SELF-HELP

Finding Meaning: The Sixth Stage of Grief

by David Kessler

Scribner. Nov. 2019. 272p. ISBN 9781501192739. $26; ebk. ISBN 9781501192753. ;. grief/bereavement

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Decades after Elisabeth Kübler Ross described the five stages of dying in 1969’s On Death and Dying, Ross and grief expert Kessler coauthored On Grief and Grieving and Life Lessons. Kessler has since proposed that a sixth stage, finding meaning in loss, can assist in adding closure and generate a more hopeful experience. Meaning can come through establishing rituals that commemorate someone’s life, a contribution that will honor them, or even deepen one’s connection to special relationships. The author describes the challenges inherent in the loss of a child, suicide, and mental illness, and through this thoughtful text helps readers build a new normal.

VERDICT An excellent addition to grief literature that helps pave the way for steps toward healing.

Reviewed by Deborah Bigelow , Oct 01, 2019

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