Healing Through the Dark Emotions

The Wisdom of Grief, Fear, and Despair

By: Miriam Greenspan

Narrated by: Coleen Marlo

We are all touched at some point by the dark emotions of grief, fear, or despair. In an age of global threat, these emotions have become widespread and overwhelming. While conventional wisdom warns us of the harmful effects of "negative" emotions, this revolutionary book offers a more hopeful view: there is a redemptive power in our worst feelings. Seasoned psychotherapist Miriam Greenspan argues that it's the avoidance and denial of the dark emotions that results in the escalating psychological disorders of our time: depression, anxiety, addiction, psychic numbing, and irrational violence. And she shows us how to trust the wisdom of the dark emotions to guide, heal, and transform our lives and our world.

©2003 Miriam Greenspan (P)2019 Tantor

Great book

Great content would recommend to someone struggling with holding their emotions on the inside, great book.

Best Book for Introspective Trauma Healing

Since reading this book last year, I find I recommend this book to someone at least once a week. As a truama informer Shadow Walker inspired by Jung's work on the shadow and individuation and Jane Meredith's work on spiritual and myth-informed soul-returning underworld journeying, this book gave me the ability to combine psychology and spirituality practice into real and highly effective journeying practices to heal both known and unknown parts of my shadow self. I was able to embrace and begin befriending my grief, despair, and fear. while I haven't master the alchemy of emotions, I can be content to be with them in solitude until I am able to move in the world while holding them proudly with me as air go about my day. Written during 9/11, this is book contains insights into global trauma and healing that are especially applicable to the current Covid-19 pandemic.

Bringing dark emotions into the light

I found a lot of understanding in this book for why we are like we are. It helps with acceptance. It make me more patient with myself and gave me greater empathy for myself and others. Very relatable.

Worthy of reading again and again!

Absolutely loved this audio. Colleen Marlo was wonderful narrating, as if she had written it herself. So much fantastic information that it needs to be listened to again and again. I found myself in tears relating to the truths. Thank you, for all you have given me with your knowledge and also the recommendations of others you give.

Karl Marx and criticism of stoicism

The main ideas are amazing but the author misses the mark on stoicism. It’s very feminist and critical of men. Kinda biased.

Alchemy of Dark Emotions is where Greenspan shines

I appreciated and saw value in much of this book. Particularly in understanding and working through the dark emotions. Many impactful strategies and knowledge. It was interesting to think how we are not only impacted by what happens to us, but what happened to our ancestors, the earth, and humanity at large.

Where I disagree is her use of the term “patriarchy.” Patriarchy’s are neither good nor bad though they can be implemented in ways that are either helpful or harmful. Perhaps it would have sat better with me had she explained that the patriarchy has become imbalanced and is leaning toward such and such evils instead of assuming the patriarchy is the umbrella through which so much harm has occurred—because it’s not the patriarchy—it’s wickedness.