The AfterGrief

More about the book

A validating new approach to the long-term grieving process that explains why we feel "stuck," why that's normal, and how shifting a perception of grief can help us grow--from the New York Times bestselling author of Motherless Daughters Shouldn't I be over this by now? Why do I still feel the pain? Because of the common assumption that grief should be time-limited, too many of us believe we've done it "wrong" when sadness reemerges months or even years after a major loss. In The AfterGrief, Hope Edelman offers a new and reality-affirming paradigm: grief is not an emotion to pass through on the way to "feeling better," but a state that we repeatedly return to as we experience important life transitions and new crises. Drawing from her own encounters with the ripple effects of early loss, as well as interviews with more than seventy-five people, Edelman offers profound advice for reassessing loss and adjusting the stories we tell ourselves about its impact on our identities. With guidance for reframing a story of loss, finding equilibrium within it, and experiencing renewed growth and purpose, The AfterGrief shows that though grief may be a lifelong process, it doesn't have to be a lifelong struggle.