Living Through Loss: Interventions Across the Life Span

by Nancy R. Hooyman

Living Through Loss is the first book to identify the many ways in which people experience loss over the course of life and to discuss the interventions most effective at each stage of life. The authors' starting point is that loss comes in many forms and can include not only suffering the death of a person one loves but also giving birth to a child with disabilities, living with chronic illness, or being abused, assaulted, or otherwise traumatized. They approach loss from the perspective of the resilience model, which acknowledges the capacity of people to integrate loss into their lives, and write sensitively about the role of age, race, culture, sexual orientation, gender, and spirituality in a person's response to loss. More than a comprehensive source on loss, the volume is distinguished by the authors' beautiful use of clients' experiences-and their own-thus making their book definitive and indelible.

Genres: Social Work, Textbooks, Psychology, Nonfiction, Counselling

480 pages, Hardcover

First published January 11, 2006

Reviews

[Katie Halpin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great & thorough book detailing grief at different stages of life plus excellent interventions for those who work with grieving individuals

[Lindsay Allyson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very dense, but very informative. It was helpful having the grief reactions broken down by age groups.

[Rhina M. Finley · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a Social Worker working as a crisis counselor I found this book to be exceptional!!!

[Greer Rutt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read surrounding the different life stages and grief, especially for caregivers and professionals. Some of the language, especially that surrounding suicide and mental illness was a little dated, and it sometimes covered too much ground in not enough depth, but overall solid and helpful read!

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this for my grief and loss class. I really enjoyed this text. It’s one I will keep on my shelves and refer back to for years to come.

[Miranda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Comprehensive and sensitive to the developmental needs of all ages. I think it could definitely be a bit dense if you are not a social worker or closely adjacent profession, but this is a great foundation for new or existing social workers. The authors of this book recognized the unique needs of various losses and took the time to properly explain them from the client's perspective.

This was a required reading as part of my MSW coursework ("Bereavement, Grief, & Loss") and I feel as though it benefitted me.

[suz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly, I've read a lot of books about grief, and this is one of the most progressive and impressive out there. The authors are very sensitive to LGBT issues involved with grief as well as cross-cultural variances. I really like that write in lay language, as well, so that either a clinician or any reader could use the material.