What Grieving People Wish You Knew About What Really Helps (And What Really Hurts)

Nancy Guthrie helpfully walks through how we should be supporting those who are experiencing grief. Her inclusion of her own experiences, in addition to many other people’s experiences, of helpful and harmful ways people have tried to comfort and support gives this book a sense of ‘from those of us who are experiencing grief to you’. This book helpfully caused me to grimace at some of the ways I have tried to comfort others, but also gave me a better view of how to support those experiencing grief.

An excellent resource to slowly work through, absorb and ponder. The most important take home is to 'show up' when one is experiencing grief. Be present and learn to listen and accept the person whose world has tipped upside down. The quotes from a variety of people in this book were really helpful. If you feel like you don't know what to say to someone who is grieving then read this book.

This is an excellent book with many stories from real people. \\r\\nIt gives lots of advice of what to say and what not to say. \\r\\n\\r\\nIt gives an insight into people's grief and common mistakes. \\r\\nThis would be a good book to refer to whenever there is someone around you experiencing grief. \\r\\nIn these times it's extremely important to be careful with our words and actions. This book will guide in what you should do and say.

As a western culture we don't cope well with grief. We try to avoid it, and feel awkward when someone is going through loss because we don't know what to do or say. This book is a fantastic way to learn how you can helpfully and practically enter into another's suffering of loss. The big message is that the main thing you should do for someone grieving is just show up. Be there for them. Not in an overbearing way but as much or little as they need from you. It's fairly straightforward but not always easy and this book goes a long way in giving you the right direction.