces and nephews or became mentors. A significant minority reappraised their careers after their parents' death, leading to redirection, rejuvenation and, in some cases, confusion. More than half of the respondents reported intensified friendships, while some winnowed away those who didn't add meaning to their lives. Ultimately, Secunda concludes, there is gain in loss. Those who made the most progress as adult orphans recognized that whatever they did or didn't get from their parents now was moot. While hardly definitive, Secunda's survey is a stimulating look at a timely issue. 8-city author tour. (Mar.) Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.|

The word "orphan" may make us think of a child — but even self-sufficient adults can feel the pain of "orphanhood" when their parents are suddenly gone. Complicating the natural mourning process is the fact that this loss often occurs in our thirties, forties, or fifties — as we are raising our own children, watching them leave the nest, and facing other adjustments in our lives, from our jobs to our marriages to our health. This thoughtful exploration of a neglected subject explains the emotional impact of losing our parents in the midst of midlife — and why many underestimate it. Discussing such topics as changes in self-image, unresolved issues, guilt, sorrow, and anger, the emotional impact of inheritance, and the shifting of roles as a result of "midlife orphanhood," Jane Brooks shows us how to find new sources of strength, in both ourselves and others, after our parents are gone.

When children lose someone they love, they lose part of their very identity. Life, as they knew it, will never be quite the same. The world that once felt dependable and safe may suddenly seem a frightening, uncertain place, where nobody understands what they're feeling.In this deeply sympathetic book, Phyllis R. Silverman and Madelyn Kelly offer wise guidance on virtually every aspect of childhood loss, from living with someone who's dying to preparing the funeral; from explaining death to a two year old to managing the moods of a grieving teenager; from dealing with people who don't understand to learning how and where to get help from friends, therapists, and bereavement groups; from developing a new sense of self to continuing a relationship with the person who died. Throughout, the authors advocate an open, honest approach, suggesting that our instinctive desire to "protect" children from the reality of death may be more harmful than helpful. "Children want you to acknowledge what is happening, to help them understand it," the authors suggest. "In this way, they learn to trust their own ability to make sense out of what they see." Drawing on groundbreaking research into what bereaved children are really experiencing, and quoting real conversations with parents and children who have walked that road, the book allows readers to see what others have learned from mourning and surviving the death of a loved one. In a culture where grief is so often invisible and misunderstood, the wisdom derived from such first-hand experience is invaluable. Filled with compassion and common sense, A Parent's Guide to Raising Grieving Children: Rebuilding Your Family after the Loss of a Loved One offers readers a wealth of solace and sound advice, and even—where one might least expect it—a measure of hope. Doody Review Services Reviewer:Michael S. Goldsby, PhD(Zeno Corporation)Description:The authors have created a unique and insightful work founded on the true-life stories of children and parents of children who have experienced the tragic loss of a loved one. Based on clinical research and personal interviews, the authors have masterfully woven first-hand accounts of loss and profound grief from those who've "been there" into the fabric of this book. Nearly every page features the heartbreaking, and heartwarming, tales of emotional suffering and survival of those who have experienced the death of a parent, child, or close friend, as well as the hope and encouragement inherent in each of these stories.Purpose:The purpose is to offer a guide or roadmap to what lies ahead for those who experience the death of a loved one. It was also written with the intent of helping the remaining parent and their children face an altered and often shattered life after the untimely death of the other parent. Mental health professionals who work with this patient population also will benefit from the stories of people who have lived through their grief and are willing to share what they have learned.Audience:The book is written primarily as a guide for parents whose children have experienced the death of either another parent or loved one. It will also be beneficial for professionals in mental health and social services, as well as those in the clergy who are often faced with the daunting task of counseling and consoling individuals whose lives have been permanently altered by the death of a family member or loved one.Features:The 10 chapters cover a variety of topics such as the grieving process for adults and children, getting children the help they need, and what death means to children in the aftermath of an untimely death of a parent, family member, or friend. As the authors assert, most readers won't read this book from cover to cover, nor do they need to. Instead, they encourage readers to read the generalized information in chapters one and two, which looks at how children understand death at different ages, then move on to the chapter that best deals with their situation -- the death of a child, a spouse, a parent, or a friend. Each chapter is filled with the stories of fellow travelers; a multitude of children and adults who have lost their parents, siblings, spouses, children, and friends. The authors offer words of advice while providing comfort and renewed hope for moving beyond the tragedy of loss to a better tomorrow.Assessment:No other book offers readers the breadth and depth of research-based guidance for navigating through one of life's most painful experiences. The compassionate personal stories of grief and loss, told by children, adolescents, and adults are unique to this book and represent a body of work that is extremely moving, yet comforting for readers who are experiencing similar losses. This book is a treasure-trove of guidance and wisdom for parents who are faced with the often overwhelming task of moving the family beyond the painful realities of living life after the death of a loved one. I highly recommend this book as the authoritative text for understanding the complex and often complicated grief process associated with the death of a child, parent, or friend.

