Navigating Grief Workbook: Evidence-Based Exercises to Move through Grief and Heal

by Anna Darbonne

Move through grief while holding space for the feelings that accompany loss.  

Grief can feel destabilizing and overwhelming. This grief workbook gives you evidence-based exercises to help with processing grief and loss of any kind. Reflecting on and responding to the prompts and exercises will facilitate greater self-awareness, self-compassion, and self-confidence as you navigate healing after loss.  

Information on grief and grieving— Deepen your understanding of grief and prepare yourself to interact with it in healthy ways.  Tools for moving through grief—Case studies help normalize your experience, affirmations raise your spirits, guided journal prompts get you started on sorting through your inner world, and activities promote healing.  Expert guidance—Advice from a licensed clinical psychologist empowers you with knowledge and validation. If you are seeking additional books about grief and loss, this workbook can be used with its companion, Navigating A Guided Journal.  Begin grief recovery with the Navigating Grief Workbook. 

Genres: Psychology, Grief

197 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 14, 2025

Reviews

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

My father died a year ago. My world was turned upside down the year prior with his terminal diagnosis. It's been two years of intense grief - anticipatory at first, followed by what most consider to be 'normal' grief. But what is normal grief? I can tell you for sure that I wasn't prepared for it. We know death of a loved one is hard, but nobody can explain how or why, or what your life is like in the after. The Navigating Grief Workbook has been a helpful blessing to me. It has taken me months to work through the book completely as it is painful to work through, and sit with, our grief. In this workbook I have felt seen and completely understood. I am not abnormal for my intense feelings of sadness and my daily tears. I am authentically me and I am feeling the feelings and doing what I need to do to move on. This workbook is full of information for understanding, self care, and self-guided help in the form of writing lists, writing poems, guided imagery, and so much more. I will be returning to this book over and over again, and I am so incredibly thankful that I have this workbook as a companion in my grief journey. I am not exaggerating when I say I highlighted 1/3 of the book as I read it. It felt as if the author was speaking directly to me and I'll even go so far as to say I felt comforted at times.

Please note that this book is not only for people who have lost loved ones. This book is applicable to all types of grief and loss - loss of friendship or romantic breakups, loss of a job or your home, loss of your life long dream. If you need help working through your feelings of loss, this workbook is an excellent resource.

Thank you NetGalley and Callisto Media, Rockridge Press for my copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[April Yamasaki · Rating 5 out of 5]

I appreciate the wide range of this book from the weight of early grief to reimagining life after loss, from considering various ways of understanding grief to practical exercises that help readers navigate through it. The wealth of exercises may overwhelm some readers, so instead of trying to do them all, I suggest readers feel free to pick and choose among them.

[Farah G · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book provides extensive guidance on understanding and coming to terms with grief, primarily through a series of exercises to help grieving individuals navigate their feelings. While this is intended to be a companion volume to Navigating Grief: A Guided Journal by Mia Roldan, it nevertheless can be used quite effectively on its own also.

It may take time to figure out how to absorb the information provided in the text. And not all the exercises are equally satisfying - especially those that feel a little inconclusive - so anyone using the workbook will probably need to figure out which of the options are most effective for them.

But I like the fact that people in different stages of grief are catered for here, and that there are so many exercises to choose from. I think most people will find the workbook useful. It is a good resource to use as a step towards healing.

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

[Mandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you for the reviewer's copy of the Navigating Grief Workbook. As a grief professional, I was so delighted to see another work on moving through our losses with intention and care. This workbook was created as a companion for Navigating Grief: A Guided Journal by Mia Roldan, but it works on its own as well.

The exercises are helpful, the prompts and affirmations meaningful. The amount of reading between each exercise is a little intense for grief brain, so this may not be the best resource for an 'out of the gate' griever needing support. Regardless, the advice and content are sound and well structured.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great workbook to help guide an individual through the pain of the grieving process. Many thought provoking activities for individuals to work through on their own. As an individual who is not currently experiencing tremendous grief, I was compelled to complete the exercises myself and found them very helpful and allowed me to reflect on my past losses. Highly recommend for therapists and anyone experiencing grief/loss.

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some exercises were helpful, but the majority of the workbook was much too open-ended and not very actionable (e.g. what emotions do you feel?). This might be more useful paired with the actual book, but as a standalone workbook it serves as a glorified journal with very mundane prompts.

[Belle · Rating 3 out of 5]

The style of this one wasn't completely for me. I was looking for a warm hug and some gentle guidance but I didn't find that here. This could help those needing a more studied and plain approach who aren't looking to be coddled.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Had some good exercises that I can do with my clients. Not a bad resource if you work with grieving patients.