Over the years various theories of grief have been developed, for example, Elisabeth Kubler-Ross (1969) wrote of ‘Stages of Grief’ and William Worden (1984) described ‘Tasks of Mourning’ . These and other theories outlined the many emotions bereaved people experience and the journey they were expected to take to recovery. Modern theorists recognise the complexity of the grieving process where people move backwards and forwards between loss and restoration as they seek to reconstruct their relationship with the one they have lost. They describe a continuing bond that never disappears from the bereaved person’s future life.
See also: Understanding Grief and Supporting Bereaved People
Futher reading:
Klass, D., Silverman, P. & Nickman, S. (eds) (1996) Continuing Bonds
Murray Parkes, C. (2001) Bereavement: Studies of Grief in Adult Life
Neimeyer, R.A. (ed) (2001) Meaning Reconstruction and the Experience of Loss
Stroebe, M. S., & Schut, H. (1999). The Dual Process Model of coping with bereavement:
Rationale and description. Death Studies, 23, 197-224.