This easy-to-use book includes practices from my first book, How to Be Sick, and also offers many new suggestions and strategies for coping with a life impacted by chronic pain and illness. (Chronic illness can include mental illness, such as depression and PTSD.)

The book is easy to carry and easy to put to use immediately. You can read it front to back or look up the specific challenges you’re facing at the moment. Here is the list of challenges covered in the book:

Not Engaging in Self-Blame

Making Peace with Your Inability to Know What the Future Holds for You

Responding Skillfully to the Relentlessness of Symptoms

Handling the Emotional Pain of Receiving Cursory or Dismissive Medical Care

Coping Skillfully with Disappointment and Sadness When a New Treatment Didn’t Help

Responding with Patience and Courage to the Appearance of a New Medical Problem

Accepting without Bitterness How Restricted Your Life Has Become, Socially and Otherwise

Easing the Heartache of Feeling Disregarded or Even Not Believed by Family and Friends

Alleviating the Pain of Loneliness

Managing Caregiver Burnout Wisely

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My hope is that in the pages of this loyal companion, you’ll find help, solace, and inspiration.