Anxiety: The Missing Stage of Grief

Anxiety disorders are on the rise; many people are looking for resources to help them cope with anxiety, yet most people aren't aware that unresolved grief is a primary underpinning--or that the two are related at all. In her therapy practice and in her own life, Claire Bidwell Smith discovered the connections between anxiety and grief. Now, backed by research, case studies, and interviews, Bidwell Smith breaks down the physiology of anxiety, giving readers a concrete foundation of understanding in order to help them heal the anxiety caused by loss. Taking a big step beyond Elisabeth Kübler-Ross' widely accepted five stages, Anxiety: The Missing Stage of Grief explains the intimate connection between death and grief and how they specifically cause anxiety--unpacking everything from our age-old fears about mortality to the bare vulnerability a loss can make us feel.With concrete tools and coping strategies for panic attacks, getting a handle on anxious thoughts, and more, Bidwell Smith bridges these two emotions in a way that is deeply empathetic and eminently practical.

"[A] useful work...[The] insight alone, linking anxiety to grief, is worth the price of admission. If Smith's ideas of 'resilient grieving' help even one reader cope with the trauma and fearful thoughts of anxiety, she will have done a great service."--Kirkus Reviews, "[B]oth soothing and informative...Smith's words are particularly useful for panic attack sufferers...she shows you how you can normalize your panic."--New York Times Book Review, "Claire Bidwell Smith's Anxiety: The Missing Stage of Grief sheds light on a largely hidden dimension of what many grieving people experience: anxiety. Through her own personal experience of loss as well as expertise as a therapist and grief counselor, this book is written with compassion and insight. By naming the experience, she gives readers power. Bidwell Smith's book will be the missing link in understanding and eventual mastery for the many facing common feelings of uneasiness and fear following a loss." --Shoshana Ungerleider, MD Physician and Founder, End Well , "Diving into the complexities of grief and how it plays a huge role in dealing with anxiety, Smith brings in concrete facts and data to support her useful management tips in this new uplifting read. For anyone struggling to figure out their next steps in life, this is the perfect book to jump-start your happiness and gain control."--Popsugar, "In Anxiety: the Missing Stage of Grief, Claire Bidwell Smith lifts up and sheds light on an aspect of grief that too often lurks just below the surface: anxiety. Throughout this warm and very accessible book, Bidwell Smith draws on the knowledge of numerous experts, shares the experiences of her clients, and offers simple yet powerful exercises for the reader to try. But the voice that will comfort, encourage, and and ultimately empower the reader is Bidwell Smith herself. This book is a balm to the souls of those who worry and grieve, and never quite understood the connection." --Kerry Egan, author of On Living

Claire Bidwell Smith, LCPC, is a therapist specializing in grief and the author of two books of nonfiction. She holds a bachelor's degree from The New School University and a master's degree from Antioch University. Claire lives with her family in South Carolina.