...Running head: GRIEF, LOSS AND FINDING MEANING AND PURPOSE Grief, Loss and Finding Meaning and Purpose Darren Pedro Grand Canyon University Psychology for Everyday Life PSY-100 Amanda Laster-Loftus May 21, 2014 Grief, Loss and Finding Meaning and Purpose While dealing with death is never an easy process, knowing how to handle the grieving process could prove to be beneficial to you and those around you. How we deal with our loss will play our in various emotions. In this paper we will take a look at the emotion a person goes through when dealing with death, how a person deals with death in their own way, and finding the meaning and purpose of dealing with grief. Death is never an easy subject to approach. When a person loses a loved one, various emotions come into factor. These emotions trigger feelings which otherwise would not be compromised under normal circumstances. However, the various emotions that a person deals with assist them in the mourning process. There are different stages of emotions a person deals with after having lost a loved one. It is perfectly normal to have experience these emotions and should go through each stage of these emotions. It is believed the common stages of coping with death are as follow: shock and disbelief, sadness, guilt, anger, fear and physical symptoms (Smith & Segal, 2014, p. 1). According to the article done by M. Smith and J. Segal; these emotions are onset early stages in the grieving process. They also stated it...
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...to Cope with Grief and Loss Grief and loss are inevitable experiences that affect the older adult. Grief is defined as “the emotional response to a loss or death” (Yancey & Hunter, 2014, p. 449). As adults age their friends gradually die, they may outlive older generations of their family, health may deteriorate, and abilities and independence may diminish. The loss of loved ones, health, and independence, among many other losses, can give rise to grief in the older adult. Grief is a natural response to loss. While some can adjust to the conditions of loss in others it can intensify to the point where the individual is unable to cope with the loss (Gibson, 2012). The inability to cope with grief can yield undesirable effects such as: depression, anxiety, insomnia, increased use of alcohol or drugs, and decreased social interaction (Potocky, 1993). This is why it is necessary for the nurse to facilitate the grieving process. Jean Watson’s theory contains relevant concepts that nurses can incorporate into their care of the older adult experiencing grief. Nurses can fulfill their role in facilitating the grief process through the application of therapeutic communication techniques in the appraisal of grief, by preventing isolation through social support, and promoting hope as a coping strategy. The use of therapeutic communication techniques will aid the nurse in making a valid appraisal of the patient’s grief. This involves assessing the value of the patients loss; in other words...
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...Dee Adams October 5, 2014 PSY-100 Grief, Loss and Finding Meaning and Purpose According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, the term “grief” is defined as: a deep sadness caused especially by someone’s death; trouble or annoyance. In today’s culture and society, when we hear this term, it is often associated with the passing of a loved one. Though a very familiar terminology in culture and society, it is sometimes known but rarely understood. When it comes to the loss of a loved one or someone special in a person’s life, how one deals with and recovers from that is called the bereavement process. The approach to death and grief can be widely vast in the way a person reacts or expresses their grief during their rough time. Both grief and bereavement encompass a range of feelings from deep sadness to anger, and the process of adapting to a significant loss can vary dramatically from one person to another, depending on his or her background, beliefs, relationships to what was lost, and other factors. Grief is associated with feelings of sadness, guilt, regret, anger and so many others. The thought process during the grief process can also be challenging and difficult and can also range in its expression. Thoughts can vary from “there’s nothing I can do about it” to “it’s all my fault.” Grieving behaviors can shift from crying to laughter, and from sharing feelings to engaging silently in acts such as writing or exercising. One of the biggest issues associated with coping with...
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...Anjana Khadka Student ID No: S00133749 Discuss how developmental factors are important in the way a 5 year old child conceptualizes and responds to loss. Introduction Almost every person in the world, at one time or another, experiences events that can be considered major losses (Harvey and Weber 1998). Loss weather personal, material, or symbolic will affect us all, children too can face different levels and types of losses (Hooyman and Kramer, 2006; Viorist, 1986) cited in The Person Health and Wellbeing,(1st ed.,pp.211). There is a misconception in our society that children cannot understand or have little knowledge about death. But children of various ages and stages understand death and loss in different ways. (TRAUMA AND LOSS: Research and Interventions, Volume 3, Number 1, 2003) Jean Piaget cognitive stages of development in children are proved to be very important in children’s understanding of death, dying and grief. Childhood grief and development factors are interrelated: the age and stage of development of a child at the time of his or her parent’s death will strongly influence the ways in which the child reacts and adapts to the loss.( Garber, 1988, p. 272) The Death of a Parent: Healing Children’s Grief September( 3rd, 2009);Beth Patterson, MA, LP) A child Understanding of Death A child understanding of death occurs in the age 5-7, when according to Piaget’s theory child progress through preoperational stage of development to concrete-operational stage. (Kenyon...
