ABSTRACT
What happens when grievers consistently choose adaptive strategies that do not fit or complement their style of grief? Is this tantamount to complicated mourning? In this chapter maladaptive responses to loss are identified as dissonant. In some cases, these reactions may become semipermanent ways of responding to loss and may sometimes serve as cornerstones for complicated mourning. This chapter begins by looking at the initial responses that may cloud the distinction between intuitive and instrumental grievers. Again, remember that patterns exist on a continuum, and those nearer the center are a blending of both styles.
