ATTEND Model

The Two-Track Model of Bereavement is a model that states loss is conceptualized along two axes. Track I pertains to the biopsychosocial functioning in the event of a loss and Track II pertains to the bereaved’s continued emotional attachment and relationship to whoever is deceased. The effect of Track I is seen through the bereaved’s functioning, including their anxiety, their self-esteem and self-worth, and their depressive affect and cognitions. Noting the ability of one to invest in life tasks after experiencing a loss indicates how they are responding to the loss of the deceased. This Track is seen as an expression similar to one of trauma, or crisis. Track II holds that the bereaved has difficulty physically separating from the deceased. This can be seen in emotional, interpersonal, or cognitive ways. It is shown through imagery and memories that the bereaved experiences surrounding the deceased, whether positive or negative, as well as the emotional distance from them. These pictures in the bereaved’s head explain both the cognitive and emotional view of the person who has died (Rubin, 1999).

The loss of an adult child is devastating, just as is the death of a younger child. However, there are differences as to how both the parents react to such losses. In this case the paper focuses on the loss of an adult child and how the parent copes with the situation. The paper will give insight into the situation that precedes the demise of the child such as the trajectory of illnesses. A review on how the parents deal with the loss after it occurs will be discussed as well as the various issues the parent faces. The impact on the parent after the child’s loss will also feature. There will be a summary of the findings, then a section that will give the implications of the research and its importance to the field of psychology, and finally an as well as focusing on the bigger picture of loss with older parents who have lost their children.

Yet, these parents have to accept that they will never be able to live their lives with or share their love openly with the child. So they must find ways to hold on to the memories. Many bereaved parents come to learn that "memories are the precious gifts of the heart...[that they need] these memories and whispers, to help create a sense of inner peace, a closeness" (Wisconsin Perspectives Newsletter, Spring 1989, 1).

In addition, the therapeutic value of working with grief in diverse groups is of particular interest to me based on the existential challenges in dealing with death, loss of relationships, career, or anyone or anything deemed to be of significance to individuals. Likewise, our society is frankly abysmal in recognizing and supporting those in need of support, therapy and long-term assistance in dealing with grief and loss. Additionally, group work can be a highly effective way to help grieving individuals expand their network of relationships thus helping them move forward in a health way (Corey el al.,

The first theory I will be discussing is the Continuing Bond Theory we covered in lecture. Continuing Bond Theory is about continuing a relationship with a loved one was has died, which helps enhance an individual’s life by continuing this bond (Class notes, 2017). When reading the group lossography I found many classmates who currently practice this theory. For example, a classmate describes the death of their grandmother who played a big role in their life. In their lossogrpahy, the classmate talks about the strong bond and close relationship with their grandmother. After the death of their grandmother, their family has created rituals by having created shirts in their grandmother’s memory, pillows made out of her shirts, and the family gathering together every year for the anniversary of her death (pg. 105). These rituals help keep and play a key role in the classmate’s relationship with their deceased grandmother. The grief theory applies to this example because this classmate engages in rituals every year to keep her grandmother in her memory and to help preserve the close bond they once had.

Children who are grieving often struggle with life because they have lost a loved one. The loss may have been expected or unexpected, but the pain is still great. However, the way the person was lost and other factors surrounding the death, as well as the age of the child, can all affect how a counselor handles the child and his or her grief. Children can also grieve something other than a death, so there are many situations in which a child might need to see a grief counselor. Additionally, children who have been part of traumatic events where someone else has died may need more than just grief counseling because they will have survivor guilt and others issues which they will also have to face and work through. Empirical studies show that there are many different ways to provide a child with grief counseling, and that children can react very differently based on many characteristics. Counseling that is tailored to the child is the most significant way to help that child - and that is still not enough to convince every scholar that grief counseling actually has any benefit at all.

