PHIL RICH, MSW, CSW, is an independent consultant, certified school social worker, parent, and educational trainer on issues of discipline and self-esteem.

• Introduction xiiiSECTION I—Stages of Grief 1Exercise I.A Stages of Grief: Getting Located 6Exercise I.B Identifying Your Feelings 9SECTION II—Accommodation and Adjustment 13Exercise II.A These Early Days 16Exercise II.B Expressing Yourself 19Exercise II.C This Loss in My Life 22Exercise II.D Barriers to Adjustment 25SECTION III—Acceptance 26Exercise III.A Rite of Passage 30Exercise III.B I Still Can’t Believe It 33Exercise III.C Remembering the Day 36Exercise III.D I Choose to Overcome Grief 39SECTION IV—Support 42Exercise IV.A The Day After 45Exercise IV.B The Right Help at the Right Time 48Exercise IV.C Recognizing Support 51Exercise IV.D Checkpoint: Support 55SECTION V—Sharing 57Exercise V.A The Faces of Sharing 60Exercise V.B The Faces of Your Community 63Exercise V.C The Gift of Sharing 66Exercise V.D Checkpoint: Sharing 69SECTION VI—Understanding Feelings 71Exercise VI.A Your Feelings 74Exercise VI.B Your Thoughts About Your Feelings 77Exercise VI.C How Do You Feel Right Now? 80Exercise VI.D Triggers 84Exercise VI.E Watching Your Feelings 87Exercise VI.F Owning Your Feelings 90SECTION VII—Coping with Feelings 92Exercise VII.A How Do You Cope? 95Exercise VII.B What You Do Is Who You Are 98Exercise VII.C One at a Time 102Exercise VII.D Checkpoint: Coping 105SECTION VIII—Finding Meaning 107Exercise VIII.A The Quality of Life 110Exercise VIII.B Meaning in Your Life 113Exercise VIII.C The Ingredients of Meaning 116Exercise VIII.D Personal Meaning 119Exercise VIII.E Fragments of Meaning 122Exercise VIII.F A Fridge Poem 126SECTION IX—Biography 128Exercise IX.A I Want the World to Know 131Exercise IX.B A 10-Minute Biography 133Exercise IX.C A Quick Sketch 136Exercise IX.D An Important Possession 139Exercise IX.E Checkpoint: Biography 142SECTION X—Shared History 144Exercise X.A Our Relationship 147Exercise X.B I Remember 150Exercise X.C An Important Day 152Exercise X.D Life Markers 156Exercise X.E I’ll Never Forget 161SECTION XI—Memories and Remembrances 163Exercise XI.A Telling Tales 167Exercise XI.B A Scrapbook 171Exercise XI.C A Trip in Time 174Exercise XI.D A Visit through Time 177Exercise XI.E Commemorating Your Loved One 180SECTION XII—Unfinished Business 182Exercise XII.A Thinking about Unfinished Business 186Exercise XII.B Expressing Your Feelings 189Exercise XII.C Regrets 194Exercise XII.D Unfinished Business 197SECTION XIII—Relationships 199Exercise XIII.A Current Relationships 202Exercise XIII.B Evolving Relationships 206Exercise XIII.C Remaking Relationships 210Exercise XIII.D Moving On 213Exercise XIII.E Checkpoint: Relationships 216SECTION XIV—Moving On 218Exercise XIV.A Decisions, Decisions, Decisions 221Exercise XIV.B Making Decisions 224Exercise XIV.C If Only You Knew What’s Inside of Me Now 228Exercise XIV.D A Goodbye Letter 231Exercise XIV.E I’ve Learned 234Bibliography 237About the Downloadable Assignments 239