Grief Help: Books to Help You Cope

Grief has been compared to ocean waves, a storm, and a wildfire. Many people compare their experience of grief with being thrown into the wilderness with a challenge to survive and find a way to live. While our initial reaction is often shock and numbness, we often seek to find something to hold on to, something to help us find the path through this experience.

I am frequently asked to suggest some books that clients can read between their counselling sessions. Something that would help make more sense of their experience and help them to stay afloat. Books can serve as a guide, a road map, or a frame of reference. In the absence of a counsellor, they offer additional support.

My usual suggestion would be to stay mindful of your internal response to the materials you are reading and remember that there is no “right way” of going through grief. It is helpful to take breaks in reading and balance processing of grief with other activities in your life, as much as possible.

Here are a few books I can recommend. These are affiliate links for Amazon, but you may find some of the titles at your local library or if you are living in Saskatoon, at the Edwards Family Centre, Grief and Resource Lending Library.

Alexandra Froese, M.Ed., Registered Psychologist

Grief and Coping

Grieving a Loss of a Child

Loss of a Parent

Helping Others Through Grief