When I ask people who are grieving what comforts them, nearly every single person gives the same answer.

‘Someone to listen.’ They don’t want someone to ‘fix’ it. They’re not asking for answers, spiritual wisdom, or uplifting cliches. Nope, they just need you to be there.

In Healing: The Essential Guide to Helping Others Overcome Grief and Loss, Alicia King combines her own wisdom and that of others who have “been there” to offer good advice for those who feel helpless when it comes to helping the bereaved.

Included here are • the best ways to get involved on behalf of the grief-stricken • how to care for young children in grief • interviews with and advice from those who have suffered a loss • 20 ways to pay tribute to the beloved • 10 things never to say