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INTRODUCTION: You will survive! Outlines our 19 step program towards healthy resolution of grief.
I. THE EARLY STAGES OF GRIEF
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Chapter 1. In the Beginning… Is this for real? Acknowledging your pain and accepting the reality of the death. One simple thing you can do when you feel overwhelmed. Physical signs and strange sensations you might experience.
Chapter 2.  Tell Your Story – It’s normal to relive the events of the death and to tell your story many times over. Here are two comforting ways you can tell your story again… when no one is around to listen.
Chapter 3. Indulge Your Grief – It’s important not to avoid or push grief away, especially in the beginning. Why your friends may try to distract you from your mourning; and how not to give in.
Chapter 4.  Forgive Them – Why would someone say something that stupid and hurtful to me at a time like this? How to handle thoughtless visitors and avoid adding emotional baggage to your burden.
Chapter 5. Anger and Blame – So you are not mad about death? Identifying hidden anger points and a simple exercise to help defuse this destructive emotion.
Chapter 6. Relief and Guilt- Of course you wish things had gone differently, but do you really deserve to feel guilty? This chapter presents a tried-and-true technique for ending the Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda mind game forever.
Chapter 7.  Celebrate a Life – You’ll find it very therapeutic to create a memorial to your lost loved one. Here we present several project ideas to consider, as well as group activities to help other family members express their grief.
Chapter 8. An Academy Award Performance… Why are my friends starting to avoid me? How to reach out for the love and support you desperately need right now.
II. DIG IN FOR THE LONG HAUL – THE MIDDLE STAGES OF GRIEF
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Chapter 9. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly- It’s normal in grief to glorify your lost beloved. Learn why it is important later to explore the negatives, and an easy exercise to help you do so.
Chapter 10. Uh oh, Christmas is Coming… A recurrent theme we hear over and over…. how hard it is to deal with holidays and anniversaries. This chapter provides great strategies to help make those special days more bearable, even enjoyable.
Chapter 11. So What’s to Laugh About? Laugh? I can’t even smile! How to find glimmers of happiness to help you through the dark times.
Chapter 12. Don’t grieve alone – No one you can rely on? How to ask for the help you need; and a special group of folks who “get itâ€.
Chapter 13. Everyone needs a little help sometimes – Some special sources of help you might not have thought about…
Chapter 14. Â What silver lining? Learn which decisions to avoid for now, and for how long. Finding meaning in death. And a little soul searching will help you realize the positives in your new life.
III. ACCEPTANCE & RESOLUTION – THE END OF BEREAVEMENT
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Chapter 15.  Saying Goodbye- It is healthy late in bereavement to say goodbye to your lost one; to relinquish some of the grief. Here we teach you an easy but effective way to bid farewell.
Chapter 16. Box Up the Grief – At some point, you’ll realize you need to “compartmentalize†your grief, ease it into the background so you can cope long-term. Learn simple mental and physical techniques to help achieve this goal.
Chapter 17. A New Beginning – All about new relationships, new interests, and a new outlook on life.
Chapter 18.  Break the Vicious Cycle – Feel stuck in your bereavement? Tired of grieving? Ready to reclaim your freedom? Time for the big guns! Chapter 18 teaches you some very effective imagery techniques to help you take charge of your life and direct your own future.
Chapter 19. The End of Grief (Resolution) – How do you know when you are finished grieving? Signs of the resolution of grief; some helpful insights from the author.
2 WAYS TO GET “BACK TO LIFEâ€
Heartbroken from grief…
Back to Life is a