When Faced With The Heartbreak Of Death, Divorce, Disease, Or Injury – Only One Question Matters…
“How Will I EVER Survive?”
Bereavement, grief, and loss impact both genders, every culture, and all levels of social status. NOBODY is entirely immune to its devastating effects!
Thankfully, there is now hope…
“Her own heart-wrenching experiences of loss have given Janelle tremendous insight into, understanding of, and compassion for those of other people. She’s gifted with the ability to help ANYONE living with grief to unravel their experience and work through the many ‘layers’ of loss, to emerge from the other side healthy, whole and strong.” – A. Henderson |
Loss, regardless of its type or intensity, is always life-altering.
It shatters dreams, changes our view of the world, and has an impact on how we live out the rest of our days. You can’t get around that simple truth – you can only work through it, one day at a time.
The sort of loss I’m talking about can come in many forms, including (but not limited to):
- The death of a friend or family member (whether by natural cause, or otherwise)
- Divorce or separation
- Economic and transitional losses (like losing your sole source of income)
- Chronic and debilitating illness
- Catastrophic injury (that leaves you or a loved one forever changed)
These and other life experiences can all be a source of heartbreak and grief, and if left unresolved can have profound and lingering effects.
Loss of such magnitude traumatizes your heart, mind, and soul.
It attacks all areas of Life – leaving us confused, listless, lost, disorganized, and unable to respond to daily activities as we had before.
Even sleeping and eating are difficult tasks. Nothing makes sense, and our desire for a return to “what was” results in the “could-haves” and “should-haves” overpowering the beauty of “we did” and “we had”.
Fortunately, there is now a remarkable book available to help anyone suffering the grief of loss – as well as those who care for them.
Introducing…
“Life Losses: Healing For A Broken Heart”
“Life Losses” is a book about honoring and remembering your loved one with joy, how to use your love and memories to fuel your future, forgiving yourself for being the one “left behind”, and most importantly … how you can finally “move on”, so you can live – REALLY live – the rest of your life.
It gives you practical and inspirational information to begin living again, without shame or guilt. And it gives you the tools and skills you need, to survive your darkest hours.
Life Losses also aids in reconciling the long-forgotten grief and sorrow that is often festering below the surface, eating insidiously away at one’s self-esteem and sense of purpose.
Because, like a leak in the basement, unreconciled grief will eventually seep into every area of our lives … causing deep confusion , and an inability to understand how an event from the past could wreak such havoc in the present.
Eventually, repressed grief can cause depression, relationship breakdown, substance abuse, and various degenerative diseases.
This is the sort of devastation Life Losses helps avoid.
Every chapter is packed with strategies for
coping with, and recovering from, the heartbreak of Loss…
Drawing on 23 years of experience in losses, healing, counselling, grief education, and professional experience … Life Losses truly PACKS each chapter with help for grieving people of all ages, no matter the source of your grief.
For example…
Chapter Five explores the intense feelings associated with anticipatory grief – the kind you feel when you know a death is imminent – and reveals ways you can effectively begin the healing process prior to your loved one’s death.
And because children who are not encouraged or allowed to grieve their loss – whether of a parent (through death or divorce) or grandparent, a friend, or even a turtle – will ultimately pay a huge price, and undoubtedly have trouble in life if they’re pushed to simply “get over” their loss, or forced to keep their feelings inside…
Chapter Six addresses the special needs of the bereaved child, and provides insights into the “natural rhythm” of their grief. You’ll learn how to discuss loss and the grieving process with any child.
We so often hear, “The first year is the hardest”. And while there is certainly some truth to this – after all, there are many firsts in the year following the death of a loved one, like Christmas, birthdays, anniversaries, and such…
A surviving spouse, particularly if they have children, soon realizes there will be an infinite number of firsts, which may even include finding a new love. So in Chapter Eight we explore the myths of the first year following a death, and help you reconcile your grief one day at a time.
Imagine a single resource offering this much help…
In addition, you’ll discover how to…
- Peel away the many “layers of loss” you’ll encounter in the course of your journey
- Find a way of grieving that’s meaningful and unique to you … your personality, and your experience
- Connect and communicate with others sharing in the loss (as well as understanding how loss is experienced differently by everyone involved
- Find a balance between meeting the needs of your family or employer … and following the instinct to mourn your loss. (It’s not easy when so many employers are quick to penalize, or deny employees time off because the deceased is not on some predetermined entitlement list!)
