Re-Membering: A Case Study

Re-Membering is considered a new way to perceive and process the loss of a loved one who has died. Based on both the Narrative Perspective and Social Constructionism, Re-Membering is a new theory for working with clients who are experiencing grief. Typical grief groups are centered on the stages of grief moving the persons from acceptance of their loss to saying goodbye. The concept of Re-Membering lets us perceive grief in a “relational tone, rather than an individualistic focus” (Granados, Winslade, De Witt & Hedtke, n.d). In facilitating a relational tone, it is assumed that client’s relationships with the deceased can continue in a “storied form” (Granados, et al., n.d) in order to continue a sense of connectedness. The deceased memories, love and life experiences/stories are “re-incorporated” (Granados, et al., n.d) so their story can continue. Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytical beliefs on death is what most of today’s grief …show more content…
William Worden, whose theory for working through grief was based on John Bowlby’s Attachment theory believed there were four major tasks to grieving, “accepting the reality of loss, working through the pain, adjusting to the new environment and relocating the deceased in order to move on (Granados, et al., n.d). Based on the interviews they found 5 strategies that children use to stay bounded to the parent; they try to find them; experience the deceased in some way, try to find a way to connect to them, Re-Membering, and keep a memento that belonged to them” (Granados, et al., n.d).
Hogan and DeSantis (1992) interviewed 157 adolescents who had lost a sibling, asking what they would say to their sibling if they could. They determined 6 groupings; “regretting, trying to understand, catching up, reaffirming, influencing and reuniting (Granados, et al.,