Shop Grace’s Books

Grace is an accomplished author, with many books spanning various topics on the human condition

How Do We Become the Person That We Are: Creating a life

I wrote my first prose poem in the aftermath and death of my father,

“What Have We Done to Him?” Five years later, my mother died in just twenty-two days after the diagnosis of metastatic cancer.

Combined with events in my professional life, I began to write a stream of poems, maybe two hundred, on the themes of death, loss, transition, and change. Eventually they were published as books on the samethemes. I had established a pattern of writing about events in my life and began to play with the idea of writing a memoir. In an emotional crisis when I was thirty-two, I began a process to answer the question of the book title, along with other questions. I was unhappy in the midst of accomplishments beyond what I ever imagined, and I had no idea how to even think about it. In my studies in human development and in extended experiences in psychotherapy, I sought to understand how I had become the person that I was.

Two years ago, with encouragement from Sheila Kennedy, I began to seriously address writing my memoir. It has been a consistent part of my journey to remember events, feelings, be open to changing meanings I had assigned to events, in other words, a growthful, sometimes painful process in itself.

My memoir is the story of my journey, my life experiences, the drive in me that has propelled me forward all the years of my life. And it is the story of my life relationships, the love affair of my life which began when I was forty-five and met Armin Klein. It is also the pathway of my life’s work as a nurse, a professor and administrator that brought me to my work as a psychotherapist, now twenty-five years ago in our Center for Human Encouragement. The memoir is not just about me; the “We” in the title is meant to convey the universal drive to understand our self, our life’s journey to create a meaningful life.

In memory of Jeanine and for Armin. With gratitude to all those who have been a part of my life.

And for Dr. Carl R. Rogers, whose writings gave me the key to my path.

Grace Klein has crafted a beautiful memoir that takes the reader along for the journey of discovering herself. The definition of self does not occur with one single event but a culmination of events, encounters, relationships, and curiosity. Dr. Klein' s quest was to know who she is and how she became the empowered, driven, compassionate and empathetic woman that she is. Her story is one to be passed on for generations to come. Her accomplishments and legacy will shape the future. With appreciation for her willingness to share her insights and vulnerabilities in hopes that we can all learn that it is never too late to write a different chapter in the story of our lives.

—Sheila Kennedy, Publisher & Author at The Zebra Ink. www.thezebraink.com

Written with a compelling narrative weaving the parts of Grace's life together, her journey in her own words takes the reader to a new understanding of how we become the person that we are. It is both an extraordinary story and an important and timely commentary on how personality development is affected by the events of our life.

There are reasons why we become the way we are which often aren't apparent on the surface.

In her riveting memoir, Grace owns the risks she took throughout her life as she takes responsibility for everything that happens. As she pulls the reader in, we can begin to understand how we too become the person that we are, opening the door to new possibilities for our life.

—Coralie Harlow Robertson, Author of The Journey Within: Living After Loss

“Dr. Grace Harlow Klein has truly realized the person she has become.

As a therapist, her life, her journey as a nurse-clinician, then as a university professor and dean, and then growth into a psychotherapist beyond, speaks to her devotion to personal understanding, and transcendence to a place of accrued knowledge, wisdom, experience, trust, and love.”

—Donald G. Symer M.D. Primary Care Physician

“A vast echoing cathedral, And endless garden, A sweeping sea, Shores beyond sight or comprehension.

My mind is stilled. I feel humbled, loved – eternal, as I am open to you.”

- A Poem by Armin, 1986

The Colors of Grief

For Armin whose love will last a lifetime.

“I am alone. There is no one but me to give directions to move forward – to make a life for myself.

He left this place of healing we named together in our dream, The Center for Human Encouragement. It is a place of healing and connection where year after year people have come to find themselves, restore their sense of self in order to move on in their lives.

I can do this for myself.”

I went to Provence, to the home in Caromb where we had gone together before. I bought art supplies to paint and each day I painted in the garden, I let my feelings of grief flow onto the paper. There were no thoughts, images, only the colors that emerged from within hidden from and escaping even words.”

-A excerpt from The Colors of Grief by Grace Harlow Klein, 2018

Grace's writing moves swiftly between distant past and more recent memories - remembering initial sparks and the first blush of love, through years shared as an inseparable couple, creating a family together - and back to the present biting moment and the awareness of the pain of her loss, how much grief continues to hurts...