- Handle “unfinished business” – issues left unresolved at the time of your loss
- Create a “sacred space” and build momentum into your grieving when caring for the terminally ill
- Release feelings of guilt and shame so you can move forward in your life.
- The importance of self-care when grieving a loss or when supporting someone who has experienced loss.
- Deal with others who may be pushing you to “get over it” and “be fun again”.
And together we also explore such topics as:
- Why grieving one death doesn’t necessarily make it any easier the next time around
- The one critically important thing you must have to get though any loss
- How the coping strategies of family and friends shape the grief journey for those experiencing the loss of a loved one through death, separation, or divorce
- The differences between “grieving” and “mourning” (and why it’s so important for us to do both)
- What to do when your loss also cuts ties to a particular social group or “community”
- How the form of loss (the event itself, and the circumstances that caused it) influence a person’s grief
- The horrible consequences of society’s pressure to just “get over it fast” and get back to work.
- What constitutes “extraordinary grief” … along with the possible consequences and complications, and how to deal with them
- The many false perceptions and unfair expectations of people “outside” the loss, and how they can affect those “inside” the situation (as well as healthy suggestions for handling them)
- How “holding it in”, and not dealing with your loss in a timely manner, can manifest as a myriad of health concerns. (In my case, after the death of my brother, these included an ovarian cyst, a severe case of pneumonia, and a blood clot on my bladder.)
- And some of the best “outside sources” for additional support.
The road to recovery can be long, unpredictable, and painful.
“Life Losses: Healing For A Broken Heart” is where the healing begins and your heart can mend.
Here’s a very personal message to you from the author of
“Life Losses: Healing For A Broken Heart”
Dear friend…
My name is Janelle Breese Biagioni. And no matter where you are on your path of recovery from loss (even if you think you might never recover) … I want you to know I’ve been there, too.
In 1989 & 1990, the deaths of my husband (after an accident and brain injury that left him unaware of who I even was), my brother, and my best friend – all of whom died within 18 months of each other – caused me to plummet into the depths of sorrow and despair, and a world where nothing felt right anymore. (I cover this in depth in the book.)
At 34 years old and a mother of two young children, I had to make a choice: I could simply give up…
…or I could somehow find hope, and find a way to reconnect spiritually and bring meaning back into my life.
I chose to fight!
In doing so, I discovered a surprisingly powerful inner strength and wisdom. What’s more, I healed my broken heart, and survived my ordeal.
As a recognized expert in the areas of Grief, Loss, Mourning, and Brain Injury, my greatest passion is helping individuals, families, and caregivers understand and cope with these issues.
If you’re wondering what else qualifies me to help you … I’m also a Registered Professional Counsellor (RPC) with a solid education in:
- Children and Grief…
- Violence & Abuse Prevention…
- Support Group Facilitator Training…
- Suicide Intervention Skills…
- Creating Meaningful Funeral Ceremonies…
- Bereavement Skills…
- Complicated Mourning…
… and dozens of other related areas.
You may have read my contributions to Chicken Soup for the Grieving Soul, Chicken Soup for the Father & Daughter Soul, and Chicken Soup for the Preteen Soul … or perhaps even seen my name on Chatelaine magazine’s Who’s Who of Canadian Women – where I’ve been listed every year since 1999!
“Janelle has a special gift for translating complex clinical information into the nitty-gritty of daily life for families struggling to cope with major loss. Her innovative, sensitive writing style and expertise make her books and articles extremely popular with hospitals, rehabilitation programs, clinics, community agencies, families, caregivers, and clinicians.” – Marilyn Lash (MSW), Director and Senior Editor, Lash and Associates Publishing &Training, Inc. |
I cannot begin to tell you how much it means to me, to be able to share these coping and recovery strategies with you – and most important, giving you the HOPE you need to overcome your grief and get back on track to enjoying Life.
Of course, they can’t help you (or your grieving loved one) until they are put into action!
That’s why I encourage you to not only GET the book … but begin using its advice every day, as much as you can. I promise you, your life will improve more surely than you might believe at this time.
“I know God will not give me anything I can’t handle. I just wish He didn’t trust me so much.”
– Mother Teresa (1910 – 1997)
It is an honor to share my journey through grief with you. Although my story is that ~ my story~ it is important for me to acknowledge that many people shared in the losses that I share here. Each of us had a different experience and each of us grieved and mourned in a unique way. While I empathize and truly shared in the pain of others who were also affected by these tragedies, I can only speak for myself and share...