Healing in the Shadow of Loss – a self-help book authored by Saira Sheikh – the first-time writer and an overseas national who holds an MBA from UK-based Cardiff University – launched in Lahore, highlighting compassionate approach to grief recovery and practical insights for those navigating loss.
The author, who runs a home-based soy scented candle business, ventured into writing as a form of expressing her healing journey to explore themes of grief. Her work explores various dimensions of healing, offering readers tools for emotional recovery and personal growth during difficult times. A bookstore hosted the launching event, moderated by Dr Mariam Sheikh, an educator and researcher in international education policy, currently serving as a visiting scholar at the Stanford University’s Graduate School of Education in California.
The ceremony drew a diverse audience, including publishers, authors, and professors from Saira Sheikh’s former university, FAST-NU Lahore, where she attained her undergraduate degree in business administration. In attendance were also local literary figures, family, friends, and members of Lahore’s intellectual community, who gathered to celebrate the author’s work, addressing the complex journey of healing after loss. They shared their appreciation for the author’s courage in addressing such a sensitive topic.
On the occasion, readers discussed how early excerpts from the book had already impacted their understanding of grief and recovery in their lives. Professor Dr Zahida Mansoor praised Saira Sheikh’s contribution to mental health literature in Pakistan. She described the book as a much-needed guide that combines empathy with practical wisdom, noting that it addressed a significant gap in locally authored self-help literature. She emphasized how the book could serve as a valuable resource for both individuals experiencing loss and mental health professionals.
Saira Sheikh shared her personal journey of finding solace in writing. She described how her entrepreneurial background and experience as a mother informed her understanding of life’s challenges, leading her to explore grief through the written word. She emphasized how her work aims to create space in Pakistani society to acknowledge grief, make room for it, and navigate the messy path of healing. She said the book would provide comfort and guidance to readers facing their own challenges with loss, whether through bereavement, separation, or other life transitions.
During the event, the author signed copies for attendees and engaged in meaningful conversations about the healing process that continued in an intimate setting at The Third Culture Cafe located alongside the book store in Gulberg. The launch of Healing in the Shadow of Loss marks another significant addition to Pakistan’s growing collection of indigenous self-help literature. The book offers a structured approach to understanding loss and includes practical suggestions for emotional healing. It has been praised by early book reviewers nationwide for its perspective and accessible raw writing style, making psychological concepts understandable for readers.