ed, A 38-year-old Hard-charging Manager, Did Not Expect To Fall Apart When His Mother Died. It S Like I See Myself As This Little Boy, Lost In A Crowded Store, Calling For Mommy, He Said. Feeling Angry, Guilty, Even Selfish After The Loss Of A Parent Is Perfectly Normal, Says Barbara Bartocci, Author Of Nobody S Child Anymore. Bartocci Shows The Unspoken And Often Underestimated Effect Of Losing A Parent -- Not Only The Grief It Causes But The Unresolved Issues, From Sibling Conflicts To Fear To Vulnerability, It Raises. using The Loss Of Her Parents As A Backdrop, Bartocci Explores The Four Stages Of Losing A Parent. Children Often Must Endure The Painful Final Stages Of A Parent S Life, The Finality Of Their Death, And Their Own Grief While Offering Support For A Surviving Parent. In Nobody S Child Anymore, Bartocci Shares Stories -- From Her Own Life And From Those She Interviewed -- That Reveal A Variety Of Experiences And Emotions Surrounding A Parent S Death. Like Feeling Envious That Your Sister S Kids Had An Active Grandmother, While Your Own Will Never Remember Trips With Her To The Zoo. Or Dealing With Your Father S Alzheimer S, Mourning Him Long Before His Physical Passing. Losing A Parent Is A Rite Of Passage We All Go Through But Rarely Discuss. Nobody S Child Anymore Helps Adults Realize They Are Not Alone, That There Is Nothing Wrong With Them If They Experience Prolonged Grief For A Parent. On The Other Hand, It Doesn T Mean You Loved Your Parent Any Less If You Find Quick Closure. Bartocci Helps Us Acknowledge And Respect The Differences In How Different People Process Pain, Explaining Why All People Do Not Feel The Same After Such A Loss. Nobody S Child Anymore Assists Us All In Navigating Our Own Unique Grieving Process Until Memories Of Parents Lost Weave Themselves Into A Tapestry Where The Happy And Sad, Light And Dark, Can Create A Beautiful Pattern.

In 2015 Sheryl Sandberg’s husband, Dave Goldberg, died suddenly at the age of forty-eight. Sandberg and her two young children were devastated, and she was certain that their lives would never have real joy or meaning again.Just weeks later, Sandberg was talking with a friend about the first father-child activity without a father. They came up with a plan for someone to fill in. “But I want Dave,” she cried. Her friend put his arm around her and said, “Option A is not available. So let’s just kick the shit out of Option B.”Everyone experiences some form of Option B. We all deal with loss: jobs lost, loves lost, lives lost. The question is not whether these things will happen but how we face them when they do.Thoughtful, honest, revealing and warm, OPTION B weaves Sandberg’s experiences coping with adversity with new findings from Adam Grant and other social scientists. The book features stories of people who recovered from personal and professional hardship, including illness, injury, divorce, job loss, sexual assault and imprisonment. These people did more than recover―many of them became stronger.OPTION B offers compelling insights for dealing with hardships in our own lives and helping others in crisis. It turns out that post-traumatic growth is common―even after the most devastating experiences many people don’t just bounce back but actually bounce forward. And pre-traumatic growth is also possible: people can build resilience even if they have not experienced tragedy. Sandberg and Grant explore how we can raise strong children, create resilient communities and workplaces, and find meaning, love and joy in our lives.“Dave’s death changed me in very profound ways,” Sandberg writes. “I learned about the depths of sadness and the brutality of loss. But I also learned that when life sucks you under, you can kick against the bottom, break the surface and breathe again.”

