It's OK That You're Not OK

As seen in THE NEW YORK TIMES * READER'S DIGEST * SPIRITUALITY & HEALTH * HUFFPOST Featured on NPR's RADIO TIMES and WISCONSIN PUBLIC RADIO When a painful loss or life-shattering event upends your world, here is the first thing to know: there is nothing wrong with grief. "Grief is simply love in its most wild and painful form," says Megan Devine. "It is a natural and sane response to loss." So, why does our culture treat grief like a disease to be cured as quickly as possible? In It's OK That You're Not OK, Megan Devine offers a profound new approach to both the experience of grief and the way we try to help others who have endured tragedy. Having experienced grief from both sides-as both a therapist and as a woman who witnessed the accidental drowning of her beloved partner-Megan writes with deep insight about the unspoken truths of loss, love, and healing. She debunks the culturally prescribed goal of returning to a normal, "happy" life, replacing it with a far healthier middle path, one that invites us to build a life alongside grief rather than seeking to overcome it. In this compelling and heartful book, you'll learn: * Why well-meaning advice, therapy, and spiritual wisdom so often end up making it harder for people in grief * How challenging the myths of grief-doing away with stages, timetables, and unrealistic ideals about how grief should unfold-allows us to accept grief as a mystery to be honored instead of a problem to solve * Practical guidance for managing stress, improving sleep, and decreasing anxiety without trying to "fix" your pain * How to help the people you love-with essays to teach us the best skills, checklists, and suggestions for supporting and comforting others through the grieving process Many people who have suffered a loss feel judged, dismissed, and misunderstood by a culture that wants to "solve" grief. Megan writes, "Grief no more needs a solution than love needs a solution." Through stories, research, life tips, and creative and mindfulness-based practices, she offers a unique guide through an experience we all must face-in our personal lives, in the lives of those we love, and in the wider world. It's OK That You're Not OK is a book for grieving people, those who love them, and all those seeking to love themselves-and each other-better.