We all have complete ownership over our grief — it is uniquely ours. Yet, how grief manifests itself and how it’s experienced share a surprising number of commonalities among those enduring it. Herself a bereaved parent as well as a grief management specialist, Darcie D. Sims outlines just some of the ways people can respond to grief in sections entitled: Physical and emotional reactions, Withdrawing and dealing with reminders, and Grief is a unique journey through sorrow and each footprint must be our own. She ends with the helpful acknowledgement: You are NOT wrong in your grief reactions. You are creating a “new normal” for yourself with every step you take.

By Darcie D. Sims, Ph.D., CHT, CT, GMS