ABSTRACT

This chapter describes the role of the social worker in facilitating a proper goodbye. It also describes how a proper goodbye contributes to reducing emotional stress as well as the different types of techniques that can be used based on the loss experienced. The chapter addresses what is the function of saying goodbye in case of loss? It also addresses how does farewell stress arise in grieving individuals? The chapter explores how can the ritual method contribute to the reduction of farewell stress and enhance one's Quality of Life? Farewell stress arises when the grieving client did not get a chance to say goodbye or when the farewell was not favourable. A therapeutic farewell ritual is a specific action or series of actions with a symbolic meaning marking the transition to a new phase in life, accompanied by verbal and non-verbal techniques, and performed during grief counselling or grief therapy.