Publisher's Synopsis
Much has been written in the last twenty years to advance our understanding of the bereavement process. However, few books have focused specifically on therapeutic intervention with the bereaved. This book fills that gap. It offers guidance to mental health professionals working with the bereaved in a variety of settings, from hospices and hospitals to elementary and secondary schools to private practice.The authors present individual and group approaches to assessment and intervention and include numerous case examples drawn form their own extensive work with the bereaved. While many therapy books assume that clients will be from white, middle-class backgrounds, this book includes a chapter on the impact of cultural factors. In addition, because the needs of younger grievers are often overlooked, the book includes two chapters on therapy with children and adolescents. The book closes with a chapter inviting readers to engage in self-examination to promote self-awareness and growth, for the benefit of patient and therapist.The therapeutic strategies are grounded in empirical studies and clinical experience. The authors draw from psychodynamic, existential, cognitive/behavioral, and family systems perspectives, bringing together the work of a diverse spectrum of theoreticians and clinicians including Freud, Bowlby, Yalom, Kübler-Ross, and many others, to fully address the needs of the bereaved.
