I Didn't Know What to Say: Being a Better Friend to Those Who Experience Loss

Being A Better Friend to Those Experiencing Loss. Knapp draws on his own experience of losing both his first and second wife to cancer to provide insight into some of the unhelpful responses we often make, and presents a repertoire of ideas on how to be a genuine friend and helper to a grieving person.Various chapters in the book deal with different kinds of losses, including the trauma of losing a spouse or child, divorce, loss of pets, and other losses that we sometimes fail to recognize need to be grieved over if healing is to occur. A veteran teacher, Knapp supplements his chapters with practical lists of responses that may be helpful at different points in the grieving process. His book is a wonderful tool for preparing ourselves for the inevitable human experience of dealing with others' grief, or our own.A student of life and processes, David Knapp "leans into" the situation at hand. Whether raising four children, or blending a family with eight teenagers, running a small business or teaching fresh-faced college students, he knows how to communicate effectively. He does not write from theory, but from experience and study.

As a Certified Grief Mentor David Knapp is a sought after national speaker. He is a published writer: Grit Newspaper; Christian Herald Magazine; Brown Gold Magazine; The Gospel Herald Magazine; and has been a regular contributor to Union Gospel Press publications. Knapp has served as an administrator and professor at two junior colleges and currently is a regional public relations director for an international religious non-profit, New Tribes Mission. Dr. DAVID KNAPP, father of eight, grandfather of 28, has been a student of life experiences, most notably, that of loss. A student and ever the teacher, he does not wallow in grief. Deftly, he sorts through common misconceptions about the grieving process in a variety of categories - spouse, children, infertility, pets, jobs, divorce, etc. With seasoned wisdom he offers practical advice to anyone - young or old, male or female, friend or professional - who finds himself close to a grieving individual. It is his deep desire to empower people to be better friends to the grieving and encourage the heartbroken to go through the process finding relief and regaining a winning attitude for the next chapter or phase of life. David is married to Crystal and they live in Mesa, Arizona. Crystal is founder and editor for a support tool for marginalized women in our society called Reach Up Magazine. This educational avenue is published quarterly going out to organizations who work specifically with women on the edge of society for distribution throughout North America. He can be reached for speaking engagements at; www.griefreliefministries.com or 866-596-0470