Grief hurts. It is painful. It is relentless. It affects the emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual wellbeing of one’s existence. It is dark. It is lonely. It is exhausting. It is indescribable. It is a wilderness with seemingly no way out. It shatters and robs you of your hopes, dreams, and expectations. It can paralyze your willingness to survive. If denied, ignored, or left unresolved, it can negatively affect every other area of your life.

When faced with the inevitable occasion of death, we are often blindsided and unequipped to handle the many emotions resulting from the loss. Overcome and often isolated with grief, we ponder the life that was lived and not lived. We look in the mirror, seeking a reflection of our own life. Although our stories and experiences with loss vary, the certainty and permanence of death will directly or indirectly connect each of us.

We live in a grief-avoidance society where our culture diminishes the discussion of death and grief. The topic is the elephant in the room. Why don’t we talk about it? Why isn’t it required learning, such as first aid, CPR, the 911 call system, or emergency preparedness? Does corporate America even understand one’s grief experience? I don’t think so. If they did, we wouldn’t be given weeks off for family medical leave, maternity or paternity leave, but only days off for bereavement leave. Three to five days to bounce back with the unrealistic expectations that one will return as a fully functioning staff member.

Dora Carpenter, Founder of the Institute of Professional Grief Coaching, believes that with more knowledge and understanding of the sensitive, misunderstood, and often avoided topic of grief, we can normalize the discussion and minimize the impact resulting from the loss.

Grief Talk Revolution: It’s Time to Talk About the Elephant in the Room shares nuggets to help revolutionize the conversation and integrate the topics of death, loss, and grief into the fabric of our society. The author desires to educate, empower, and shift the culture so that we are better able to accept the circle of life, live fully in the present, and embrace the fragility and finality of physical death.

It’s a great resource for coping with loss, supporting someone through grief, or leading in organizations.