I Wasn't Ready to Say Goodbye
A Book Review By Brenda Hyde

I Wasn't Ready to Say Goodbye:
Surviving, Coping and Healing after the Death of a Loved One
by Brook Noel, Pamela D. Blair, PH.D
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After the loss of a loved one our world seems to spin out of control. What do we do to recover? How can we help those around us as well as ourselves? Brook Noel and Pamela D. Blair, PH.D. have put together an invaluable resource in their book I Wasn't Ready to Say Goodbye.

They briefly share their own stories with us, which helps us to get a feel for their backgrounds and where they are coming from. But what really makes this book a great resource is their hands on approach to dealing with grief. They share research on why we feel the way we do after a loss, but they go on to give us specific actions to take at a time when we NEED someone to guide us to the next step. The exercises in this book are what really makes it stand out.

There are also chapters on specific kinds of losses and the unique questions that arise in these situations. Some of the chapters include:

The Loss of a Friend
The Loss of a Parent
The Loss of a Child
The Loss of a Partner
The Loss of a Sibling

The last two chapters, Grief Recovery Exercises and Resources and Support, take you beyond the book to continue the healing process on your own or with help from professionals and others going through the same thing. There is something for everyone in these chapters.

The authors write in a friendly but knowledgeable style. They don't talk down to us, but also don't talk over our heads with lofty theories and philosophies. I felt as if they were looking me in they eye and saying "THIS is what you can do to help yourself!". During a time of grief this is exactly what we need.