Self-growth
Business & Career
Success
Communication
Healing
Relationships
Psychology
HappinessYou’ll learn
- Why grief is a love story in disguise
- How societal norms distort true grieving
- The art of supporting without fixing
- Embracing grief to foster wisdom
Table of contents
first KEY POINT
The experience of loss and grief is a testimony to the bond of love and friendship that we have enjoyed in life
There’s no quick fix to the pain that comes from losing a loved one. What we can do is learn how to tend to it. Dealing with loss supplies us with a special type of wisdom that can only be gained through experiencing grief. If we can learn to surmount the societal aversion for feelings, we will acquire the much-needed wisdom that comes from experiencing love and loss.Our society teaches us to put a bandaid on the grief we feel from loss, but we need to let it train us to become better. Megan Devine, a psychotherapist with a decade of practice under her belt, learned this lesson from the sudden loss of her husband. Despite being a professional therapist, she found that helping those who suffer from the loss of a loved one is entirely different from experiencing it yourself. She discovered that the conventional approaches to grief are faulty and decided to share the lessons from her loss.
As loss and love are intertwined, we must harness it to create a life that copes with our sorrow in a meaningful way.
Megan Devine’s husband drowned in 2009, three days before his 40th birthday. This event led her to discover the failure of her profession in dealing with loss. She found that the rest of the world dismisses, judges, and misunderstands grieving people. And they do it inadvertently. Megan Devine has been able to fashion out an effective way of interacting with grief and supporting one another as we grapple with it.In this summary, you will discover how to rehumanize grief to see it as an integral part of life. Then you’ll discover the skills needed to make good use of the change that loss brings.Grief is not a disease that requires treatment. So we need to learn the skills and have the compassion necessary to navigate this experience. To love better during tough times, we must first comprehend the reality of grief.
second KEY POINT
Companionship, not correction, is what a person experiencing grief needs
Our culture is always trying to solve grief as if it were a problem. Words sent to comfort grieving persons appear to either deny or diminish the sense of loss. Thus, you’re driven into greater depths of loneliness.
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first KEY POINT
People who seek to comfort a grieving person use words that do the opposite of their intention
second KEY POINT
Our culture’s grief illiteracy makes the already painful period worse
third KEY POINT
Bearing witness to your grief is the middle ground between being eternally broken and completely healed
fourth KEY POINT
Acknowledgment of the loss is a powerful tool that helps you deal with the new reality
fifth KEY POINT
Conclusion
Related summaries
Frequently asked questions
What is 'It’s OK That You’re Not OK: Meeting Grief and Loss in a Culture That Doesn’t Understand' about?
'It’s OK That You’re Not OK' by Megan Devine explores the complexities of grief and loss in a society that often sidelines these emotions. The book offers insights on how to navigate personal mourning while addressing the need for more compassionate conversations around bereavement.
What are the key takeaways from 'It’s OK That You’re Not OK: Meeting Grief and Loss in a Culture That Doesn’t Understand'?
Key takeaways from 'It’s OK That You’re Not OK' include understanding that grief is a natural response to loss and that healing does not follow a set timeline. Devine emphasizes the importance of validating one’s feelings and seeks to challenge societal expectations that often dismiss grief.
Is 'It’s OK That You’re Not OK: Meeting Grief and Loss in a Culture That Doesn’t Understand' worth reading?
Yes, 'It’s OK That You’re Not OK' is definitely worth reading, especially for those coping with loss or supporting someone who is grieving. Megan Devine’s empathetic approach and practical advice make it a valuable resource for fostering understanding around grief.
How many pages is 'It’s OK That You’re Not OK: Meeting Grief and Loss in a Culture That Doesn’t Understand' and when was it published?
'It’s OK That You’re Not OK' has approximately 176 pages and was published in 2017. This concise yet impactful book makes it accessible for readers seeking guidance on grief.
How does 'It’s OK That You’re Not OK: Meeting Grief and Loss in a Culture That Doesn’t Understand' address cultural perceptions of grief?
Megan Devine's book tackles societal misconceptions that dismiss grief as a temporary state, instead presenting it as a profound experience that deserves attention and compassion. It advocates for creating a culture where feelings of loss are openly expressed and supported.