Major loss, especially of key attachment figures in our lives, can shatter a world of meaning anchored in that relationship, and leave survivors struggling to make sense of the loss and their lives in its aftermath. When such losses occur violently and traumatically, they can further undermine core constructs of predictability, benevolence, and control, greatly complicating, intensifying and prolonging the emotional anguish into which we are thrown by our bereavement. Over the last 15 years, a great deal of research has confirmed these propositions and suggested that the reconstruction of a world of meaning that has been challenged by loss should be a central goal in grief therapy.
But exactly how does this process unfold in the concrete clinical context of real clients suffering real losses? This Case Study module addresses this question by presenting video recordings of Neimeyer’s therapy with a father bereaved by the drowning of his young adult daughter, as they carefully negotiate conditions of safety in revisiting and retelling the story of a horrific loss, integrating its painful meanings and images. Learners participate in a close process analysis of the session to reveal the therapist’s moment-to-moment reading of the client’s need and readiness to engage in specific meaning reconstruction tasks, and to identify features of the therapy that promote reprocessing without re-traumatization. As a result, learners will emerge with a deeper understanding of the nuances of restorative retelling of tragic death, and how these can be orchestrated collaboratively with a client in actual practice.
