Getting grief right : finding your story of love in the sorrow of loss

When the New York Times ran Patrick O'Malley's story about the loss of his infant son—and how his inability to "move on" challenged everything he was taught as a psychotherapist—it inspired an unprecedented flood of gratitude from readers. What he shared was a truth that many have felt but rarely acknowledged by the professionals they turn to: that our grief is not a mental illness to be cured, but part of the abiding connection with the one we've lost . Illuminated by O'Malley's own story and those of many clients that he's supported, readers learn how the familiar "stages of grief" too often mislabel our sorrow as a disorder, press us to "get over it," and amplify our suffering with shame and guilt when we do not achieve "closure" in due course. "Sadness, regret, confusion, yearning—all the experiences of grief—are a part of the narrative of love," reflects O'Malley. Here, with uncommon sensitivity and support, he invites us to explore grief not as a process of recovery, but as the ongoing narrative of our relationship with the one we've lost—to be fully felt, told, and woven into our lives. For those in bereavement and anyone supporting those who are, Getting Grief Right offers an uncommonly empathetic guide to opening to our sorrow as the full expression of our love. Introduction: what's wrong with me? -- A therapist grieves -- The cage of the stages -- The way forward through stories -- On the right path -- No person's grief the same -- Know thyself -- How death comes -- Attachment and grief -- Your story -- The culture of positivity -- The expectations of others -- Help for the helper -- Sorrows shared -- The therapist grieves still -- Epilogue -- Notes -- Further reading -- Appendix I: Seeking help -- Appendix II: The vocabulary of grief -- Getting grief right study guide : for individuals and groups -- Acknowledgments -- About the authors. Introduction: what's wrong with me? A therapist grieves The cage of the stages The way forward through stories On the right path No person's grief the same Know thyself How death comes Attachment and grief Your story The culture of positivity The expectations of others Help for the helper Sorrows shared A therapist grieves still Epilogue Notes Further reading Appendix I: Seeking help Appendix II: The vocabulary of grief Getting grief right study guide : for individuals and groups Acknowledgments About the authors. "When the New York Times ran Patrick OMalley's story about the loss of his infant son—and how his inability to "move on" challenged everything he was taught as a psychotherapist—it inspired an unprecedented flood of gratitude from readers. What he shared was a truth that many have felt but rarely acknowledged by the professionals they turn to: that our grief is not a mental illness to be cured, but part of the abiding connection with the one we've lost" --Amazon.com.