ABSTRACT
All through life we are faced with important losses and must cope with grief. It may be the young child's feared loss of the parent who he thinks may not return; the loss of cherished possessions, job, or life-style; the loss of a marriage through divorce; the separation of a child leaving home, particularly moving to a distant location; the death of a loved pet; the loss of important physical functions due to illness, accident, or aging; the death of a loved one; or one's own impending demise. Many unmarried people and elderly people may have non-romantic, long-term roommates whose demise is keenly felt and who are much missed. Most of these losses involve critical life-cycle transitions.
