Dr. Kenneth Doka explores a new, compassionate way to grieve, explaining that grief is not an illness to get over but an individual and ongoing journey. There is no "one-size-fits-all" way to cope with loss. The vital bonds that we form with those we love in life continue long after death--in very different ways. The author presents a hopeful, inclusive, personalized, and research-backed approach. Here you will find stories of individuals all working through their unique losses. Many other life changes accompany the loss of a loved one. The deaths of parents, even for adults, modify family patterns, change relationships, and alter old family rituals. Dr. Doka also explains how to cope with disenfranchised grief--the types of loss that are not so readily recognized or supported by society. These include the death of ex-spouses, as well as non-fatal losses such as divorce, the end of a friendship, job loss, or infertility. In addition, Dr. Doka considers losses that might be stigmatized, including death by suicide or from disease or self-destructive behaviors such as smoking or alcoholism. Since no two people experience grief in the exact same way, this book offers a variety of self-help strategies for coping with grief. It delineates the many ways we can create personal and private therapeutic rituals throughout our grief journey. This book also offers counsel on when and where to seek professional assistance. And finally, Dr. Doka reminds us that, however painful, grief provides opportunities for growth.