What Do You Say Before You Say Good-Bye? The Psychotherapy of Grief

Abstract

Relational loss, death, and mourning are all part of life and human relationships. Protracted and compounded grief occurs when something interferes with the normal grieving process. The psychotherapy of grief is described and two primary relational approaches are emphasized: face-to-face psychotherapy and the use of internal imagery via the empty-chair technique. In both approaches, the aim is to provide a balanced expression of affect, including emotional pain, anger, resentment, appreciation, and love. Several case examples are provided.

Keywords

grief protracted grief compounded grief contact contact interruption empty chair experiential psychotherapy unfinished business relational psychotherapy bereavement Fritz Perls resentment appreciation love

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