Surviving Grief ... and Learning to Live Again [Paperback]

Catherine M. Sanders (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0471534714 | ISBN-13: 978-0471534716 | Publication Date: April 1992 | Edition: 1

An insightful, compassionate account of the grieving process that helps us through the pain and isolation experienced with the loss of a loved one.. We're never really prepared for the loss of someone we love. Thrown into a state of emotional chaos we experience rage, guilt, anxiety, and intense sadness all at once. It's the oldest story in the world, we tell ourselves -- millions of people have had to cope with this before -- and yet, we always believe that what we are experiencing is unique to us. We feel isolated in our anguish and often ashamed of what we are feeling. A profoundly compassionate and insightful book, Surviving Grief. & Learning to Live Again offers you the support and understanding you need to get you through this difficult time. Written by Dr. Catherine Sanders, a therapist and researcher specializing in bereavement issues and one who has lived through the loss of close family members, it helps you to see that what you are feeling is part of a natural process of readjustment and renewal. According to Dr. Sanders, grieving, like any other natural regenerative process, must be allowed to run its proper course if we are ever to regain our equilibrium and continue on with our lives. To help us better understand the process, she describes the five universal phases of grief: Shock, Awareness of Loss, Conservation and The Need to Withdraw, Healing, and Renewal, and guides us through each. Drawing directly from her own experiences and those of her clients and her research studies, she delves deeply and compassionately into the different experiences of grief, and talks about what it means to lose a mate, a parent, or a child. And she discusses the factors that can have an influence on the grieving process, such as age, gender, and the circumstances surrounding the loved one's death.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

The theme of this well-written book is that although death and grief cause change, this change should not be feared. Sanders, a psychologist and bereavement researcher, draws upon her professional and personal experiences with grief. She describes five phases of bereavement and the ultimate transition that can occur as those who grieve progress from the first stage of "shock" to the fifth stage of "renewal." Sanders details the emotions that accompany each phase and offers practical suggestions for dealing with them. The author's straightforward approach and skillful blend of anecdotes, pragmatism, and philosophy make for an exceptionally readable and reassuring book. Highly recommended for psychology collections.
-January Adams, Somerville
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From the Publisher

As a therapist specializing in bereavement and one who has experienced significant personal loss, Catherine Sanders points out that we all go through common experiences or phases in dealing with grief. She defines and explains in detail the five distinct phases--shock, awareness of loss, conservation and the need to withdraw, healing, and renewal. In addition, the book examines different experiences of grief, whether it's the death of a child, parent or spouse; discusses the factors that increase problems in resolving grief such as age, gender and religion; and offers compassionate guidance for working through each stage of the mourning process.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 222 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (April 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471534714
• ISBN-13: 978-0471534716
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #375,047 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best handbook on grieving I've read... & I've read alot, May 7, 2000

By 

[e-mail] (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Surviving Grief ... and Learning to Live Again (Paperback)

Most of the books I've read on grieving were personal accounts which are somewhat helpful, however this book actually helps you handle your grief and dealing with living again which I'd been having a problem with since the death of my husband years ago. I would definitely recommend it for anyone who has lost a loved one to death and wants to understand what is happening to them. This book makes grief make sense. And is written in an extremely understandable and readable style. The only problem I had getting through this book was I had to keep putting it down because I was crying. The book lives up to its title.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Talks about the real suffering after the death of loved one, November 18, 1999

By 

Adrienne A. Fermoyle (Mountlake Terrace WA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Surviving Grief ... and Learning to Live Again (Paperback)

This was the first book I ever read that discussed the aspect of grief that caused me the most trouble. Although I looked like the same person on the outside, after experiencing the deaths of my brother and mother, inside I was NOT the same & had a very difficult time tying to step back into my life and this book is one of the few that deals with that. I have bought copies for friends coping with loss and grief and they have benefitted from it as well. If you or someone you know is dealing with the death of someone, do yourselves a favor & buy this book!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I was stuck in one phase!, September 21, 2006

By 

C. Woodruff "Always Improving" (Tulsa, OK USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Surviving Grief ... and Learning to Live Again (Paperback)

I am so thankful for finding this book and reading the reviews about it. There are many books about grief, but this got me through the phase I was stuck in. I had lost a husband, mother and sister in a short time, and kept telling people I had an "insecure" feeling that I couldn't shake. Your friends don't know how to lead you out of your misery, but this author does. She has been through more than I have and pointed out to me what a frightening place the world can be when your whole life has been turned upside down. I thought I should be able to handle anything and had gone through all the phases but she pointed out how I needed to go back and really "grieve". I did and feel so much stronger now! I recommend this book for everyone who really wants to get on with the rest of your life and not be stuck like I was.