Complicated grief happens to approximately 10-20% of bereaved persons and is described as a chronic heightened state of mourning (Khoshaba). When experiencing complicated grief one needs grief therapy not to be confused with grief counseling; in grief counseling you facilitate the bereaved person through the mourning tasks, while grief therapy you are identifying and resolving conflicts that are keeping you from successfully completing the mourning tasks. If a person is experiencing complicated grief they may or may not realize it themselves but the important part is that they are willing to accept your help. A person experiencing complicated grief tends to yo-yo between the stages of grief with no resolution. “Complicated grievers remember
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For example, if a person is holding onto things to help keep them linked with the deceased (Worden) or is keeping the yearning process alive through the things they do (Khoshaba), this could be something as simple as wearing something that belonged to the diseased or as excessive as having a shine for the deceased but whatever the object(s) might be it has a lot of meaning invested in it which is much different than the keeping of mementos that serve as a remembrance of the deceased. If possible bringing the object(s) to therapy can help facilitate the healing process by making it the topic of conversation and pointing out how this object(s) is hindering them from moving through the grieving process in a successful and healthy way. I almost wish I had known about all this years ago when we lost my grandfather because for years my grandmother kept his half of the bedroom exactly the way he left it and it was covered in dust, it was as if she was expecting him to come home at any moment. Worden discusses in point 4 the need to assess which mourning task the patient is having trouble with. If they are struggling with task I it means they can’t or refuse to accept that the person is really dead; it’s your job as the therapist to help them focus and accept that the person is in fact dead so they are able to move forward in the grieving process. Khoshaba shows us the importance of cognitive behavioral therapy in relation to being stuck in task I and how part of this therapy is assisting the patient to change irrational thoughts into rational ones thus bringing to light the full reality of
For example, if a person is holding onto things to help keep them linked with the deceased (Worden) or is keeping the yearning process alive through the things they do (Khoshaba), this could be something as simple as wearing something that belonged to the diseased or as excessive as having a shine for the deceased but whatever the object(s) might be it has a lot of meaning invested in it which is much different than the keeping of mementos that serve as a remembrance of the deceased. If possible bringing the object(s) to therapy can help facilitate the healing process by making it the topic of conversation and pointing out how this object(s) is hindering them from moving through the grieving process in a successful and healthy way. I almost wish I had known about all this years ago when we lost my grandfather because for years my grandmother kept his half of the bedroom exactly the way he left it and it was covered in dust, it was as if she was expecting him to come home at any moment. Worden discusses in point 4 the need to assess which mourning task the patient is having trouble with. If they are struggling with task I it means they can’t or refuse to accept that the person is really dead; it’s your job as the therapist to help them focus and accept that the person is in fact dead so they are able to move forward in the grieving process. Khoshaba shows us the importance of cognitive behavioral therapy in relation to being stuck in task I and how part of this therapy is assisting the patient to change irrational thoughts into rational ones thus bringing to light the full reality of