ABSTRACT
The simple but subtle technique is especially relevant for people who are seeking to identify and validate a range of primary and secondary losses related to the death of a significant person, as well as more ambiguous losses that commonly go unrecognized. “What have you lost?” is a straightforward but surprisingly powerful technique that enhances participants’ awareness of their losses and, with this, their needs. It proceeds by fostering reflection upon and sharing loss experiences with an attentive and empathic partner, whether this is the therapist or another member of a group, as in the context of bereavement support. In group applications, participants frequently benefit from a brief modeling of the exercise with a volunteer, to convey both the brevity of the desired response (as opposed to a long discussion in each round of questioning).