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...answer my preliminary question “How to deal with loss and grief in the workplace?” There are several articles and stories that have been addressed in this paper that deals with loss and grief in the workplace. This literature review explores what grief is, its processes, the different impacts loss and grief have on the workplace, and the various ways to cope up with the grieving process – from the bereaved, co-workers, and employer’s perspective. Introduction People can experience personal and professional losses from many different sources. Losses can result from a death or any significant life-changing event such as job loss, relationship loss, loss of home, the diagnosis of a life-threatening disease and other more private losses like experiencing a miscarriage (Dr. Kristi Dyer, 2009). Understandably, grief, the response to these losses, can and most often does follow employees and employers alike into the workplace, affecting people's work performance on several different levels (Dr. Kristi Dyer, 2009). What is Grief and it’s Process? Grief is a natural painful response to loss. It’s the emotional suffering an individual feels when something or someone he loves is taken away. Like all other emotions it can be unpredictable and usually incorporates sadness, fear, and guilt after any particular loss. If someone associates grief with the death of a loved one, this type of loss often causes the most intense grief that incorporates unbearable pain to the bereaved...
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...In the following essay, I will be reflecting and evaluating a practice session on grief and loss counselling with the client, Gaye, who presented with concerns that have recently surfaced in her current relationship that are as a result of the loss of her previous marriage, with her “marriage dream” now broken. I will provide a brief summary of the session, which will then be followed with verbatim examples to identify and evaluate the effectiveness of the skills utilised supportive of the clients’ decisions she deems necessary to gain confidence in her beliefs and decisions. By displaying effective use of micro-skills including, but not limited to, listening skills and attending behaviour, and also foundation skills for grief and loss counselling,...
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...restructuring and downsizing. It focused on middle level managers and employees in supervisory positions because survivors of this group are often called upon to assume expanded roles, functions and responsibilities in a post restructuring and downsizing environment. This paper also explores the impact of recession for those still in employment by looking at a key indicator of employee wellbeing, work pressure staff reductions and company reorganization both increase work pressure, as does current job insecurity. Other job changes, like large pay cuts, increases in responsibility, autonomy and monitoring also increase work pressure. Keywords: Recession, downsizing, layoffs, economic downturns, organizational behavior, commitment, motivation, loss and grief, leaders, employees, stakeholders. 2 INTRODUCTION The great recession of 2007 started on the month of December. National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), the prestigious private research institute declared it officially. The government of US acknowledged the NBER's declaration, aware of the downfall since August 2007; the White House did not change its course on coping with the financial crisis. This was the third longest since The Great Depression. The Great recession in the US damaged greatly in 2007 since the 1930s. At least 8 million jobs were lost $10 trillion dollars of wealth lost in US Closure of hundreds of banks According to RealityTrac. Inc., the Great Recession caused 2.5 million homes to be foreclosed on...
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...Research Review: Working Through Grief and Loss Research Review: Working Through Grief and Loss: Oncology Nurses Perspectives on Professional Bereavement By: Lara Grinceri, RN Grand Canyon University Background The purpose of this article is to look at the role of Professional Oncology Nurse, their obstacles to care, in terms of grief and loss, and determine possible supportive interventions. [ (Jennifer Wenzel, 2011) ] As the oncology patient population continues to grow, so does the demand for experienced, expertly trained oncology nurses. The role of the oncology nurse is challenged by many outside forces, such as increased workloads, heightened patient acuity and complexity, and repeated contacts with suffering patients and caregivers. [ (Jennifer Wenzel, 2011) ]. Due to the nature of their role, these specialized nurses are a limited resource, and due to the high emotional complexity of their patients, can result in a higher than normal turnover rate. This is often in the form of burn-out or compassion fatigue from the constant interactions with death or dying situations. It is critical for nursing to recognize and identify the emotional, as well as physical, barriers to care, and intervene before burnout or compassion fatigue is able to occur. This study looks at the collaboration of a mid-Atlantic University NCI (National Cancer Institute) teaching hospital and affiliated school of nursing , to research their oncology nursing population, and create a...
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...combination of physical, psychological, social, cultural, and spiritual factors. Culture, identity and personal beliefs all have a profound impact on an individual’s choices in the context of dying process. Ethnicity, cultural differences, religion, personal beliefs, individual preferences and choices etc can all affect care needs and social practice at the end of life. People’s experiences of illness and death, as well as beliefs about the appropriate role of healers, are profoundly influenced by patient’s cultural background. This assignment will provide a brief discussion of the beliefs, customs and rituals associated with death, dying and the grieving process in the Jewish culture and discuss the associated theoretical principles of a grief and loss theorist named J. W. Worden. Also while discussing the challenges in applying this theory to the Jewish culture, in an acute care setting. Jewish cultural beliefs have developed a traditional system of mourning concerning death and burial. The Jewish community views deaths as an ending of life, rather than as a beginning of another. Jewish funeral and mourning rituals are centered around respect for the dead. The body is buried within 24-48 hours, so the soul can be returned to God and the body is never left alone until burial (Smith-Gabai & Ludwig, 2011). The body is not cremated, but left to decay in a natural process to return it to God in the best condition possible. Traditional Jewish funeral and burial rituals stem from...
