Worden, William. (1991). Grief Counseling and Grief Therapy: A Handbook for rhe Mental Health Practitioner. New York: Springer Publishing.
| Tasks of Mourning | Signs of an Incomplete Task |
|---|---|
| To Accept the Reality of the Loss | Not believing |
| To Experience the Pain of Grief | Not feeling |
| To Adjust to an Environment in Which the Deceased is Missing [Willing to Do It Differently] | Not adapting |
| To Ernotionally Relocate the Deceased and Move on with Life [Meaningfulness] | Not loving |
- We are never “over” a significant loss.
- We learn to live with the vacancy and create a new meaningfulness.
“At first I was preoccupied with how he died.
Then for a long time I focused on that he died.
Now I’m remembering more vividly that lie lived.”
– A bereaved mother 8 years after her son died
Used by permission - American Academy of Bereavement
