Judith R. Bernstein

A psychologist and bereaved parent offers strategies by which parents can accept and integrate the effects of trauma into their lives.

When the Bough Breaks: Forever After the Death of a Son or Daughter is a poignant and sensitive book that offers bereaved parents the comfort of learning how others have navigated this rutted road. It is the first book to assess the enduring consequences of loss and the first to shed light on the evolution in values, perceptions, and relationships that follow the death of a child. With great honesty and empathy, it acknowledges that no family ever “recovers” from this tragedy, but rather adapts to a life irretrievably altered.

Praise for When the Bough Breaks

“Quite simply the best book I know of to help bereaved parents—clear, compassionate, and absolutely on target.” —Rabbi Harold Kushner, author of When Bad Things Happen to Good People? and How Good Do We Have to Be?

“A sensitive and honest description of the overwhelming journey bereaved families endure as they struggle to adjust to their new lives. Not only is this one of the best books I’ve ever read for bereaved families, but it also offers some real insights for those who care about bereaved parents and siblings.” —Diana Cunningham, executive director of The Compassionate Friends

Andrews McMeel Publishing, LLC

When the Bough Breaks: Forever After the Death of a Son or Daughter

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