ABSTRACT
Bereavement refers to the loss, through death, of someone to whom we were very close emotionally (‘attached’) or who, in some other way, played an important part in our lives (‘loved one’ or ‘significant other’). Grief refers to the way we respond to bereavement. If the new social status is a more negative one, then the new identity will also be more negative. This is just one example of how bereavement is a social phenomenon: it always, inevitably, takes place within a particular social context. If grief represents the individual’s attempt to come to terms with his/her bereavement, then this is likely to be influenced by widely-shared beliefs and expectations regarding its expression and its duration. Another important demonstration of the impact of social norms on individuals’ response to bereavement comes in the form of disenfranchised grief. At the heart of bereavement support and counselling is the assumption that clients need to acknowledge and express their grief.
