Sweet Sorrow is an excellent book. Through a narrative approach, the book places an emphasis on the actual experience of the death of a loved one (husband). The author provides critical insight into the journey of death as experienced by a caretaker, in this case the spouse. The author speaks from ‘the heart’ and takes the reader through the journey of impending and then final loss. While the beginning of the book gives information about the unique challenges that the caregiver/ spouse faces, the end of the book is insightful in providing self-help information for the reader. -- Loretta Bradley, PhD, LPC, LMFT. NCC, Paul Whitfield Horn Professor, Texas Tech University, Former President of the American Counseling Association (ACA)
The literature is filled with personal memoirs of loss and professional texts on treating grief, but Cormier’s Sweet Sorrow singularly combines both in navigating traumatic loss in a realistic and growthful way. Particularly helpful are the information about grief oscillations over time, the contemplative questions, and her clinical suggestions on responding to grievers. A tender narrative AND a superb primer on helping others heal in one absorbing book! -- John C. Norcross, PhD, ABPP, Distinguished Professor of Psychology, University of Scranton, and author of “Self-Help That Works” and “Changeology”
Sherry Cormier takes us through her heart-breaking loss, then gifts us with a reassuring path back to fulfillment. You will be drawn in by her memoir, enlightened by her wisdom, inspired by her attention to detail and research. Rewards of this book are both personal and professional. -- Patricia Love, Psychotherapist and Author
Sweet Sorrow is very appropriately titled; Sherry Cormier does a marvelous job sharing in such a warm, tender manner her journey through her husband’s illness, death, grief and recovery. This book can help provide comfort to many who ask “why did this happen to me.” Sherry uniquely combines the writings of leading experts in the area of grief and spirituality with her own experiences of healing. Sweet Sorrow will validate many common and unusual experiences of those who are grieving and offers the reader many processes that help with finding balance and joy again. -- Ed Jacobs, Ph.D., Professor of Counseling, West Virginia University, Director, Impact Therapy Associates
An account of hope, promise, and resilience, Sweet Sorrow allows readers to witness a beautiful love story and a poignant grief journey. Beyond her authentic account of her own grief, Cormier draws upon her background as a therapist and studies in the field to guide readers through rebuilding their lives. I heartily endorse this book for anyone striving to support someone who is grieving and for those in the throes of deep overwhelming grief. The message of hope and resilience is palpable.
-- Anne H. Baker, Director of Adult Bereavement Services & Training Hospice Caring Inc.
An honest, moving, informative, and methodically crafted text that grips the reader’s heart, spirit, and mind. Sherry Cormier’s Sweet Sorrow navigates the reader through the terrain of loss and grief based on the author’s personal experience, psychological expertise, and clinical literature. A memoir, self-help book, and modern-day almanac brimming with inspirational quotes and practical tips that will resonate with grieving and non-grieving readers. -- Katarzyna Malecka, grief scholar and author of "Death in the Works of Galway Kinnell" From the Inside Flap
As we companion together through this book, you'll notice certain themes that have to do with positive coping and healing - from helplessness to empowerment, from hopelessness to hopefulness, from anxiousness to calm, and from sadness to joy.
From the Back Cover
Few of us know how to navigate the territory of traumatic loss successfully. Sweet Sorrow: Finding Enduring Wholeness after Loss and Grief shows how we can respond and grow stronger from loss and suffering. Written by a psychologist and bereavement trauma specialist in the decade following the loss of her husband, father, mother, and only sibling, this carefully considered work provides perspective on grief and healing over time.
About the Author
Sherry Cormier, PhD, is a licensed psychologist and Professor Emerita in the Department of Counseling, Rehabilitation Counseling, and Counseling Psychology at West Virginia University. She was in private practice in adult psychotherapy in Morgantown WV. She was a former faculty member at the University of Tennessee. She is the author of two textbooks: Counseling Strategies and Interventions, now in its ninth edition and translated into several languages, and Interviewing and Change Strategies for Helpers, now in its eighth edition. She is a certified bereavement trauma specialist and resides in Annapolis, MD, where she engages in grief mentoring, speaking, and consulting in the areas of grief and loss, health and wellness, and stress management.
