Moving On Doesn't Mean Letting Go

A Modern Guide to Navigating Loss

By: Gina Moffa LCSW LCSW

Narrated by: Gina Moffa LCSW LCSW

Licensed grief and trauma therapist Gina Moffa illuminates a non-linear path to navigating grief, with tools and practices to grieve at your own pace and use loss as a catalyst for a more meaningful life—perfect for readers of Grief Day by Day and It's OK That You're Not OK.

After nearly two decades of clinical experience and her own journey after losing her mother to cancer, Gina Moffa, LCSW offers knows all too well how disorienting, painful, and lonely grief can be. In Moving on Doesn’t Mean Letting Go, she offers a heartfelt, practical map through loss—one that can shift the pain of your grief even when things feel unpredictable and overwhelming. With her help you’ll learn to:

• Navigate the initial shock of the “griefall
• Recognize your unique grief rhythm
• Get in touch with your needs, feelings, and boundaries
• Manage social media and interactions with the outside world
• Connect mind and body through somatic exercises and self-reflections

Gina gives readers permission to grieve authentically—with none of the toxic positivity that bypasses the possibility of true healing and transformation—because you don’t have to choose between falling apart or staying strong. You can learn to be empowered by the very thing you imagined would swallow you whole.

“A must read. Help your mind feel less heavy and open the door to deep personal growth." —Yung Pueblo, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Lighter and Clarity & Connection

Critic reviews

“Gina Moffa has written a must-read book that can help heal the heart from grief. A guide to overcoming the inevitable moments of loss that we all face, Moving on Doesn't Mean Letting Go will help your mind feel less heavy, and it will open the door to deep personal growth"—Yung Pueblo, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Lighter and Clarity & Connection

“Reading this book, I felt like Gina Moffa was right there with me in the room, gently helping me to understand grief. Her years of experience as a therapist are offered as a gift, along with her own story of loss. Both her knowledge and wisdom about the physical impact of grief and the relationship between grief and trauma make this book incredibly unique.” —Mary-Frances O’Connor, author of The Grieving Brain

"This book is a lifeline to the exhausted treading water in an ocean of loss. Much like its author it is smart, kind, honest and without judgement. Anyone living with loss will find expert guidance and hope here." —Steve Leder, New York Times bestselling author of For You When I am Gone, and The Beauty of What Remains

"Moving On Doesn’t Mean Letting Go provides us all with a smart, modern and heartfelt guide to the painful and often confusing process of grief. Gina Moffa so beautifully shows us the roads to moving forward and turning our helplessness into agency."—Dr. Galit Atlas, internationally-recognized psychoanalyst and author of Emotional Inheritance: A Therapist, Her Patients and the Legacy of Trauma

“If you don’t have a therapist on speed dial—or even if you do—Gina Moffa’s Moving On Doesn’t Mean Letting Go will walk with you through the disorienting and devastating experience that is grief. Moffa shares important information on the mind-body connection as it relates to the grief experience, helping us understand how important it is to listen to what our bodies are trying to tell us. Not to be missed!”—Jenny Lisk, author of Future Widow and host of the Widowed Parent Podcast

“With the keen clinical insights of a veteran trauma therapist and the embodied wisdom of a grieving daughter, Gina Moffa offers us a book that feels like a hand reaching out in the dark. This book is a gift to all grievers and those who are hoping to become better supporters.”—Meghan Riordan Jarvis, MA, LCSW, clinical psychotherapist, host of the "Grief is My Side Hustle" podcast

Empathetic, clear help with grief

Love this book on grief. I found it to be compassionate and clearly insightful. Helpful during a tough season. I hope this helps you - my heart goes out for all who are grieving.

That grief is a process that we all go through differently.

I love how plain spoken and down to earth the author was…. And get the honor of being on a zoom call with her sharing inside. This is an awesome read and a great resource for psychotherapist counselors on the individual that is trying to navigate grief.

Great book

I have read 17 books about grief sense my wife of 50 years died last year and I like this one the most.
I read it while listening
The author did a great job.

Masterpiece. Quintessential digestible grief guide

In Gina's poignant work on grief, labeling it merely as "great" feels almost reductive, if not even insulting. It rises above anything I could have imagined, emerging as what I would call an essential compass for those navigating the treacherous landscape that can be grief. The raw authenticity Gina brings, both in her written and spoken words, lends the book a profound voice, underscored by her unmatched expertise, deeply lived experience, and outright passion.

Let me elucidate some of the nuances and anecdotes that culminate in why I use such words of praise:

1) Gina's unflinching use of straightforward terms like "die" and "died" is commendable. Thank you for this. In a world full of euphemisms that often dilute the gravity of loss, her choice of words deeply resonates for me with absolute clarity and strength. There's no mincing words here.

2) The book covers the concept of 'ambiguous loss' with paradoxical clarity. It addresses the bitter reality that some narratives lack closure, a profound truth we often grapple with for life.

3) Gina skillfully bridges the understanding of various losses beyond the confines of death. A case in point is the agonizing destruction of a friendship, which, while not equating to the finality of death, still can leave an indelible scar.

4) Amidst the profound insights, Gina expertly interweaves moments of levity, making the journey of understanding grief both enlightening and approachable. Despite thinking I had lots of answers for myself, I kept having ah-ha moments, one after another.

5) One standout theme is the freeing concept of granting oneself 'permission not to grieve.' This exploration truly sets the work apart as a holistic and comprehensive guide to grief. I feel as though many like to shy away from less popular yet important viewpoints like this.

6) Gina underscores a humbling revelation: the futile exercise of attempting to outsmart grief. It's a Jedi Master-level force to be reckoned with, perpetually one step ahead, urging us to confront it rather than evade it.

7) The work demonstrates impeccable balance, delving into the underlying science with the right depth, ensuring accessibility and accountability without compromising depth, but still sticking to the facts and science.

8) The chapter dissecting platitudes is nothing short of revelatory, perhaps my favorite. Phrases like “may her memory be a blessing” and other "pre-programmed prepackaged words" are dissected with sensitivity but clear assertiveness. Reading this section alone offers invaluable perspective, making the book a worthwhile investment of both time and money. Something you keep handy for future reference or more so when a friend or colleague may need it.

9) Gina's expertise shines through as she tackles a myriad of other topics, from the nuances of alone time to the intricate dynamics of family... with brevity and clarity.

In conclusion, Gina's exploration of grief transcends what I thought possible for me, and easily speaks to diverse readers across a wide spectrum. Achieving such breadth and depth in a single work seemed like it would not be easily possible, yet Gina accomplishes it with grace and wisdom. This is not just a book, this is the manual we should be required to read early in life, a must-read for anyone who wants to understand many types of grief, whether they are grieving themselves or supporting someone who is. Thank you for this, Gina Moffa.

A Manual On Grief

My husband died suddenly a year and a half ago; this is by far the best book I have read on this subject. It will be my reference manual as I continue to process this great loss. Gina, I thank you for this.