Customer Reviews

The Weeping Willow: Encounters With Grief

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The Weeping Willow (encounters with grief)

I read the book through the eyes of both a therapist and as a mother who lost her son to cancer; and it provided much food for thought. It is a must for all therapists, and a valuable text for anyone experiencing grief and loss. .

The real life stories of counseling individuals and families in various circumstances told in brief by the authors serve to cast light on the complexities of dealing with grieving. . There is a lesson to be learned in each encounter by the inclusion of questions, answers and references.

A therapist can benefit from reading the authors' presentation and their insight into the varied facets of grief and loss and it can help anyone enmeshed in the throes of trauma, grief and loss.

"You should know no more sorrow"; "time is a great healer"; such inane platitudes, that only serve the speaker and rub salt into the wounds of the bereaved. I can never hear those words without cringing. The authors explain why these expressions are so annoying. What they are saying is that nothing can erase the pain but understanding can ease the pain.

I bought this book for a friend who had recently lost her daughter after a battle with cancer. She read the pages concerning her specific loss and she found it to be a precious aid.

I want to thank Lynne Chalamish and Doron Hermoni for sharing their experience, knowledge and insight with this gem of a book


Ada Levitt D.T.R. #56
Kibbutz Barkai, Israel

I read this book from the perspective of a practicing social worker and also as a parent who has experienced the death of a child. This book provides clear and practical insights for understanding and working with grief. The true stories are poignant, concise and portray lessons and "truths" that could take a lifetime of professional practice to learn. From each story the author is able to distill practical advice and show how and why the advice matters, for those who want the theory; there are plenty of footnotes to pursue further research.

But not only is this book a valuable tool for professional counselors, the life stories and lessons touch on universal experiences we all face learning to live with the loss of parents, siblings, children or a traumatic event. The lessons in this book serves as navigational aids for all who find themselves in these turbulent and unsettling waters.

I will be buying this book for colleagues, and for those just beginning their careers in the helping professions.

Francie Scott, LCSW

The Weeping Willow is an excellent book to give to those who are dealing with grief. It is practical, not sentimental. The stories in it describe different reactions to loss - and I can picture people I know in each of them. I would recommend this book for counsellors and pastors/congregational leaders/priests/rabbis/people involved with rehab, etc. a well as those dealing with grief. Good job Lynne!

I've read a fair number of books on grieving.
This one is remarkable for its wisdom, clarity, practicality, and brevity.