The Colors of Grief resonates with deep feeling and awareness. It is essential reading for understanding love and profound loss.

-Robyn York, Artist & Graphic Designer

Transition: The Space Between

Fifteen years ago, I wrote in a frenzy, took up painting,

and continued my photography

as I traversed a path from the world that crashed behind me

into uncharted waters.

Transition: The Space Between explores the territory that emerged between the old and the unknown future ahead.

The death of my husband as I was finishing this book, many years later thrust me once again into that space.

The book is dedicated to him and to those who helped me create a new world.

In Praise of Grace Harlow Klein's Latest book of Poetry, Transition: The Space Between.

Grace Shares not only her journey of being and becoming, but her photography and art to draw the reader deeper into the prose. Despite the pain, loss, grief, there is an underpinning of hope throughout the prose.

Thomas W. Connelly, Jr. Ph.D., RN

In the most unfettered expression, Grace Harlow Klein envelopes the reader in the depths of her loves, agony, loss, frustrations and personal growth. Her emergence from the mud and clay with strength, clarify, hope, conviction, direction and purpose is testimony once again that greatness is born out of our most darkest hours.

Mabena Mahlangu Ph.D., RN

Kaleidoscope: My Changing World

Commentary: In Kaleidoscope, Grace Harlow Klein shares the moments of her life that have fashioned the creation of her sense of self. Like a kaleidoscope, pieces of broken glass converge to provide the viewer with a cascade of colors and images, always changing and unique to the viewer.

Grace Harlow Klein’s life events are expressed in prose, photographs and her art. Together the convergence of these expressions invited me ,as I hope they do for you, to enter into her experiences with feelings of loss, grief and hope. Relationships, life events and the journeys of discovery are shared and when put together create a kaleidoscope of her world view. - Thomas W. Connelly, Jr. Ph.D., RN

Death

The death of loved ones

Mark and inform our lives,

Open us to our feelings and memories,

Make us aware of time and the

Uncertainty of life,

Serve as a harbinger of our own death

And

Bring awareness and freedom

To how we choose to live.

- A poem from A Bridge of Returning

A Bridge of Returning: An Empowering Journey

The prose poems in this book were written at times of loss in my life.

Open to the feelings of sadness and grief, I remembered many details

About these experiences, some of which occurred much earlier in my life.

In being open, it was as if the experiences occurred yesterday, with many

Of the feelings intact.

The process of writing was one of giving voice to those feelings and

memories. It was a very active process of transforming the finality of death,

accompanied by feelings of helplessness to change the outcome,

into something alive and healing. It became an empowering journey.

In praise of Grace Harlow Klein’s
latest book of poetry, Bridge of Returning:

“In a touching family remembrance, Grace adeptly balances life and death. Finding her voice, she illuminates how both kind and piercing, provincial and transcendent, damaging and empowering the experience of loss can be. The journey demonstrates how her life-long practice of empathy and courage for others as a nurse, psychotherapist, educator, and dean powerfully evokes the intimate nature of not only her own, but indeed all of our lives’ loves and losses. She somehow manages to trail blaze and offer a glacial poignance through the experience of both life and death.”

Jeffrey H. D. Cornelius-White, PsyD, LPC

“...The collection is a touching gift, the poems providing richness and hope to each of us as we navigate our lives…Vividly important at any age, and a ‘must read’ for mid- and later life reflections.”

Lois K. Evans, PhD, RN, FAAN

Published by The Person Centered Press

“In an artistic, eloquent blend of poetry, photography, and raw truth, Grace Harlow Klein confronts a devastating fracture in her carefully wrought life and shares her slow-but-sure struggle back to health and creativity...”
Peggy Natiello, PhD

Loss: A Personal Journey of Empowerment

For my Mother and Father who taught me by the way they lived their lives

And for Armin without whose love and support I would not have survived.

With it I have flourished through this transition

To a new life together

And one of fulfilling my own dreams.

And in memory of Carl R. Rogers whose work influenced my life,

Giving voice to my experience

And led me to Armin.

Advance praise for
Loss: A Personal Journey of Empowerment:

“...Reading Loss: A Personal Journey of Empowerment is to enter the powerful impact of a long journey from the darkest cave dwellings to the discovery of a pinpoint of daylight – and where hope leads to epiphany.”
Kerry Moustakas, PhD