The WiSSP Resource Library

ABOUT CRISIS

1.   Living Through Personal Crisis, by Ann Kaiser Sterns; Thomas Moore Press, 1984

    A self-help book written for those who have to deal with loss and trauma, and their families. Explains what you may be feeling both physically and emotionally and ways to help yourself heal.

2.   When Bad Things Happen to Good People, by Harold Kushner; Avon Publishing, 1981.

    The author, a Jewish clergyman, presents a philosophical debate in an attempt to understand the reasons (or lack thereof) behind catastrophic events. It should be noted that a single comment about stillbirth/infant loss erroneously suggests that this type of loss is less traumatic and the associated grief is of shorter duration than other losses.

3.   A Gift of Hope. How we Survive our Tragedies, by Robert L. Veninga, Ballantine Books, New York 1985.

    This paperback (311 pages) is a thoughtful philosophy and self-help manual about dealing with tragedy and crisis in life. Documented by numerous case studies, most of which involve death of a close family member, survival strategies are illustrated and some specific advice offered. Stillbirth is only one of many situations mentioned--other crisis topics involve suicide, crippling injuries, cancer, terminal illness, job loss, death of child and spouse. Includes a limited list of resources.

4.   Making It Through the Night.  How Couples Can Survive a Crisis Together, by Pat Quigley with Marilyn Shroyer, Ph.D., Condri Press, Berkeley, California, 1992.

    This paperback is filled with useful information on how to survive a crisis with your partner.  It aims to assist those in crisis to learn how to stay together instead of allowing a crisis to break the relationship apart.  The purpose of this book is to take the crisis process out of hiding—to show that it elicits somewhat predictable responses which, if not dealt with, can inflict great pain on us individually and as a couple.  This book is devoted to facing, fixing, learning to live with, and learning to grow from whatever responses the crisis process elicits in us.