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...The article from Kellie Goldsworthy on grief and loss has better explain to me the grieving process and loss. Since I am currently in the short-term unit, I do not witness as much deaths as I did in the long-term unit. However, currently there is a resident who recently was placed on hospice on my unit. This resident has been refusing eating, becoming very weak, and is not talking as much now. The resident is always laying on her bed. The daughter has taken her vacation time off from work in order to be there for her mother. Since I have been seeing the daughter there every day, I have noticed how much this is affecting her. At first she did not want to accept the fact that her mother is in her last stage of life. The daughter use to ask to...
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...Grief Counseling, Counselor Competence, and a Christian Perspective Liberty University Abstract Grief is a common universal experience that everyone is faced with at some point in their lives. In today’s society, more people are turning to professional grief counselors for help dealing with his or her loss through acceptance in order to move forward in their lives. Different types of grief are discussed, as well as different strategies, interventions, and techniques used depending of the level of distress. Everyone handles grief differently and grieves in different ways for different lengths of time, requiring different counseling interventions. Grief counseling classes or training is not currently a part of curriculum guidelines, leaving the question “Are grief counselors competent to counsel grieving individuals?” This question is answered, and the benefit of trained grief counselors is explored. In a culturally diverse world, counselor consideration of culture is equally important in grief counseling. The paper ends with a Biblical and Christian Counselor perspective on grief counseling theories and practices. Grief Counseling, Counselor Competence, and a Christian Perspective Grief occurs in response to a loss including death, separation from a loved one, losing a job, kids leaving home, divorce, or a move. It is a natural response to death or loss. Ober, Granello, and Wheaton (2012) define grief as, “the emotion generated by an experience of...
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...Coping with the loss of someone or something you love is one of life’s biggest challenges. Often, the pain of loss can feel overwhelming. You may experience all kinds of difficult and unexpected emotions, from shock or anger to disbelief, guilt, and profound sadness. The pain of grief can also disrupt your physical health, making it difficult to sleep, eat, or even think straight. These are normal reactions to significant loss. But while there is no right or wrong way to grieve, there are healthy ways to cope with the pain that, in time, can ease your sadness and help you come to terms with your loss, find new meaning, and move on with your life. What you can do Acknowledge your pain Accept that grief can trigger many different and unexpected...
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...Understanding Grief: Exploring Types, Responses, and Coping Mechanisms Justin Miller College of Social Sciences, Grand Canyon University PSY-358: Adult Development and Aging Darlene Kwett 04/28/2024 Introduction Grief, an intricate and deeply personal experience, is an emotional response triggered by significant loss. It transcends mere sorrow, encompassing a wide spectrum of emotions such as sadness, anger, guilt, and despair. Beyond the emotional realm, grief often manifests in physical symptoms, disrupting daily life with fatigue, loss of appetite, and sleep disturbances. Importantly, grief is not confined to the death of a loved one, but extends to other profound losses, including the dissolution of relationships, job loss, or declining...
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...Dying and Death—Extreme Grief Reactions to loss of a love one cannot be defined by a one size fits all statement, even though it is a common experience shared by man. Grief is in fact a process. One of the most widely accepted models of the grieving process is the concept of the five stages of grief that includes: (Bonanno, 2009) 1. “Denial and Isolation: first, we tend to deny the loss, and may withdraw from usual social contacts. 2. Anger: The grieving person may become furious at the person who inflicted the hurt (even if she's dead), or the world, for letting it happen. They may be angry with themselves for letting the event take place, even if, realistically, nothing could have stopped it. 3. Bargaining: the grieving person may make bargains with God, asking, "If I do this, will you take away the loss?" 4. Depression: The person feels numb, although anger and sadness may remain underneath. 5. Acceptance: This is when the anger, sadness and mourning have tapered off. The person simply accepts the reality of the loss” (Kubler-Ross, E.2005) These stages have no set pattern or pace of occurrence and cannot be forced upon the griever. The griever may go one step forward then take two steps backward. Should a person remain stuck in one stage or the other, the process of grieving cannot be complete resulting in what has been coined by the Mayo Clinic as extreme or abnormal grief. In abnormal or extreme grief healing is not achieved. This essay will provide...
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...CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION Grief was not a subject of scholarly attention until recently. Although assumed to be experienced since the beginnings of human attachments and separations, Freud, the father of psychoanalysis, was the first one to make a thorough study of grief and loss. His early paper “Mourning and Melancholia”, published in 1917, is regarded as a classic text on bereavement (Mallon, 2008). He contributed the idea that grief is not “pathological” and that grief occurs not only for the loss of a loved one but also for things, values, and statuses (Walter & McCoyd, 2009). Since then, the study of grief had been popularized. More experts have specialized in the field and more publications regarding death and grief were released. Kübler-Ross, Doka, Bowlby, and Worden are just few names who had pioneered the study of grief and other related studies. And in fact, a new field of science had been found which includes the study of grief; that is thanatology. Indeed, the study of grief was granted what academic interest it had been lacking before. The sudden spurt of studies in this field has certainly increased people’s understanding of grief in certain aspects. But it is ironic that despite being a subject of thorough research, the experience of grief remains more or less a vague occurrence which people has to go through at some point in their lives. Attempts had been made in defining grief but the definitions given by different theorists still vary to...
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