Virtual Book Discussion Series for Adults Bereaved in Childhood

Adults who experienced loss during childhood have few places to tell our stories, remember our loved ones, and connect with others. I want to change that!

In memory of my mom – Mary Lee Wimberg Morse, 1933-1970

Though my mom died of cancer when I was seven, I didn’t start grieving until my 20s and only much later realized that the loss will always be part of me. At this stage in my journey, I feel called to publicly honor my mom’s memory for the first time. Reading in a community seems like the perfect tribute, because my lifelong love of books and libraries originated with her.

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Here’s how it works:

Monthly book selections are a mix of new and older fiction as well as nonfiction. For each book, a live discussion takes place in a Zoom call. There is a dedicated private Facebook group where I post updates and questions about the books and you can comment as you feel moved. Feel free to join in one or both avenues of discussion as you prefer.

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    Book Selections and Zoom Discussion Dates

    The Grieving Brain: The Surprising Science of How We Learn from Love and Loss

    by Mary-Frances O’Connor

    Zoom Discussion: Sunday, January 21 at 2:00 pm EST

    The Grieving Brain: The Surprising Science of How We Learn from Love and Loss by Mary-Frances O'ConnorA fascinating new window into one of the hallmark experiences of being human. The author devoted decades to researching the effects of grief on the brain, and in this book, she makes cutting-edge neuroscience accessible through her contagious enthusiasm, and explains how we encode love and grief. The book combines storytelling, accessible science, and practical knowledge that will help us better understand what happens when we grieve and how to navigate loss with more ease and grace.

    What Looks Like Bravery: An Epic Journey through Loss to Love

    by Laurel Braitman

    Zoom Discussion: Sunday, March 3 at 2:00 pm EST

    What Looks Like Bravery: An Epic Journey through Loss to Love by Laurel Braitman March 3The author spent her childhood learning from her larger-than-life dad. Diagnosed with terminal cancer, he went to spectacular lengths to teach her the skills she’d need to survive without him. But by her mid-thirties she is a ship about to splinter on the rocks, exhausted by running from her own bad feelings. Braitman changes course, navigating multiple wildernesses–from New Mexico and Alaska to her own Tinder app. She learns the hard way that no achievement, no matter how shiny, can protect her from pain, and works to transform guilt and regret into gold. In the end she realizes that being open to love after loss is not only possible, it can set us free.

    Mother Hunger: How Adult Daughters Can Understand and Heal from Lost Nurturance, Protection, and Guidance

    by Kelly McDaniel

    Zoom Discussion: Sunday, April 21 at 2:00 pm EDT

    Mother Hunger: How Adult Daughters Can Understand and Heal from Lost Nurturance, Protection, and Guidance by Kelly McDanielThe author helps women break the cycle of destructive behavior by taking a fresh look at childhood trauma and its lasting impact. She dispels the shame that often comes with being under-mothered and misdiagnosed. McDaniel offers a healing path with powerful tools that include therapeutic interventions and lifestyle changes in service to healthy relationships.The constant search for mother love can be a lifelong emotional burden, but healing begins with knowing and naming what we are missing.