When someone you care about has suffered the death of a loved one or another significant loss, you want to let them know you care. But it can be hard to know what to say to them or to write in a sympathy note. This handy book offers tips for how to talk or write to a grieving person to convey your genuine concern and support. What to say, what not to say, sympathy card etiquette, how to keep in touch, and more are covered in this concise guide written by one of the world’s most beloved grief counselors. You’ll turn to this book again and again, not only after a death but during times of divorce or break-ups, serious illness, loss of a pet, job change or loss, traumatic life events, major life transitions that are both happy and sad, and more.

Dr. Alan D. Wolfelt is a noted author, educator, and grief counselor. Recipient of the Association for Death Education and Counseling’s Death Education Award, he serves as Director of the Center for Loss and Life Transition in Fort Collins, Colorado and is a faculty member at the University of Colorado, Department of Family Medicine. He is the author of a number of best-selling books on grief and loss. Among his titles are First Aid for Broken Hearts, Companioning the Bereaved, Understanding Your Grief, and The Journey Through Grief. A frequent guest of the media, Dr. Wolfelt has appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show, the Larry King Show, and the NBC Today Show.