"I thank God for Earl Grollman, and I thank Earl Grollman for this long-overdue book for grieving teenagers. Not only is it a treasure for kids, but it should be read by every school counselor and youth minister in America." —Janice Harris Lord, national director of Victim Services, Mothers Against Drunk Driving Suggests ways to deal with the grief and other emotions felt after the death of a loved one and to discover how to go on living.

Whether you lost your father through death or divorce, or you wished he would have said "I love you" instead of merely being a good provider, you may harbor unresolved hurt in your soul. When denied meaningful contact with our fathers, either physically or emotionally, a gaping hole or "father hunger" emerges in the child's psyche. If left unfulfilled, this "father hunger" triggers pronounced psychological patterns consigning that child to personal and professional dead-ends as an adult. Father hunger manifests itself in many forms: workaholism, substance abuse, chronic depression, sexual promiscuity, violent behavior, food addiction, and an inability to sustain intimate relationships. Dr. Beth Erickson shows you how to identify, validate and heal the pain surrounding father loss and explore the spiritual crises that unresolved loss such as this generates. By sharing compelling case studies of men and women, and her own personal struggle to accept her father's death, she guides you through the healing process. After reading the dialogues and completing the exercises, you will fill the hole in your soul and emerge from the journey at peace with yourself and your relationships with your father.

Compassionate and heartfelt, this collection offers 100 practical ideas to help understand and accept the passing of a sibling in order to practice self-healing. The principles of grief and mourning are clearly defined, accompanied by action-oriented tips for embracing bereavement. Whether a sibling has died as a young or older adult or the death was sudden or anticipated, this resource provides a healthy approach to dealing with the aftermath.

* #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * #1 INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER * MORE THAN 2 MILLION COPIES SOLD!A heartbreaking and hilarious memoir by iCarly and Sam & Cat star Jennette McCurdy about her struggles as a former child actor—including eating disorders, addiction, and a complicated relationship with her overbearing mother—and how she retook control of her life.Jennette McCurdy was six years old when she had her first acting audition. Her mother’s dream was for her only daughter to become a star, and Jennette would do anything to make her mother happy. So she went along with what Mom called “calorie restriction,” eating little and weighing herself five times a day. She endured extensive at-home makeovers while Mom chided, “Your eyelashes are invisible, okay? You think Dakota Fanning doesn’t tint hers?” She was even showered by Mom until age sixteen while sharing her diaries, email, and all her income.In I’m Glad My Mom Died, Jennette recounts all this in unflinching detail—just as she chronicles what happens when the dream finally comes true. Cast in a new Nickelodeon series called iCarly, she is thrust into fame. Though Mom is ecstatic, emailing fan club moderators and getting on a first-name basis with the paparazzi (“Hi Gale!”), Jennette is riddled with anxiety, shame, and self-loathing, which manifest into eating disorders, addiction, and a series of unhealthy relationships. These issues only get worse when, soon after taking the lead in the iCarly spinoff Sam & Cat alongside Ariana Grande, her mother dies of cancer. Finally, after discovering therapy and quitting acting, Jennette embarks on recovery and decides for the first time in her life what she really wants.Told with refreshing candor and dark humor, I’m Glad My Mom Died is an inspiring story of resilience, independence, and the joy of shampooing your own hair.

