Finding Meaning: the Sixth Stage of Grief Workbook: Tools for Releasing Pain and Remembering with Love

This book has been transformational in helping me process and heal from the death of my father. David Kessler is an incredible teacher and mentor. His workbook weaves together everything I personally needed to work through my trauma, and ultimately start living again while honoring my father and feeling deeply connected to him despite the physical loss. The principals can be applied to any type of loss. I went through multiple losses at once and it’s recommended that each loss is treated individually. This workbook has truly been a godsend.

I found this workbook to be so helpful to me. I lost my mother 4 years ago to an overdose, we weren't speaking at the time. I had a lot of complicated grief. Through trauma treatment, and the use of this workbook, I've gained a new perspective and found peace. I highly recommend.

I lost my mom over two years ago and I am so grateful for David Kessler and his grief website and support group where you can learn from his wisdom and insight as well as fellow grievers. I read several of his books when my mom was placed in hospice care and right after her death I read his book “Finding Meaning.” It was way too soon for me to “find meaning” and actually process anything when I was in shock. I understand this better now. On this unwelcome grief journey, I have bought (and returned) three grief workbooks from other authors because they were simplistic, uncreative, awkward, and felt like more work and punishment than I was already dealing with. This workbook, however, is a keeper! It is clear how thoughtfully wrought it is, how inventive and unique the contents are, and the deep fount of personal and professional experience that David Kessler brings to the workbook. This workbook is a companion to the book of the same title published earlier, but will definitely be able to stand alone. It is something you should be able to use soon after loss, if you take it step by step without pressuring yourself. I hope and pray many therapists will read this book because it’s unfortunate how little grief awareness is out there. I was immediately impressed with the layout, the beauty of the design, the easy to read and inviting fonts, along with the accessible chapters and exercises. Key is the helpful personal insights, examples, and experience that accompany some of the text. David Kessler ably walks the fine line of telling his story without overwhelming or minimizing yours. In fact, the “stories we tell ourselves” is a persistent theme, and he has some brilliant exercises both telling and re-scripting of our story around the death. There’s also a very unique “Hero’s Journey” storyboard that you can write on your grief journey. There is a three session Zoom meeting schedule beginning Oct. 21st for those who purchase the book. I’m looking forward to the exercises, though it will be hard at times. The only way through grief is to fully feel our pain so we can fully live again. A must buy for anyone who is living with loss and grief.

Absolutely fabulous reading

Lots of time and effort put into this workbook. I got partway through it and found it wasn’t for me. I didn’t write in it so I will save it for my friend who will immanently be losing her husband

This is a good workbook for working through grief and actually beginning to understand the meaning of the life of the person who died. David Kessler has helped me work through grief with his books and podcasts.

Good writing prompts, easy to read, Kessler is great for grief work. This can be for any grief or loss.

Very simple, well laid out thoughtful approach to finding sense in grief, whether recent or lingering over many years. Thought provoking, helps you realize whether you are clinging to it and why, how to release guilt and feeling responsible, and all of the other negatives we tell ourselves when we have had a loss. David Kessler ha experienced real grief and has made helping others deal with it his life's calling. Lots of experience, his and others, in this book. Well worth the read and the work he asks you to do.

My son and my daughter’s brother died a year ago. unexpectedly My daughter. was having a very difficult time dealing with it.Her mood was circling downwards and nothing seemed to to help. This book was recommended by a good friend.initially my daughter found it hard to even concentrate but little by little she started to understand and accept that her brother was gone. This book helped in a way that no one else had been able to - break through the denial and allow her to express her anger and grief.It was a great help in her healing and I’d recommend it to any one who feels stuck in their emotions regarding the loss of a truly loved person.

David Kessler is the most lovely and warm hearted therapist and listening to him and reading this book helped me tremendously getting over the deep grief when my mother died. Understanding trauma as well as grief is such a good thing to find.

The exercices were helpful.

As a psychotherapist, this book is a must read for anyone who is grieving, or knows someone who is.

Still working on it!