A Time for Grieving: Investigations of Bereavement Suggest That There is no Set Pattern for Dealing With the Loss of a Loved One

Modern research & clinical experience challenge Lindemann’s model of grief (1944) in which grief is finished within a year of a death. There is great variation in reactions to death, & a number of psychological, social & biological processes interact, making it impossible to define a normal reaction. Therapy may be necessary for people who can’t grieve or who are in high-risk categories, such as being close to someone who committed suicide. (RM)