The third paragraph of the introduction starts talking about the benefits of, and need to, write about the process of grief, when you are grieving or mourning. But, Reeves also makes references to the journal, which I initially took to mean her experience with writing a journal, until a specific reference clarified that she was referring to *this* book as a journal. Which was, again, confusing, until I realized that the latter half of the book is, in fact, a journal, or at least space for some kind of writing. This letter half does have subject headings to suggest certain areas or topics to write on, corresponding to various parts of the first section of the book.
Section three, entitled "Issues for Healing and Growth," is very path-like, as opposed to a well-defined roadway. This is like a meandering path that jinks around disjointedly, touching on many topics. It starts with energy management. This is an interesting concept in terms of basic survival and adjustment needs, as opposed to the optional energy that you might have for life enhancement, but, while it has some possible value, it is poorly defined in the book, and it is difficult to see how people can actually use it to assist with their own grieving process.
The topic then jumps to children's experience with loss, and then spirituality, forgiveness, guilt, ritual, anticipatory grief, self care, complicated grief, and then helping others. There are some issues that have utility in some of these sections, and others that may have less practical use. But the disjointed nature makes it difficult in moving from one section to another. (Then again, the grieving process is not exactly linear, and the bereaved are going to be feeling fairly disjointed in life, anyway.) That ends the content part of the book, and then we have the journal part of the book, which is divided into similar sections.
I find it hard to know who might especially benefit from this book. It does have some useful points, but is not exactly comprehensive.
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