A guided grief journal written for the loss of a father — every prompt says father, from the first page to the last.
The short answer. Still With Me — For the Loss of a Father is a guided grief journal with 80 written prompts across 9 chapters in 120 pages, sized 6 × 9 inches. The paperback is $29.99 and the hardcover is $39.99. It is written only for the loss of a father, not adapted from a general grief journal, and every copy is printed to order in the United States and ships within 3–5 business days.
A note before anything else
A lot of fathers said more with what they did than with what they said: the lift to the station, the car checked before a long drive, the phone call that was mostly about the weather. When he is gone, that is exactly what is hardest to put into words, because so much of it was never spoken in the first place. A journal will not make the loss smaller. It is somewhere to write down what he taught you, what he never said out loud, and what you now notice you do exactly like him. If today is unbearable, please look at our help page; in the US, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline can be called or texted at any hour.
Why a journal written for a father, not for grief in general
General grief journals ask about "your loved one". That works, but it keeps the page at a distance. A prompt that asks what your father taught you without ever explaining it, or which of his habits you have caught yourself repeating, goes straight to a specific memory. That is the whole idea behind this edition: the same nine-chapter structure as every Still With Me journal, but written word for word around a father.
It fits if you:
- lost your father recently and want something to do with the thoughts that come at night;
- lost him years ago and are noticing that his voice is getting harder to hear;
- had a distant, difficult or unfinished relationship with him — the hard parts and letters chapters leave room for what was never said;
- are buying for a friend, a partner or a sibling who just lost their father.
What is inside
Nine chapters, written to be worked through slowly rather than finished:
- Who you were — his character, his habits, his voice
- Our beginning — the earliest things you remember about him
- Everyday moments — the garage, the car rides, the small ordinary things that go first
- What you taught me — what you learned from him, spoken or not
- The hard parts — the last months, the things left unsaid
- What I miss — named plainly, without tidying it up
- Letters to you — open pages for writing directly to him
- Carrying you forward — his birthday, Father's Day, the rituals that stay
- Still with me — where he is now
Every prompt is a question with room to answer, not a blank page, and nothing has to be answered in order. For how a guided journal compares with a notebook, see guided journal vs blank notebook.
Paperback or hardcover
| Format | Price | Choose it when |
|---|---|---|
| Paperback | $29.99 | You want to write in it every day and carry it around; it lies flat and is light. |
| Hardcover | $39.99 | You want it to last as a keepsake, or you are giving it as a gift. |
Both are 6 × 9 inches with 120 pages and the same 80 prompts. See the Father edition.
Try the prompts before you buy anything
There is no need to buy a journal to start. We publish 25 free grief journal prompts for the loss of a father, with a printable PDF at no cost. If you want the reasoning behind the practice first, read our gentle guide to grief journaling and what research says about writing through loss.
Giving it to someone who lost their father
Most sympathy gifts arrive in the first two weeks and then stop. A journal is one of the few that still makes sense in month three, on his birthday or on the first Father's Day without him — and it asks nothing back, no reply and no thank-you note. Our sympathy gift guide covers what to write in the card, and the gift sets page pairs the journal with a memorial candle. Shipping is $6.49 within the US and Canada and $9.00 to the rest of the world.
Not sure it was a father, or they lost both parents? The parent loss journals page compares the Mother, Father and general Parent editions. For the loss of a mother there is a separate page.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best grief journal for the loss of a father?
One written for that relationship rather than for grief in general, because prompts that name a father reach memories that generic prompts do not. Still With Me — For the Loss of a Father has 80 prompts across 9 chapters in 120 pages, in paperback ($29.99) or hardcover ($39.99).
Is it too soon, or too late, to start a grief journal after losing my father?
Neither. Some people start in the first week, others years later when they notice his voice fading. The prompts do not assume a stage of grief, and nothing has to be answered in order.
Is it a good gift for someone who just lost their father?
Yes, especially after the first weeks when other support falls away. It does not need to be responded to and can sit unopened until they are ready. The hardcover is the usual choice for a gift.
What if my relationship with my father was distant or difficult?
The journal does not assume a close relationship. The hard parts and letters to you chapters are there for what was complicated or never said, and you can skip any prompt that does not fit.
How long does it take to arrive?
Every copy is printed to order in the United States and ships within 3–5 business days. Shipping is $6.49 to the US and Canada and $9.00 to the rest of the world.
Is journaling a substitute for grief support?
No. Writing can give grief somewhere to rest, but it is a personal practice, not a treatment. If your grief feels unbearable, please reach out to a doctor, a counselor or a grief support professional. Our help page lists places to turn. In the US, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline can be called or texted at any hour.
See all twenty editions on the shop editions page, or find the right one on who it is for.