Grief Works by Julia Samuel Summary
Overview of Grief Works
In "Grief Works," renowned psychotherapist Julia Samuel offers life-changing strategies for navigating loss. Praised by Vogue and The New York Times, this compassionate guide breaks death's taboo. What made Helen Fielding call it "essential" for anyone grieving? Discover why fear transforms into confidence through Samuel's healing wisdom.
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Key takeaways
The Wound We All Will Carry
A widow smells her husband's scarf and crumbles. A father sits frozen in his daughter's empty bedroom. A woman discovers her brother's suicide note and her world splits in two. Grief doesn't knock politely-it kicks down the door and rearranges everything we thought we knew about living. Julia Samuel, who has spent three decades sitting with the bereaved as a grief psychotherapist, understands something most of us resist: grief isn't a problem to solve but a paradox to inhabit. We must somehow accept what we fundamentally refuse to believe, live in a world we never wanted, and carry on when every cell in our body wants to stop. This isn't weakness-it's the most human thing we do. Grief and mourning aren't the same thing, though we use the words interchangeably. Grief is the internal earthquake-the raw emotional response to loss. Mourning is the slow, painful reconstruction-adjusting to a world where someone essential no longer exists. When someone we love dies, our protective illusions shatter. We spend our lives maintaining a comfortable distance from our own mortality, but death tears that veil away. Suddenly we're forced to confront the truth we've been avoiding: we too will die, everyone we love will die, and we control far less than we pretend. This existential confrontation explains why grief feels like drowning-it's not just about missing someone but about facing the terrifying fragility of existence itself.
The Hidden Mechanics of Mourning and How We Navigate Loss
When Your Partner Dies and the Future Dissolves
When Your First Love Becomes Your First Loss and Siblings Vanish
When the Future Dies Before the Past
When You Face Your Own Ending and the Living Must Let Go
Carrying What Cannot Be Put Down
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From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
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"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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