Reimagining Grief

A healing-centered guide that reimagines the stages of grief and focuses on the importance of choosing joy in the midst of darkness. Reimagining Grief reframes the traditional five stages of grief with Kate Doerge’s positive and more nuanced experiences and actions that she chose on her own journey through grief: Connection Emotion Celebration Acceptance Purpose. When Kate lost her 16-year-old daughter Penny after a lifelong battle with a rare genetic disorder called Neurofibromatosis, or NF, she had already lost both of her parents and was radically rethinking her relationship with grief and mourning. Every grief book that friends recommended felt like another weight dragging her down when all she wanted was a way to find hope and purpose again. Black dresses and serious ceremonies felt so at odds with the loving lives that they were meant to honor, especially Penny, who was such a bright light in her brief time here. So, Kate threw colorful celebrations instead of funerals and looked for ways to turn the pain she was feeling into purpose. Soon after, Kate founded the Penny's Flight Foundation, raising awareness and funding for NF; and now, Kate is spreading her message further with this book. Filled with personal stories and compassionate, loving encouragement for readers, Kate sheds light on a new path through grief for people looking for practical ways to move forward out of the darkness.