A Good Friend for Bad Times: Helping Others Through Grief [Paperback]

Deborah E. Bowen (Author), Susan L. Strickler (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 2004

"What should I say? What should I do? How can I help?" A Good Friend for Bad Times offers readers a better understanding of the grief process and provides insight and practical advice for expressing concern to a friend.

Deborah Bowen and Susan Strickler address how to support a family before and immediately after a death and in the weeks and years beyond. They also provide insight for situations involving Alzheimer's disease, cancer, AIDS, suicide, and the death of a child, among others. In addition, they give attention to supporting children through grief and suggest ways to help individuals through holidays and remembrance days.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"I don't know that I have seen another book that covers this perspective. This is a valuable new resource." -- Katherine B. Boyd, Director of the National Association of Social Workers, N.C. Chapter

From the Publisher

How to support others before, during, and after a death.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 132 pages
• Publisher: Augsburg Fortress Publishers (September 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0806651512
• ISBN-13: 978-0806651514
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,272,937 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Offering both general and specific advice, November 5, 2004

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Good Friend for Bad Times: Helping Others Through Grief (Paperback)

A licensed social worker and a professional bereavement counselor pool their years of experience in A Good Friend for Bad Times: Helping Others Through Grief, a Christian resource for helping friends and loves ones cope with terrible loss. Offering both general and specific advice, especially for dealing with the cruel reality of death, A Good Friend for Bad Times emphasizes the importance of being there, and describes helpful means of emotional and physical suppport in the first weeks, the first month, and the first year after experiencing a death. Highly recommended.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best book available to help others, October 17, 2004

By 

Tar Heel 87 "Tar Heel" (North Carolina) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Good Friend for Bad Times: Helping Others Through Grief (Paperback)

The book's authors have obviously spent significant time counseling others through periods of grief and the book shows it. Sometimes these types of books are written by scholastic types and not someone who knows what it's like to deal with issues first hand. Easy to read and to understand, this should be the first book you pick up when you want to help someone through tough times.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Everyone who cares about people should read this book!, September 17, 2004

By 

R. Plowden - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Good Friend for Bad Times: Helping Others Through Grief (Paperback)

Everyone knows someone who is grieving at one time or another. This book is a practical guide on understanding and helping your friends and loved ones through these difficult times. I wish a few of my co-workers had read it when I was suffering from the loss of a child. This should be required reading for employers and supervisors.