ABSTRACT
Objective The goal of grief counseling and group activity is to guide the individual through four main
tasks that are generally seen as essential to resolving grief following any loss (Worden, 2002). Although still within the realm of normal adaptive behavior, grief represents a marked change in one’s state of mental and physical health in that the individual may experience a depressed mood, a heightened sense of anxiety, or other variations in normative functioning. The activities outlined here pertain to four essential tasks of grieving:
• Accepting the reality of the loss • Dealing with deep thoughts and feelings about the loss • Adjusting to living without the lost one • Saying good-bye and reinvesting in life
ACCEPTING THE REALITY OF THE LOSS
Rationale for Use To fully understand loss, we must first understand the concept of psychological attachment,
the condition that makes loss possible. A theoretical viewpoint that informs the use of an intense discussion and opportunity to ventilate feelings surrounding bereavement is known as attachment theory, developed by British psychologist John Bowlby (1977). Bowlby proposes the theory that attachment arises from such basic needs as safety and security. The formation of attachment occurs early in life and is considered normative behavior basic to survival. In the study of attachment, Bowlby concluded that any separation or loss (of a desired person, object, event, or situation) results in automatic, instinctive, cognitive, and behavioral adaptation.
