Love, Loss, and the Heartbreaking Journey of Grief

When you love, you will grieve – and nothing is more mysterious and central to being fully human.

A finalist for the 2017 Indies from Foreword Reviews.

When a loved one dies, the pain of loss can seem unbearable – especially in the case of a traumatic death that makes us scream “no!” with every fiber of our being. The grieving process can appear wild and nonlinear – and often lasts much longer than others, who are not grieving, tell us it should.

Organized into fifty-two short chapters, "Bearing the Unbearable" is a companion for the most difficult times in life, showing how grief can open our hearts to connection, compassion, and the essence of our shared humanity. Dr. Joanne Cacciatore – a grief educator, researcher, Zen priest, and leading consultant in this field – guides us on the heartbreaking journey of love, loss, and grief. Through poignant stories of her encounters with grief over decades of supporting individuals, families, and communities – as well as her own experience with loss – Cacciatore creates a space to process, integrate, and deeply honor our grief.

Not just for the grieving, "Bearing the Unbearable" will be essential reading for grief counselors, therapists, social workers, clergy of all kinds, educators, academics, and medical professionals. Organized into fifty-two accessible and standalone chapters, this book is also perfect for reading aloud in support groups.