Learning How To Grieve

John James and Russell Friedman wrote an insightful and practical book on grieving. They lead the reader through various steps to help grieve. Many of us have experienced things in our lives that are a cause for grief. They defined grief as “conflicting feelings caused by a change or an end in a familiar pattern of behavior. ” I found this definition to be fascinating, as I always associated grief as extreme sadness and sorrow relating to very tramatic events. Grief however can apply to any change. While grief is often felt regarding the death of a loved one, it can also and is often experienced after a divorce, a move, sickness, losing a beloved object… Because we don’t relate to these events as grief- inducing events, we often don’t go through the appropriate healing process. If we don’t properly allow ourselves to heal, the wound will not go away with time, but rather will remain painful.

This book is very recommended as a self-help book. It can also be very helpful to have a professional help one through the grieving process. A therapist can help one explore and understand how to grieve, add insights, and help one to grieve in a proper manner. As James and Friedman emphasized, one of the biggest misconceptions involving grief is the notion that it will go away with time. If not properly expressed and explored, the grief can fester and stay within someone.