Psychoeducational groups emphasize, “using education methods to acquire information and develop related meaning and skills.” (Brown, 1997, p.1) This grief support group works as a psychoeducational group, through focusing on education and knowledge for healing and growth. In this group, members value knowledge as it further brings growth through their grief journey. The facilitator educates the group with thirty-minute videos made by grief experts to support the members in learning proper coping skills and processing certain aspects of their grief. The group also characterizes a psychoeducational group through providing emotional support with discussion before and after each video. During this short discussion time the group worked together, to help apply the skills to their lives and process topics discusses in the video.

Grief is often accompanied by feelings of anger, intense sadness, difficulty in engaging in happy memories, and obsession with the departed or with the situations surrounding the death of a loved one (Minuchin & Fishman, 2009). This is shown in the video “A Family Disrupted: Dealing with the Death of a Sibling”, when Lois cries uncontrollably and acts completely shocked and disconnected. The video also shows the effects of grief with Jerry, who feels angry and isolated, and often wishes to be alone. When an individual is grieving and cannot overcome the grief, it is important to seek a qualified therapist for help. Therapists will effectively tailor various therapeutic models to address the special needs of individuals or family members who are struggling with grief (Worden, 2010). To help the people who are grieving in this video, models like solution focused therapy are used.

Someone who is grieving will experience “major psychological, spiritual, social and physiological” changes throughout the grieving process (Hooyman & Kramer, 2006, p37). There are many theories and models that support these words. This essay will discuss Freud’s theory of grief work (Davies, 2004), Bowlby’s attachment theory (Walsh, 2012), and Worden’s tasks of grief (Worden & Winokuer, 2011). The major tasks of grief throughout the four different stages of life will be looked at, as well as common grief reactions, and ways to support people through these. In addition how children, adolescents, adults and the elderly understand and respond to grief will be examined. Finally how people at the various stages of life confront their own death will be looked at, including some personal examples.

The author presents a qualitative assimilation model, which addresses the different stages of grief that one may encounter as they begin to recognize and compartmentalize the change in their environment and emotional state. The model provides the counselor with an understanding of the perceived necessity for a multidimensional individualistic approach to the healing process of those adapting to traumatic life events, such as death. The author attempts to present an individualistic counseling model for assisting clients dealing with turmoil and loss. The assimilation model incorporates strategic counseling technique unique to the client 's situation. The model describes eight developmental levels of grief the human psyche endures as it attempts to derive a meaning out of perceived events. As

indicated. In advance quantitative reviews have not centered on the impact of bereavement interventions on (complex) grief. Therefore

In regards to clinicians (physicians, nurses, social workers, other health care team members), Tan et al. (2012) postulates that in understanding how to “identify time points and events earlier in the child’s illness trajectory” can lead to assessing the supports as parents need them, therefore minimizing the potential negative effects associated with grief.

In addition, cause of death was noted in this article, to have an influence on the coping process. Those who lost parents

Unresolved, complicated, prolonged, or traumatic grief can have detrimental effects on mental or physical health (Beischel, Mosher, Boccuzzi, 2014). This often leads to many individuals seeking understanding from psychics, friends, or their own emotions. However, post death contact may give the believed some sense of relief in the situation or even help them cope with the elements of death and dying, along with life and living, giving them a different perspective on death and a new outlook on life. Post Death Contact (PDC) is when a living individual feels that a person who is deceased is reaching out to connect with the living. Such experiences may be part of a model of grieving called Continuing Bonds (Klugman, 2006). In this model, a person does not get over or learn to forget about the deceased, instead he or she maintains a personal relational connection with an inner representation by using the body to connect.

According to Klass, (1993 cited in Root & Exline, 2014) a continuing bond may also include the bereaved perceptions of the deceased influence on his or her current life. This maybe by internalizing values and beliefs adopted by the deceased, by taking on characteristics that the deceased may have had, doing activities that the deceased would have liked and the bereaved individual may view the deceased as a role model to guide one’s behaviour (Root & Exline, 2014). It can also be explored as for example, a bereaving individual may try and attempt to communicate with the deceased by talking, writing letters and praying to the deceased (Root & Exline, 2014). When looking at continuing bond theory and learning how it can be associated in other cultures and linking back to