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 Its OK That Youre 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 sidesas both a therapist and as a woman who witnessed the accidental drowning of her beloved partnerMegan 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, youll 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 griefdoing away with stages, timetables, and unrealistic ideals about how grief should unfoldallows 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 lovewith 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 facein our personal lives, in the lives of those we love, and in the wider world. Its OK That Youre Not OK is a book for grieving people, those who love them, and all those seeking to love themselvesand each otherbetter.