Ted is Elizabeth DeVita-Raeburn's older brother, best friend, and the "ringmaster of her days." On a September morning when she is six, she wakes up and Ted is gone. Her parents explain that he went to the hospital for a while. "A while" turns out to be eight years in a plastic bubble, where he dies of a rare autoimmune disease at age seventeen. The Empty Room is DeVita-Raeburn's unflinching, often haunting recollection of life with Ted, woven into a larger exploration of the enormous -- and often unacknowledged -- impact of a sister's or brother's death on remaining siblings. With an inspired blend of life experience, journalistic acumen, and research training, DeVita-Raeburn draws on interviews of more than two hundred survivors to render a powerful portrait of the range of conditions and emotions, from withdrawal to guilt to rage, that attend such loss. Finding little in professional literature, she realizes that those who suffer are the experts. And in the end, it is DeVita-Raeburn and her experts who present a larger, more complex understanding of the sibling bond, the lifelong impact of the severing of that bond, and the tools needed to heal and move forward. The Empty Room is a fascinating literary hybrid in which Elizabeth DeVita-Raeburn seamlessly fuses deeply affecting remembrance with a pragmatic, lucidly written exploration of the healing journey. Publishers Weekly In 1972, when the author was six, her nine-year-old brother, Ted, developed huge bruises all over his body. Diagnosed with aplastic anemia, a rare immune deficiency disease, Ted lived in a sterile hospital "bubble room" until his death eight years later. In this beautifully written account, DeVita, a science journalist, describes how Ted's life and death have affected her and, drawing on 77 interviews with others who have lost siblings, examines a subject that has largely been overlooked. DeVita considers survivors, rather than academicians or researchers, to be the real experts on this subject. Many gripping stories are told by brothers and sisters of all ages, including those who have endured the death of a twin. In order to protect their other children and deal with their own grief, many parents, like DeVita's own, did not often discuss the deaths and, in a sense, deprived the surviving siblings of the mourning process. In haunting and evocative narratives, many of those interviewed share how they finally found a way, years later, to acknowledge their terrible loss. DeVita recalls her relationship with the brother who loved and teased her, as well as his bravery during the years of isolation when almost no one touched him. "Meredith," who suddenly lost her beloved teenage brother to cancer, now runs marathons in his memory, among other coping strategies. DeVita recounts the interviews she conducted with her own parents and movingly illuminates the tragic situation of her father, an oncologist, who could not save his own son, and her mother, who found the inner strength do her best for her dying son. Agent, Angela Miller from the Miller Agency. (Aug. 10) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

cradled All The While Is A Beautifully Crafted Memoir In Which The Author Recounts The Story Of Her Mother's Death From Cancer. In The Midst Of A Career And Child-rearing, Corse Becomes Her Mother's Primary Caregiver, But Her Story Is A Spiritual Journey That Will Nurture The Faith Of People Of Many Religious Backgrounds. The Themes Encountered Throughout The Book Parallel The Issues Dealt With In Practical Grieving Resources. Here, However, They Are Played Out In The Lives Of A Real Family.

An expanded edition of this classic book on grief and loss---with a new preface and epilogue Loss came suddenly for Jerry Sittser. In an instant, a tragic car accident claimed three generations of his family: his mother, his wife, and his young daughter. While most of us will not experience such a catastrophic loss in our lifetime, all of us will taste it. And we can, if we choose, know as well the grace that transforms it. A Grace Disguised plumbs the depths of sorrow, whether due to illness, divorce, or the loss of someone we love. The circumstances are not important; what we do with those circumstances is. In coming to the end of ourselves, we can come to the beginning of a new life---one marked by spiritual depth, joy, compassion, and a deeper appreciation of simple blessings.

When T.J. Wray lost her 43-year-old brother, her grief was deep and enduring and, she soon discovered, not fully acknowledged. Despite the longevity of adult sibling relationships, surviving siblings are often made to feel as if their grief is somehow unwarranted. After all, when an adult sibling dies, he or she often leaves behind parents, a spouse, and even children—all of whom suffer a more socially recognized type of loss.Based on the author's own experiences, as well as those of many others, Surviving the Death of a Sibling helps adults who have lost a brother or sister to realize that they are not alone in their struggle. Just as important, it teaches them to understand the unique stages of their grieving process, offering practical and prescriptive advice for dealing with each stage.In Surviving the Death of a Sibling, T.J. Wray discusses:• Searching for and finding meaning in your sibling's passing• Using a grief journal to record your emotions• Choosing a grief partner to help you through tough times• Dealing with insensitive remarks made by othersWarm and personal, and a rich source of useful insights and coping strategies, Surviving the Death of a Sibling is a unique addition to the literature of bereavement.

this Enhanced, Second Edition Of in My Mother's Kitchen Includes Even More Examples Of How To Recall, Record, And Celebrate Significant Memories. An Introduction To The Reminiscence Process, It Demonstrates How To Recognize And Value The Individuals And Incidents That Shape A Person's Life. Easy To Use, It Is An Effective Tool For Journaling Family Histories As Well As Coping With Loss Of A Loved One Or Changes Due To Illness Or Separation. about The Author: A Professional Writer And Storyteller, Robin Edgar Conducts Reminiscence-writing Workshops In A Variety Of Venues, Including Schools And Art Centers Such As The Prestigious John C. Campbell Folk School In Brasstown, North Carolina. She Also Facilitates The Healing Power Of Reminiscence Workshops For Organizations Such As Hospice And The Alzheimer's Association As Well As Various Scrapbook And Genealogy Groups. amer. Academy Of Bereavement for Anyone Who Has Known The Grief Of A Mother's Empty Place At The Table, This Book Is For You.

