Women as Survivors of Suicide: an Experience of Integration (IN: Suicide in Canada, edited by A A Leenaars, S Wenckstern, I Sakinofsky, R J Dyck, M J Kral & R C Bland)

This chapter summarizes the author’s qualitative study of the long-term process of grieving in 4 women bereaved by the suicide death of a male family member. Vignettes are provided for each of the women. A theoretical model of grief integration is presented. The model has 3 phases: grief suppression, grief emergence & grief integration. Characteristics of each phase are examined. The potential clinical application of the model is briefly described. (33 refs.)