Introduction to Grief Therapy (IN: Helping the Bereaved: Therapeutic Interventions for Children, Adolescents, and Adults, by A S Cook & D S Dworkin)

This introductory chapter begins with an outline of the authors’ theoretical perspectives. Definitions of grief are then discussed. The distinction between counselling/support services & grief therapy is briefly addressed. Theoretical explanations of the pain of loss, models of grief resolution, & positive outcomes of bereavement are next discussed. The chapter closes with a discussion of the unique aspects of specific types of loss, including AIDS, suicide, & war, & the treatment implications of these losses.