Grief Counseling: Six Essential Conditions for Supporting Grief Work

Abstract

Life-cycle losses related to growing up, getting old, and dying (as well as divorce, amputation, illness, handicaps, migration, etc.) cause one to grieve in response to a particular loss. Grief work is defined as a conscious, active, and tangible process of letting go. Six conditions for grief work are identified, described, and located in three domains. The first domain of universality conditions includes diagnostics and self-care. The second domain of individuality conditions includes existential work and a multimethod approach. The third domain of sociality conditions includes family, social network, and culture and normalizing grief. Setting these six conditions is described as a joint responsibility of the griever (self-care), griever's environment (social care), and professionals (professional care). This article focuses on tasks of the professional in setting the six conditions for supporting grief work. Pitfalls in each area are identified. The case of Mr. Johnson illustrates each of the six conditions.