ABSTRACT
In the monumental work which has become the authority on complicated mourning, Dr. Therese Rando provides the setting and assessment tools for affirming the practical reality of complicated mourning in the journeys of the bereaved. Rando identifies the losses that typically come wrapped in risk factors (natural, accidental, suicide, homicide), the seven high-risk variables for complicated mourning, the needs of those experiencing complications in their mourning for additional and intentional assistance and, quoting a study by Raphael from 1983, documents the severity of the problem. Workable and measurable definitions of spirituality, religion, spiritual and pastoral care provide assessment tools that bring readers closer to the stories and experiences of the bereaved, and offer recognizable dimensions of faith (as determined by the individual). To be involved in spiritual matters with the bereaved is also to flag dynamics that might appear abusive or unhealthy.
