LAHORE, Monday, July 21, 2025 (WNP): A heartfelt and intimate book launch took place at The Last Word bookstore in Lahore on Monday, marking the debut of “Healing in the Shadow of Loss”—a deeply personal self-help guide by first-time author Saira Sheikh, offering solace, guidance, and a culturally sensitive approach to healing from grief.
Saira Sheikh, a Pakistani expat and Cardiff University MBA graduate, shared her journey of turning personal pain into purpose. A mother of two and entrepreneur behind a home-based soy-scented candle business, she described writing the book as a therapeutic endeavor to process her own grief and extend support to others navigating loss.
“I wrote this book to create space for grief in our society,” Saira told the audience, “and to offer a hand to those quietly carrying emotional burdens.”
Moderated by Dr. Mariam Sheikh, Visiting Scholar at Stanford University and an expert in international education policy, the event brought together an intellectually vibrant crowd, including university professors, publishers, authors, mental health advocates, and members of Lahore’s literary circles.
Among the prominent voices was Dr. Zahida Mansoor, professor at FAST-NU Lahore—Saira’s alma mater—who praised the book as “a much-needed guide that blends empathy with practical tools,” addressing a longstanding gap in Pakistan’s self-help literature. “It’s not just a personal account; it’s a resource for both individuals and professionals working in the mental health space,” she added.
The book, published by Thazbook, under the direction of local publisher Tanzeela K. Hassan, has already garnered praise from early reviewers for its accessible language and raw emotional depth. It addresses grief from various angles—bereavement, separation, and life transitions—and offers structured, relatable strategies for emotional recovery.
The post-launch gathering moved to The Third Culture Café next to the bookstore, where Saira signed copies and engaged in candid conversations about coping with grief in Pakistani society. Attendees lauded the book for starting an overdue public dialogue around mental health, emotional vulnerability, and the need to normalize grieving.
“Healing in the Shadow of Loss” is not just a book—it’s a call to embrace our emotional truths, to give voice to silent struggles, and to recognize healing as a non-linear, deeply human journey.
The book is now available nationwide and is being hailed as a significant addition to Pakistan’s growing landscape of indigenous mental health and self-help literature.
