Bereavement Counseling: Pastoral Care for Complicated Grieving Book

Acknowledgments
Introduction
A Tale of Two Sisters
The Desire to Know More
Beginning Assumptions
The Larger Context
Aims and Purpose
Challenges
Sources and Approach
Overview

Chapter 1. Universal Grief Processes and Responses
I Guess We All Have Times
To Every Life There is Gain and There is Loss
A Relational/Contextual View of Attachments and Loss
Types of Losses
Types of Losses as Identified by Referral Sources
Types of Losses that Grieving People Identify As Important to Them
The Universal, Normal Grief Process
A Loss and Recovery Model of Grief
Is the Grief Process the Same for Everyone?
Grief Trajectories and Variations within the Normal Grief Response Range
Assessment of a Person s Current Grieving Process
Management of Normal Grieving Processes
Summary

Chapter 2. When Grief Becomes Complicated
What Difference Does It Make?
Stories of Complicated Grief
Is Grief Becoming More Complex?
Are Complications on the Rise?
A Definition of Complicated Grief
Identification of Complications
Stage Specific Complications
Identification of Risk Factors
General Risk Factors
People Who are Particularly At Risk
Assessing Complicated Grief Trajectories
A Grief Trajectory Worksheet
More Experiences of Complicated Grieving
The Grief Response Service Wheel
Summary

Chapter 3. Dysfunctional Grieving
The Initial Inquiry
Early Formulation of Concepts and Terminology
Labeling Grief Responses
When Complications Become Barriers
Definition of Dysfunctional Grieving
Locus of Impairment
Severity of Impairment
Charting Severity of Grief Responses
Dysfunctional Grief Criteria
Individuals Who are Particularly at Risk
Strategies for Challenging Dysfunctional Behavior
Use of Grief Trajectory Worksheet for Dysfunctional Grieving
Summary

Chapter 4. The Spiritual Side of Grief and Loss
Definition of Spiritual
Religious Spirituality
Spirituality and Wellness
Spiritual Activity
The Spiritual Component of Grief Work
Creation s Tale Revisited
Experiences of Spiritually Based Grief Complications
Spiritually Based Dysfunctional Grief
Individuals Particularly at Risk for Spiritually Based Complications
Stages of Spiritual Grief
Summary

Chapter 5. How Perceptions, Thoughts, and Beliefs Influence Care
Subjectivity, Vulnerability, and Professional Bias
Recognizing the Relational Feedback Loop
Common Myths and Misperceptions Concerning Grief and Loss
Problematic Implications
Recognizing Critical Care Points
Using Perceptions and Beliefs to Enhance Care
The Role of Consultation
Summary

Chapter 6. Therapies and Treatment Priorities
Types of Treatment
Basic Grief Therapies
Loss Focused Therapies
Adjunct Therapies
Longer Term Grief Therapies
Multiple Therapies
Establishing Treatment Priorities
Treatment Priority Scale
A Holistic Treatment Process
Treatment Steps Toward Continuity of Being
Summary

Chapter 7. Positive Strategies and Helpful Interventions
General Grief Resolution Strategies
Strategies for Telling the Grief Story
Strategies for Developing a Sense of Self
Strategies for Experiencing a Sense of Relationship
Strategies for Creating a Sense of Meaning
Strategies for Building Memories
Strategies for Recognizing a Continuity of Being
Expressing Grief in Other Ways
Turning Around Unhelpful Grief Responses
Summary

Chapter 8. Reorganization and Recovery
Reorganization Involves Change
Motivators
Decisions to Move Ahead
Challenges to Reorganization
Developing a Lifelong Habit of Learning
Reclaiming Life
In Lieu of a Magic Wand

Appendix A. Universal Grief Response
Appendix B. Possible Complications Surrounding Significant Loss
Appendix C. Identification of Risk Factors
Appendix D. Grief Trajectory Worksheet
Appendix E. The Grief Response Service Wheel
Appendix F. Severity of Grief Response Impairment Flow Sheet Template
Appendix G. Dysfunctional Grieving Criteria

Bibliography
Index
Reference Notes Included