A Gift of Hope: How We Survive Our Tragedies

by Robert L. Veninga

Overview

A moving, beautifully written book that will give you the understanding and the self-assurance to overcome the anger and the loneliness, the suffering and the pain of our own personal travail: the loss of a loved one, the heartbreak of a handicapped child, a debilitating illness, an unwanted divorce, a severe financial setback.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780345410368
Publisher:	Random House Publishing Group
Publication date:	09/29/1996
Pages:	320
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.50(d)

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Excerpted from "A Gift of Hope"
by .
Copyright © 1996 Robert L. Veninga.
Excerpted by permission of Random House Publishing Group.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Table of Contents

	Acknowledgments
1	Straight from the Heart	3
Section 1	The Anatomy of a Crisis	9
2	The Stages of Heartbreak	11
3	Characteristics of a Crisis	43
4	How People Survive Adversity	58
Section 2	Survival Strategies	83
5	Preserving Your Health in Tough Timers	85
6	What Happens to the Family in a Crisis	112
7	Getting By with a Little Help from Your Friends	154
8	Finding Competent Professional Help	180
9	Affirming a Faith	207
Section 3	What If the Pain Doesn't Go Away?	233
10	Death Wishes	235
11	Ordinary Heroes	258
Appendix A	Survey on Human Loss and Recovery	283
Appendix B	Names and Addresses of Self-Help Organizations	285
	Chapter Notes	295
	Further Reading	306

Editorial Reviews

Crisis, the sage observed, is ``Opportunity riding on dangerous winds.'' And there is, even in the death of a loved one, the loss of a job, or a painful divorce, opportunity for renewal, the author, a Minnesota public health administrator, shows. While we go through definite ``stages of heartbreak,'' described in sensitive detail here, we can also use ``survival strategies'' to combat them, beginning with caring for ourselves physically. Silence about feelings is a killer, according to Veninga, that builds misconceptions, guilt and regret. Families hit by tragedy can be torn apart when its members withdraw into private pain and blame. Sharing is imperative, the author advises, and forgiveness of self and others restores hope and meaning to life. With case histories, apt quotations from philosphers, and a listing of self-help organizations, the book is comprehensive, inspirational and highly readable. First serial to Ladies Home Journal; BOMC alternate; Better Homes & Gardens Book Club selection. Foreign rights: Lescher & Lescher. November 26

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

After suffering the death of a close friend, Veninga (a college professor and author) became interested in how people react to a heartbreaking crisis. His book discusses the stages of heartbreak, methods for survival, and how people change as they recover. Veninga describes self-help strategies, but concentrates more on understanding the emotional processes and stages which are common to any heartbreak. He uses many case studies to describe how most (but not all) people find a new faith in life after a crisis. Although the material is familiar, the treatment is competent, the book well written and comforting. Distinguishing features: a chapter on how to deal with suicide, a list of support and self-help groups, and a list of books on related topics. A good choice for general collections. Margaret B. Allen, M.L.S., formerly with Bennington Free Lib., Vt.

Library Journal