Healing: The Essential Guide to Helping Others Overcome Grief and Loss [Paperback]

Author Alicia King speaks from experience in her new book, Healing. She has had her share of disappointments and sadness with the murder of her mother, sudden death of her father ten years later and a miscarriage. In sorting through the anguish and grief, Alicia began to realize what brought her comfort and what prolonged the pain when others came to visit. Surprisingly, she shares that she didn't expect people to fix the "hurt" or provide answers to difficult life events. Her advice: "you just need to be there".

Although the book helps explain the philosophical and spiritual void when we lose someone close, Alicia's insight provides practical advice to those of us who would like to do something to help, but aren't sure what or how. The author discusses the painful mistakes people make, how to respect people's beliefs and when someone experiences grief-induced ADD, the best thing you can do might be to take out the garbage for them.

The author acknowledges how difficult the first step is when entering someone's grief. She provides useful website links to national organizations which provide guidance but also reminds us that humor has a place in grief. A great lesson: one of the worst things is to be a grief trumper, (your grief is nothing compared to mine!)

Anyone who is involved in a church ministry to help with grief will want to find a special place on the bookshelf for this one. Older members of the ministry might participate in writing or calling the bereaved while others can provide the "beyond the casserole: food ideas". Groups should read the book together before there is need. They'll be much better prepared to help get others through those tough times after reading Alicia's book.

I highly recommend Healing to anyone who has endured a loss, or knows someone who has.

Dealing with grief, our own and others', is a universal experience; eventually, everybody becomes a member of this club. That's why Healing carries such an important message, one that we can all use to comfort and support those around us going through this inevitable human passage.

Writing with wit, humor, and compassion, Alicia King takes a tough, sad subject, and somehow makes it easy and enjoyable reading. Each bite-sized chapter focuses on a particular point, using real-world relatable examples and then offering specific practical advice without resorting to psycho-babble, heavy-handed philosophizing, or tear-jerking sentimentality.

Healing is a refreshingly down-to-earth how-to (and how-NOT-to) exploration of a delicate topic, delivered with grace, warmth, and, perhaps best of all, brevity. Don't just buy this book -- buy two or more copies to give to friends and family -- they'll thank you for it, I promise.

Finally a book that looks at the difficult subject of helping someone who is grieving----and kindly suggests that we could all benefit from the knowledge that there are better and worse ways to do it. I immediately wanted to know what grieving people found helpful, hurtful, stupid, kind . . and this book not only informed me, it also helped me evaluate what might come out of my mouth in the future that would hopefully fall into the category of "better things."
I highly recommend this read whether you are currently dealing with someone who is grieving or not. Much better to know ahead and be prepared for the next time because unfortunately we are all eventually going to be faced with what to say to or do for someone who is grieving. Now I feel like I do. Thank you Ms. King.