Continuing Bonds : Holding On Or Letting Go

Many attachment psychologists argue that early relationships with our primary caregivers provide the foundation for later adult relationships. Bowlby called this the continuity hypothesis. This is the claim that early relationship experiences continue in later adult relationships.

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).

‘As social care worker, you must be accountable for the quality of your work and take responsibility for maintaining and improving your skills knowledge ‘.

Biii) A description of why it is important that social care workers follow guidance about the limits of their job role.

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.

This involves “strong feelings of attachment, shared identity, and

As in have mentioned in my introduction, there are mainly theorists in this field and all have there own perception of attachment. One such theorist, John Bowlby states

Relationships are important within a social care setting as residents need to feel that are in an environment where they are able to communicate confidence to any member of staff. Communications between all staff are equally important due to changes to the needs of certain residents in relations to

There are several types of working relationship in the social care setting, they include care/ support staff and service user, their families, managers and

Some people believe it is the most advanced form of attachment filled with emotions. Others believe that it serves the purpose of advancing

These bonds happen in everyday life. The first is a friend to friend bond, where you make a bond with a new friend. This happens quite often, and if you find the right person, this could be a strong bond. The second bond, is a bond with a boy and a girl, like a relationship. Many people believe they have these bonds, but they are just lying to themselves.

O’Leary et al, (2012) emphasizes that “social work is at the forefront of professionals that address the ontological need for relationships and respond to the breakdown of personal and societal relationships” (p3). Thus, social workers are often faced with extremely complex and problematic situations. So, social workers have to ensure that their relationships with service users and their friends and families are kept on a professional level (Allmark et al, 2011). Cooper (2012) says that professional boundaries are the cornerstone of effective social care, although there may-be disagreement amongst professionals about where the line should be – most do agree that a line needs to be drawn. Social workers should acknowledge that there are potential

These tasks relate to the ideas of denial, anger and grief, learning to cope’ and' relocating the deceased in ones mental and emotional life'. Worden refers to the work of Klass 1996, which challenges the notion of breaking the bond in order to let go of a loved one and form new attachments. Klass suggested a successful process of grief through bereavement was one which created a ‘continuing bond, compatible with other, new and continuing relationships’ (Klass 1996, In Machin. P44. 2011).

Any death is a traumatic event, a major loss that affects every member of the family as well as society (Leming & Dickinson 2011). Coping with loss it’s very important because it allows individuals to express their emotions and to heal their psychological pain. Grievance s a process that helps people deal with loss. Grief is a very powerful emotion that is regularly triggered or encouraged by death (Leming & Dickinson 2011). This process is complex and requires effort and energy from the griever. Coping with any kind of loss takes time and can be challenging. Takes time for someone to assimilated and accept that the other person isn’t there anymore.

In each person's life much of the joy and sorrow revolves around attachments or affectionate relationships -- making them, breaking them, preparing for them, and adjusting to their loss by death. Among all of these bonds as a special bond -- the type a mother or father forms with his or her newborn infant. Bonding does not refer to mutual affection between a baby and an adult, but to the phenomenon whereby adults become committed by a one-way flow of concern and affection to children for whom they have cared during the first months and years of life. According to J. Robertson in his book, A Baby in the Family Loving and being Loved, individuals may have from three hundred to four hundred acquaintances in there lifetimes, but at any one