On Bereavement and Grief: A Therapeutic Approach to Healing

Abstract

The common mantra for bereaved people these days is “Everyone grieves in their own way.” This is incontrovertibly true, yet it is not the whole truth. It is similarly true to say that grief is universal. This chapter provides a way of working with bereaved clients that honors both realities and focuses on work with complicated grief. We begin with an illustrative case study to highlight the features and clinical presentation of complicated grief, followed by a description of this syndrome, its associated features, and its risk factors. We describe complicated grief treatment (CGT), a proven efficacious approach that uses a framework in which the natural adaptation to loss is seen as derailed. The treatment has two main objectives: (1) to identify and resolve grief complications and (2) to facilitate the natural healing process. To achieve these goals, the therapist works to facilitate three main processes needed to reshape and integrate acute grief: acknowledging the finality of the death and its consequences, revising the mental representation of the person who has died, and restoring a sense of vitality and hope for the future. Core themes of the treatment include encouraging self-observation and reflection, rebuilding connections, focusing on both loss and restoration-related activities and fostering emotion regulation, including experiences of positive emotions.