In a 2018 public opinion poll, the American Psychiatric Association reported that a majority of Americans are anxious. This number has been growing annually and in a time of global pandemic, it makes sense that numbers today are spiking even more. We are experiencing unprecedented grief and anxiety on a global scale. Many will have to endure this experience physically isolated from the very people who would, under normal circumstances, be there for them. Dealing with grief on its own can already be an isolating experience that leads to anxiety and Claire Bidwell Smith provides a road map to keeping cycles of grief, isolation and anxiety from snowballing. She’s the author of two previous books and has written for The NY Times, Washington Post, Guardian, HuffPost, Salon.com, Slate and more.