Creating Sanctuary, The Introduction, speaks of the lonely passage of the suicide survivor, encapsulates the grief process, and introduces the journal writing exercises at the end of each chapter.

Losing Steve describes my brother’s struggles, my own story as a survivor and my deeper motivation for writing this book.

Finding Refuge in Words highlights how I have used journaling in my healing, and cites current research on journaling and its role in the grieving journey.

Reeling from the Shock addresses the immediate aftermath of a suicide and offers support in that critical period when much is demanded of us but our capacity to cope is severely compromised.

Wrestling with Stigma, Guilt, and Shame tackles what is often the most difficult aspect of being a survivor – the judgments that arise among the fearful and the uninformed. This chapter provides journaling exercises to help address our own and others’ pain and ignorance at this vulnerable time.

Contemplating the Unfathomable is an opportunity to examine the questions that can be answered and those that cannot, and to expand our own understanding of suicide.

Taking Time to Mourn unmasks grief’s many guises – sadness, anger, confusion, anxiety, relief, and so on. Its journaling exercises help access our own wisdom to assist in “falling apart without falling apart.”

Resting in the Holy Land of the Heart offers refuge in that place where we are not separate from the one who has died, or even from those whose lack of support may have disappointed us. It suggests ways to use our journals to find forgiveness, compassion, and empathy for everyone involved.

Releasing a Life, Not a Relationship acknowledges that the bond we have with our loved one need not end in death. Its journaling exercises assist in letting go of the form but not the substance of our relationship with the departed.

Bringing Meaning to Our Loss helps integrate our healing journey and points to new pathways for the future. Its journaling exercises help in exploring ways to reconcile our loss through suicide prevention, ministry to suicide survivors, creative projects, etc.

Journal Guide offers a number of tips, suggestions, instructions, and examples to help make your journaling sessions safe and rewarding.

 

“In this brave and necessary work, Donaleen Saul stares straight into the pain of losing a loved one to suicide. Equal parts memoir and self-help journal guidebook, the story is compelling and the writing prompts are sensitive and artful, gently guiding the reader/writer through the layers and complexities of this very particular grief. For all the broken-hearted who ask themselves the unanswerable questions, Did You Know I Would Miss You? brims with compassion, wisdom, hope and eventual healing.”  – Kathleen Adams, Director, Center for Journal Therapy, Author, The Way of the Journal and Journal to the Self