Bereavement Professional

Although Sigmund Freud pioneered the study of mourning, bereavement research has grown exponentially over the last 30 years. The psychodynamic view used to be that grief was painful because it involved letting go of attachment to the deceased. The thought was that this “letting go” was essential for “moving on” with one’s life, eventual recovery from depression, and a return to “normal.” 

This was followed by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross’s five stage model which, unfortunately, many still view as “the” way to experience grief successfully. People gravitate to this model for its simplistic, linear approach, using it as a prescription to measure one’s grief progress. Yet we have come far since then and researchers now provide us with several new models and insights to guide and help the bereaved.

This chat reviewed the current models and theories and discussed how we apply them in the work that we do as hospice bereavement counselors.

The chat was facilitated by Patti A. Anewalt, PhD, LPC, FT, Director of the Pathways Center for Grief & Loss, Hospice & Community Care, Mount Joy, PA.