Jean Young Was A Respected Advocate In The Civil Rights And Children's Rights Movements. She Was The Wife Of Former U.n. Ambassador And Atlanta Mayor, Andrew Young. Their Daughter, Andrea Young, Has Written This Book As A Celebration Of A Good Mother, A Life Well Lived And Worth Emulating, And Values That Can Help Us All Become More Ethical People, More Loving Parents, And Better Citizens Of Our Own Communities--jacket. Wear Lipstick 9 -- A 50:50 Marriage Will Not Work 25 -- Resistance Is A Way Of Life 41 -- Play To Win 55 -- Go To Church 71 -- Live Your Own Life 85 -- Children First 99 -- Serve 115 -- Every Child Can Learn 131 -- A Kiss Will Make It Better 149 -- Be A Homemaker, Not A Housewife 161 -- Don't Feel Guilty 173 -- Tell The Truth 183 -- Do Your Best 193 -- A Girl's Best Friend Is Her Mother 205 -- Know Your History 217 -- Work Is Love Made Visible 229 -- Die With Grace And Courage 241. Andrea Young. Published Simultaneously In Canada.

"A big, entertaining novel...Rich in character and place and humanity...Gail Godwin is a wonderful writer." THE BOSTON GLOBE At the death of Leonard Strickland, beloved Southern gentleman, husband and father, his family is faced with the unknown. Nell always relied on the husband of her youth for security and friendship. Fiercely independent Cate and perfect Lydia have spent their lives vying for the love and approval their father generously gave. And as each woman begins to view her life, her past, and the possibilities of the future with new eyes, each belatedly discovers that life and death are impossible to plan, and that the past that has kept them apart can bring them closer to themselves and one another.... This #1 New York Times bestseller is now available in a beautiful paperback edition. When a Southern family man dies suddenly, his wife and two grown daughters are devastated. As the three women begin to view their futures, each discovers the past that has kept them apart can bring them close together.

"Lynn Davidman has written a courageous and important book about the impact of losing one's mother at an early age. Courageous because this is painful material—no one who reads it can help but recall their own mother's passing, even if not at an early age—and important because it seems there are few, if any, other books like it."—Virginia Olesen, University of California, San Francisco"This is an interesting, important, well-written book on a profoundly moving subject."—Barbara Katz Rothman, author of Genetic Maps and Human Imaginations"This is an important contribution to our understanding of the social construction of personal loss. It's an absorbing read and a vivid, often poignant, description of the response to mother loss. Motherloss is a real find for anyone interested in the importance of mothering."— Arlene Kaplan Daniels, Northwestern University "Sociology should focus on the most important human experiences, and Lynn Davidman gives us a sensitive account of the experience of losing one's mother. She shows that a sociology focused on meaning and identity best enables us to understand the personally unique experience of this loss for any individual without losing the shared cultural and social context in which such loss is also given form."—Nancy Chodorow, author of The Power of Feelings Bay Guardian Writing with elegance and a blessedly jargon-free style, Davidman explores the very specific ways the death of their mother affected a group of interviewees, then takes those individual stories to make some serious observations on the ways in which cultural notions of the meaning of mother have a powerful impact on the way we experience our own lives. . . . Motherloss is much more than a collection of sad stories, although I suspect that you will be deeply moved by these accounts. . . . Motherloss is a powerful call to action.

