Grieving – A Healing Process

Part of the Hazelden Classics for Clients Collection
Author: Peter C. McDonald

Self-examination is an important part of early Step work. This pamphlet helps us see the losses we’ve suffered as a result of our alcoholism and drug addiction and helps us work through our grief.  It outlines the five-phase grieving process most people experience.

Excerpt from the Introduction:
“When you come right down to it, the First Step is about accepting loss.   Admitting powerlessness is accepting the loss of power over self and the world.  This can be a huge, frightening loss, but it doesn’t have to be – if you understand what is happening and know the admission of powerlessness is not the end of the world… Grief accompanies loss, no matter how large or how small.  Perhaps it will also help to know that grief is a process which goes through several stages and almost always ends up with acceptance of the loss.”