This book has become a classic in the area of life after losses of all kinds. It is a MUST-READ - in part, because our culture is ignorant yet pushy about how to live through major losses. While this book provides lots of guidelines for how to get through difficult times, it also appropriately repeats the truth that losses are different for each person - and even for each loss. It gives necessary permission for people to allow their unique feelings to come up and be expressed, rather than hiding them or being afraid of them. It promotes the truth that the only way to get through losses in life is to go "THROUGH THEM", not to "get over them." "Getting over" losses is merely a way to avoid feelings and force them to come out through the body (illness)or some other mode that is more accepted in our culture than emotions. Although these feelings may at first seem unbearably painful, the reader will find surprising relief by allowing them to be felt and then expressed either through direct emotions, or through some of the exercises provided in the book. This book recognizes that many people and even professionals may be unaware of these truths. It recommends that you either educate those people or else find a way to do what you need to do to get THROUGH your process without their input. I am a psychologist and have used this book regularly in my practice for years. But more importantly, I am a person who has experienced many losses that this book helped me find my way THROUGH.

This book helped me a great deal when I lost my baby daughter. This is a general grief book that is good for any kind of grief, not just death. It helps to understand what you are going through and this book does a great job of explaining the stages and processes of grief. I have recommended this book to many people.

I am a psychotherapist with a specialty in grief and loss. I have also taught many all day workshops on this topic. This book provides very practical, understandable and concrete information for those undergoing a loss. Most folks do not understand the grief process and are frequently disturbed by their own reactions to a loss. This book helps validate that experience as well as act as a roadmap for the grief experience. It includes practical tools to move through the process and information not always covered in other grief literature, e.g., nutrition during grief. I have recommended it frequently to my clients and others as a very helpful tool. It is one of the most user-friendly of the grief books on the market.

The book "Life After Loss" by Bob Deits was given to me by one of my friends when my mother died in January of 2000 from cancer. I'll have to admit that when he gave it to me, the last thing I wanted to do was read it. I was interested in nothing,and even if I would have read it at that time, I wouldn't have remembered it. I was numb. After a few months I pulled the book out from under a big pile of my mother's things in my closet. I was going to look at it, but I didn't want to get upset again so I didn't think about it for another 4 months. When I finally sat down to read it, it wasn't a sad book like I was scared of. It actually helped me to cope with my mom's loss and to like myself again. I no longer felt guilty or ashamed. I learned that things happen because "we live in an imperfect world." I know that this isn't the kind of report that you may want, but I just wanted to let people know that this book can help you. Everyone going through a loss of any kind should read this book and refer to it when they get down again about their loss or losses. Believe me, this book helps...even when it is the last thing you may want to see and especially read. I went through it and now I am so glad that I read it.