Techniques of Grief Therapy: Creative Practices for Counseling the Bereaved

✍ Scribed by Robert A. Neimeyer (editor)

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2012
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 409
• Series: Series in Death, Dying, and Bereavement
• Edition: 1
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

Techniques of Grief Therapy is an indispensable guidebook to the most inventive and inspirational interventions in grief and bereavement counseling and therapy. Individually, each technique emphasizes creativity and practicality. As a whole, they capture the richness of practices in the field and the innovative approaches that clinicians in diverse settings have developed, in some cases over decades, to effectively address the needs of the bereaved. New professionals and seasoned clinicians will find dozens of ideas that are ready to implement and are packed with useful features, including:

• Careful discussion of the therapeutic relationship that provides a "container" for specific procedures
• An intuitive, thematic organization that makes it easy to find the right technique for a particular situation
• Detailed explanations of when to use (and when not to use) particular techniques
• Expert guidance on implementing each technique and tips on avoiding common pitfalls
• Sample worksheets and activities for use in session and as homework assignments
• Illustrative case studies and transcripts
• Recommended readings to learn more about theory, research and practice associated with each technique

✦ Table of Contents

Cover
Techniques of Grief Therapy Creative Practices for Counseling the Bereaved
Copyright
Contents
List of Figures and Tables
Prologue
Acknowledgments
Part I : Framing the Work
1. Presence, Process, and Procedure: A Relational Frame for Technical Profi ciency in Grief Therapy
2. The Empathic Spirit in Grief Therapy
3. Selah: A Mindfulness Guide through Grief
4. Tracking through Bereavement: A Framework for Intervention
Part II : Modulating Emotion
5. Grief Monitoring Diary
6. Mapping the Terrain of Loss: Grief and Not Grief
7. Experiencing the Pain of Grief
8. Psychotropic Medication for Grieving Adults
9. Mindfulness Training
10. Multiple Losses and the Circle of Signifi cance
11. Reconstructing Nightmares
12. Visualization for Anticipatory Grief
13. Intuitive Humor
Part III : Working with the Body
14. Analogical Listening
15. Clapping Qigong
16. Hands in the Sand
17. Moving and Breathing Through Grief
18. Body Imagery for Sustaining Connections
19. Written on the Body
20. The Body of Trust
Part IV : Transforming Trauma
21. Complicated Grief and Trauma: What to Treat First?
22. Retelling the Narrative of the Death
23. Invoking an Alliance with the Deceased after Violent Death
24. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
25. Making Meaning of Flashbacks
26. Trauma Dialogues
27. Treating Traumatic Bereavement in Conflicted and Inter-Generational Families
Part V : Changing Behavior
28. Behavioral Activation
29. Working with Difficult Times
30. Assertiveness Training
31. A Finding Balance Writing Intervention
Part VI : Restructuring Cognition
32. Changing Catastrophic Misinterpretations with Behavioral Experiments
33. The ABC of Rational Response to Loss
34. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
35. Rational Emotive Body Imagery (REBI)
36. Schema Therapy for the Lost Relationship
37. Cognitive Restructuring for Childhood Prolonged Grief
Part VII : Encountering Resistance
38. “Is It Okay for You to Be Okay?”
39. Overt Statements for Deep Work in Grief Therapy
40. Controlled Avoidance in the Management of Grief
Part VIII : Finding Meaning
41. Finding Meaning through the Attitude One Takes
42. Directed Journaling to Facilitate Meaning-Making
43. Using the Loss Characterization with Bereaved Parents
44. Metaphorical Reframing
45. Spiritual Devotionals
Part IX : Rewriting Life Narratives
46. Life Review
47. Loss Timelines
48. Virtual Dream Stories
49. Find Your Voice: Creating Healing Dialogues
50. Documenting Children’s Life Stories
51. The Story Mountain
Part X : Integrating the Arts
52. Intermodal Expressive Arts
53. Prescriptive Photomontage
54. Playing with Playlists
55. Figurative Sand Tray Therapy
56. What’s in a Name?
57. Secrets of the Heart
58. The Art Studio Process
Part XI : Consolidating Memories
59. Opening the Family Photo Album
60. The Commemorative Flag
61. En-Training Memoir Slices
62. Memory Work with Children
63. Memory Boxes
64. Natural Reminders
Part XII Renewing the Bond
65. Introducing the Deceased
66. Envisioning Connection through Guided Imagery
67. Correspondence with the Deceased
68. Guided Imaginal Conversations with the Deceased
69. Chair Work
70. The Life Imprint
71. Reaching through Sorrow to Legacy
72. “Moments Held” Documentary
Part XIII : Revising Goals
73. Goal Setting for Self-Care during the Grieving Process
74. Defi ning and Envisioning Self
75. Mind Map for Coping through the Holidays
76. Worden’s Paradigm in Wartime Bereavement
Part XIV : Accessing Resources
77. Poetry and Bibliotherapy
78. Bibliotherapy with Children
79. Grief and Loss Support on the Web
Part XV : Grieving with Others
80. Orchestrating Social Support
81. Addressing Therapeutic Ruptures in Bereavement Support Groups
82. Talking about Talking with Couples and Families
83. The Workplace Study Circle
84. The Kindness Project
85. All the Stars Above
86. Group Treatment of Anticipatory Grief in Senior Pseudo-Psychosis
Part XVI : Ritualizing Transition
87. Therapeutic Ritual
88. The “Barefoot Walkabout”
89. The Grief Spiral
90. Memory Boats
91. Supporting the “Lost Ritual” after a Suicide Death
Part XVII : Healing the Healer
92. Wisdom Circles for when Helping Hurts
93. Stand in These Shoes
94 Degriefing Caregiver Burden
Epilogue
Contributors
Index