Second Firsts

Live, Laugh and Love Again

By: Christina Rasmussen

Narrated by: Christina Rasmussen

After studying to become a therapist and crisis intervention counselor - even doing her master's thesis on the stages of bereavement - Christina Rasmussen thought she understood grief. But it wasn't until losing her husband to cancer in her early 30s that she truly grasped the depths of sorrow and pain that accompany loss. Using the knowledge she gained while wading through her own grief and reading hundreds of neuroscience books, Rasmussen began to look at experiences in a new way. She realized that grief plunges you into a gap between worlds - the world before loss and the world after loss. She also realized how easy it is to become lost in this gap.

In Second Firsts, Rasmussen walks you through her Life Reentry process to help you break grief's spiral of pain, so you can stop simply surviving and begin to live again. She shows you that loss can actually be a powerful catalyst to creating a life that is in alignment with your true passions and values. The resilience, strength, and determination that have gotten you through this difficult time are the same characteristics that will help you craft your wonderful new life. Her method, which she has used successfully with thousands of clients, is based on the science of neuroplasticity and focuses on consciously releasing pain in ways that both honor suffering and rewire the brain to change your perception of the world and yourself. Using practical exercises and stories drawn from her own life and those of her clients, Rasmussen guides you through five stages of healing that help you open up to new possibilities. From acknowledging your fear to recognizing where you stand now to taking active steps toward a new life, Rasmussen helps you move past the pain and shows that it's never too late to step out of the gap and experience life again - as if for the first time.

©2013 Christina Rasmuseen (P)2015 Audible, Inc.

Good reading.

It was good but many things did not apply to me as the author was much younger than I. However there were some things that applied and I do feel I am a different person and much stronger and more confident than I ever was.

Thank You....

I needed this book. Christina you helped me along this journey. I'm not the only one out here who's afraid to start again.

Spoke to my Soul - instrumental in my healing

Christina's narration was engaging. Her guidance & tips are very helpful & even resonate with some steps I'd already subconsciously taken to bring me to the place of healing where I am today. In deed, it has been a journey. I think that this book will be instrumental & helpful to anyone who desires to heal completely & to move on from a place of grief & loss to a fuller, richer life.

Widow still in the waiting room

I'm a widow. My Iraq War veteran husband committed suicide almost 4 years ago. It took a couple of years before I even began dealing with my grief. At this point, it really is time to get back to living and I am always searching for things to help. This book is the one that has touched my heart the most. My soul was stirred. I need to listen again multiple times, but I think this one will really get me living again and knowing that it is really okay to do so! Thank you for that Christina! If you are grieving but know you need to continue to live life, get this book and listen!

A note on the performance, Christina does have an accent that may be bothersome to some. Due to my work, I listen to people with lots of different accents daily so it doesn't bother me. She does make an effort at clear annunciation and you can tell she is speaking from the heart. I don't know that someone else could have conveyed her story as well as she did!

Thriver Self!!!

I loved the book, which I listened to after taking the Author’s Life Reentry course online. This works as a great companion to the course.