Books & Resources
A selection of helpful books and resources for all ages, dealing with the subjects of loss, bereavement and grief.
For young children
The Magical Wood by Mark Lemon
This is a story about loss, friendship and hope. The Magical Wood, is set in a beautiful wood with a river wandering through. One cold and stormy day, the wind blew a terrible gale. The next day the tree family woke to find that Strongest Tree had fallen to the woodland floor and had sadly died. How would the tree family survive the seasons without the strength of Strongest Tree?
To order, visit Lemon Drop Books website.
Bereavement by suicide
Whether you’re suffering from loss directly, or are supporting a friend, relative or colleague whose loved one has died by suicide, or are struggling with your own mental health, Daddy Blackbird is an honest and relatable account that offers hope beyond the horror.
Order from Amazon via this link.
Sue Henderson candidly recounts the experience of raising her family as a single parent survivor of suicide. Alongside an honest and moving account of the day-to-day practicalities and emotional impact of Jon’s death, there’s advice on how to talk to children about death and suicide, how to support them as they grow up, and how to be aware of the heightened emotional risks for bereaved children.
Order from Amazon via this link.
Giving a Voice to the Child Left Behind: Navigating the unspoken grief of parental suicide in childhood by Maddie Roberts
Thirty years ago, aged eleven, Maddie’s world is thrown into turmoil following the death of her Dad. By suicide. She soon realises that society struggles to acknowledge suicide, due to misconception, preconceived ideas, lack of understanding, and judgement. She tells her story of unspoken complex grief she has had to navigate over the years, finally allowing her inner child to process the confusion and isolation. In sharing this remarkable journey with the reader, she hopes to give insight, practical ideas, and the support that she herself had yearned for over the years; yet had to embark upon a journey of self-discovery as an adult.
Order from Amazon via this link
Loss and grief
The Missing Peace is a series of beautifully illustrated ‘talking head’ style monologues, stories of survival and thought-provoking chapters to highlight how people have survived and even thrived using their unique, bespoke survival kits after a loved one has died.
Order from Amazon via this link
SLOW – Surviving the loss of your world – provides support for bereaved parents and siblings. Through online and face-to-face groups they provide an informal, quiet space to meet and share stories with others who have experienced a similar kind of loss.
Finding Hope After Suicide Loss: A Personal Journey Through Grief
Ghulam Fernades is a grief transformation coach, who lost her youngest, 21 year old sister to suicide. In her blog “Finding hope after suicide..”, Ghulam talks of her own personal loss and shares ways to help others to navigate grief and loss, particularly after the death of a loved to suicide.
Ghulam says; “Not all grief follows the same path. When someone dies by suicide, survivors often experience what mental health professionals call “complicated grief” or “prolonged grief disorder. Complicated grief is when the natural healing process gets stuck. The intense pain doesn’t lessen with time. You find yourself unable to move forward in healthy ways.”
We highly recommend this blog article as it will guide you through the stages of normal and complicated grief and reminds us all that we are stronger than we know. We are not alone. And there is hope, even in the darkest moments.
Please click this link to read the full article.
