THIS IS GRIEF, A Conversation About Love and Loss with author Tanya Detrik
For author Tanya Detrik it was a sudden heart attack on New Year’s Eve 2018 that took the life of Wade, her partner, lover and soulmate of 26 years. With Wade’s passing virtually everything in her life changed. Intense emotions following the death of a spouse or partner are not surprising, still she was struck by the kaleidoscope of feelings and emotions she experienced. As a gifted and perceptive author and blogger, she turned to what she knows best—writing---and began capturing in a journal her sometimes-raw observations of loss, hurt and anger. Those entries, however, also contained notes of humor, introspection and frequent “conversations” with Wade.
Although she never set out to write a book about grief, she realized that others might recognize their own thoughts and feelings in her words and thereby find connection, validation and new hope. THIS IS GRIEF, When Breathing Hurts, Love Songs Suck, and Good Days Come with Guilt is that book. It is a compilation of her contemporaneous thoughts, observations and feelings within a setting of beautiful and inspiring art and graphics.
In this episode we discuss:
- Why the grief at the death of a spouse/partner is different than other kinds of grief
- How Tanya dealt with and continues to deal with Wade’s passing—the sorrow, the pain and the humor—yes, humor
- Different perspectives on how to handle grief
- Insight and ideas on how to help friends or family who may be grieving
- Real-life stories and suggestions for those who have experienced loss
- How shifting your perspective on loss can lead to healing and resilience
And so much more.
“The death of a spouse or partner brings its own kind of grief,” explains Tanya. “THIS IS GRIEF is not a book of advice.” “I’m not a clinician or academic,” she continues. “Rather, I hope my book reflects the very real and raw emotions of those dealing with this life-altering loss.” As Tanya shared, “It doesn’t get that much easier; it just gets more familiar…. Grief is like a knapsack that I am carrying all the time.”
Resources
To find out more about Tanya, THIS IS GRIEF and her inspiring perspective on the grieving process, go to: