Please Say Their Name

What is it like to have you child die?
Krissy Christensen, a New Zealand celebrant, has many
friends and relatives who have experienced the loss of a
child – through miscarriage, stillbirth, death as a child or
young person, or death of an adult child.
This book contains some of their stories – told in their
own words. Their stories talk about their shock, disbelief,
bewilderment, anger, loneliness and more. But the stories
also show their resilience and the different ways in which
they, as parents, address their grief and learn to live with
it.
Krissy’s experiences of listening to, and supporting, many
of her friends and others who have lost children underpin
her belief that there is no such thing as ‘getting over it’ or
‘closure’. Rather, grief changes over time. There are ways
to learn to live with the ongoing grief.
There are helpful ways to support those living with grief as
well as some very unhelpful things which are often said –
usually with the best of intentions.
This book is not an academic study of grief and loss. Nor
does it attempt to be a comprehensive ‘self-help’ guide to
either parents who have lost a child or those who are
supporting them. Yet, as well as the stories themselves
showing the range of ways in which people address their
loss, this book contains much wisdom about the nature of
this type of grief and has helpful suggestions for both
grieving parents and for those who support them

Format: Paperback
Imprint: Small New Zealand Publisher
Publication date: 01/05/2025