The National Archive of Grief Support Studies
The National Archive of Grief Support Studies(NAGSS) database provides bibliographical information and summaries of recent articles selected for their relevance to grief and bereavement service providers. The articles that are summarized are selected from scholarly, peer-reviewed journals and are intended to highlight key concepts as well as provide a brief statement of implications for service providers. Bibliographical information may be used to obtain the original article.
Making Sense of Loss: A Content Analysis of End-of-Life Practitioners’ Therapeutic Approaches
Authors:
Currier, Joseph M.
Holland, Jason M.
Neimeyer, Robert A.
Source:
Omega: 2008. Volume 57, Number 2, pp. 121-141.
Summary
This study analyses the various therapeutic approaches utilized by 119 end-of-life practitioners of various occupations. End-of-life practitioners spend the majority of their time supporting the dying or bereaved as they make sense of the death they are anticipating or have experienced. The end-of-life practitioners who participated in this study completed an End-of-Life Care Questionnaire and responded to questions designed to assess whether their practices were guided by grief theories and empirical research in the field of grief and bereavement. The authors concluded that while practitioners use multiple therapeutic approaches, there is commonality in that the approaches contribute to a positive, empathetic therapeutic presence, and contribute to processes and procedures that facilitate meaning-making. Examples of processes and procedures that contribute to meaning-making include storytelling, writing journals, and writing letters. Many of the participants did not report that either research or theory informed their work; however, it appears that many of the therapeutic approaches used by these practitioners are consistent with current theory and research regarding meaning-making.
Key words: meaning, practice
Service Provider Implications
This article enables service providers to become familiar with therapeutic approaches currently being utilized by practitioners who work with the dying or the bereaved to help them find meaning in the loss. While this study did not examine the efficacy of any of these approaches, it is helpful for clinicians to know that there are a variety of ways to help the bereaved make sense of their loss.