To tell you how to use this workbook would be like giving you instructions on how to grieve. Impossible. The only thing we know for sure is that no two people will approach this work in the same way. If there's one thing you should remember as you begin this process, it is this: You are not alone. With that knowledge, you've already begun to heal. —from A Mother Loss Workbook Inspired by Hope Edelman's bestselling Motherless Daughters, authors Diane Hambrook and Gail Eisenberg have created a sensitive,m accessible workbook for women suffering the wounds of early mother loss. A Mother Loss Workbook is designed to help the ,motherless daughter tell the story she needs to tell—her story. Its varied exercises, open-ended questions, writing topics, and activities, drawn from Hambrook's years of work with motherless daughters, provide both careful direction and generous room for self-expression. This book is a safe place where no one will judge a woman, where the work she must do can be done in her own time, at her own pace, and at any stage of mourning. A Mother Loss Workbook is an ideal supplement for personal therapy and support groups, but it is an important—and perhaps the only—tool for women just starting their journey or who are hesitant to go public with their feelings. Whether a woman uses it privately or shares it with a group, no matter how long its been since her mother died, A Mother Loss Workbook will guide her toward fully understanding her loss and taking charge of her future.

When Hope Edelman, author of the New York Times bestseller Motherless Daughters, became a parent, she found herself revisiting the loss of her mother in ways she had never anticipated. Now the mother of two young girls, Edelman set out to learn how the loss of a mother to death or abandonment can affect the ways women raise their own children. In Motherless Mothers, Edelman uses her own story as a prism to reveal the unique anxieties and desires that these women experience as they raise their children without the help of a living maternal guide. In an impeccably researched, luminously written book enriched by the voices of the mothers themselves—and filled with practical insight and advice from experienced professionals—she examines their parenting choices, their triumphs, and their fears, and offers motherless mothers the guidance and support they want and need. Publishers Weekly Edelman first undertook this painful topic in 1994 (Motherless Daughters: The Legacy of Loss), drawing from her own experience of losing her mother at 17. Now a mother herself, she considers how her mother's absence has shaped her seven years of parenting. Through interviews, anecdotes and psychological research, Edelman discusses the challenge of mothering in the shadow of someone gone, which often triggers a resurgence of childhood grief and confusion. But this is less a book on mourning than a supportive guide for mothers who may feel overwhelmed and alone, bereft of their own mothers' presence, advice and support. Chapters address general child-rearing topics for each age group with focuses specific to the reader: the void of the absent grandmother, the urge to overcompensate and the perpetual impulse to protect one's family from the specter of loss. Bereavement counselors examine the process of revisiting a traumatic youth through one's children, which affords the opportunity to heal. Edelman's voice, suffused with fierce maternal love, joins the candid recollections from motherless mothers of all ages and backgrounds. She presents emotionally charged concepts in clear, memorable terms (e.g., reaching the "neon number" of a mother's age of death) to encourage frank, cathartic discussion. (May) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

The loss of a mother is one of the most traumatic experiences of a woman's life. At any age, a mother's death may leave a daughter with feelings of anger, abandonment and profound sadness that taint the way she views herself, her world and every other relationship around her. In this breakthrough book, author Patricia Commins, who lost her mother at 26, shows readers that the key to escaping the sorority of sorrow is by understanding their mothers as women and by feeling an ongoing connection with them. From this perspective -outside the parent-child relationship that is so fraught with conflict and complex emotions - women gain key insights into their mothers and themselves. By addressing the psychological and spiritual connection that remains after a mother's death, Remembering Mother, Finding Myself offers the essential element that is missing from other books on motherless daughters. The Path of Understanding -a unique experiential process based on journaling, conversations with friends and relatives, and meditative exercises- does not seek to negate the loss a woman feels when her mother dies. It instead gently leads her beyond the grief and pain to a new awareness, freeing her from forever trying to be the perfect daughter. Through her own illuminating experiences and those of other women, Commins shows women how to reconnect their deceased mothers while finding peace and self-acceptance. Included are interviews with dozens of women, including such notables as writers Joyce Maynard and Nancy Friday and psychiatrist Elizabeth Kubler-Ross.

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A powerful, blazingly honest memoir: the story of an eleven-hundred-mile solo hike that broke down a young woman reeling from catastrophe—and built her back up again.At twenty-two, Cheryl Strayed thought she had lost everything. In the wake of her mother’s death, her family scattered and her own marriage was soon destroyed. Four years later, with nothing more to lose, she made the most impulsive decision of her life. With no experience or training, driven only by blind will, she would hike more than a thousand miles of the Pacific Crest Trail from the Mojave Desert through California and Oregon to Washington State—and she would do it alone.Told with suspense and style, sparkling with warmth and humor, Wild powerfully captures the terrors and pleasures of one young woman forging ahead against all odds on a journey that maddened, strengthened, and ultimately healed her.