ABSTRACT
Grief can be defined simply as the normal and natural reaction to loss. However, the use of the word “normal” implies that there is a defined expectation of what normal grief should look like, and that is far from true. Although grief is a universal experience that is shared by all human beings, the actual grief response in each individual is very unique, and the expression of grief can vary greatly from one person to another. This chapter defines grief through the concept of the assumptive world, which can be profoundly altered by significant loss experiences. Grief is defined as the process that is triggered by the shattered assumptive world. The grieving process is viewed as an adaptive response that enables the rebuilding of one’s assumptive world.
