By: Katie Green, Jessica Nissen, and Mario NobleCRISIS OF LOSS

Can be anythingDeath

-Suicide-Child

Divorce Separation

WHAT IS LOSS?

Elisabeth Kübler-Ross1. Denial and Isolation

2. Anger3. Bargaining4. Depression5. Acceptance

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_Z3lmidmrY

5 STAGES OF DEATH AND DYING

Stages are just generalizations You do not have to go through each stage in order

to heal- You may not go through any stages There’s not a typical response to loss, as there is

no typical loss

5 STAGES CONT’D

Charles Darwin- separation reactions resulting from the loss of a loved one were innate

Sigmund Freud- defined mourning as a period of gradual withdrawal of libido from the now-missed

loved objectJohn Bowlby- proposed 4 phases of mourning 1) numbing, 2) yearning and searching for the lost

figure, 3) disorganization and despair, and 4) reorganization

OTHER THEORIES

Bereavement- A state involving lossGrief- The feelings of sorrow, anger, guilt, and

confusion that arise when one experiences a lossMourning- The overt expression of grief and the

usual response to bereavement

DEFINITIONS

J. William WordenTask I: Accepting the Reality of the LossTask II: Experiencing the Pain of Grief

Task III: Adjusting to an Environment from Which the Deceased is Missing

Task IV: Withdrawing Emotional Energy from the Deceased and Reinventing It in Another

Relationship or Cause

TASKS OF MOURNING

Feelings: sadness, anger, guilt, anxiety, loneliness, fatigue, helplessness, shock, yearning and pining, relief, from

suffering, and numbnessPhysical Sensations: hollowness in the stomach, tightness

in the chest and throat, sense of depersonalization, breathlessness, weakness in the muscles

Cognitions: disbelief, confusion, preoccupation, sense of presence, hallucinations

Behaviors: sleep and appetite disturbances, absent-minded behaviors, social withdrawal, dreams of the deceased, restless overactivity, sighing or crying, fear of losing

memories, treasuring objects

MANIFESTATIONS OF NORMAL GRIEF

Who the person was in relation to the survivorNature of the attachment

Mode of deathPrior grief experiences and mental health

Religious beliefs

DETERMINANTS OF GRIEF

Watch for symptoms that may require a physician Emotions prevent client from sleeping, working, eating or taking care of themselves, medication

may be necessaryAssist mourning process and help client work

through the normal expression of grief

INTERVENTION

1. Help survivors actualize the loss. Talk about the loss2. Help them identify and express feelings

3. Help survivors in living without the deceased4. Facilitate emotional withdrawal from the deceased

5. Provide time to grieve6. Educate clients about customary grieving reactions of

other individuals to normalize the experience7. Allow for individual differences8. Provide for continuing support

COUNSELING PRINCIPLES AND PROCEDURES

“Losing a child has a different meaning than losing a parent. When you lose a parent, you lose

your past, but when you lose a child, you lose your future.” – Nancy Ludt

Divorce rate of bereaved parents is 92% if the couple does not receive some form of help

Support groups can be very helpful

LOSING A CHILD

1. It is a place of safety where it’s all right to say anything2. Fulfills the need to be with understanding people; even if

members don’t attend, they know it’s available3. It is the child’s space

4. It helps understand the death emotionally versus intellectually5. Allows a hope for socialization in the future

6. Has no time frame7. Allows parents to laugh or cry and not hurt anyone’s feelings

8. Allows parents to express their thoughts with no need to explain them

9. Can save a parent’s life10. A place where I know that you know that I know that you know

10 REASONS WHY GRIEVING PARENTS PREFER A SUPPORT GROUP

About 50% of marriages end in divorceHow well the person copes with a break up will

depend on material, personal, and social resources

Crisis workers still need to help each partner complete the tasks of mourning

Help the client grieve

DIVORCE AND SEPARATION

Age at marriage who divorce in America

>20- women 27.6% men 11.7%20-24- women 36.6% men 38.8%25-29- women 16.4% men 22.3%30-34- women 8.5% men 11.6%35-39- women 5.1% men 6.5%

Marriage stats for divorceFirst Marriage- 45%-50%Second Marriage- 60%-67%Third Marriage- 70%-73%

DIVORCE STATS

• Massachusetts (2.4 per 1,000 pop) • Nevada (9.1 per 1,000 pop)• 10% US population• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F14UgmDRCd

A

DIVORCE STATS CONT.

About 26% of children under the age of 18 live with a divorced parent, separated parent, or stepparent

Though divorce is difficult for children, most adjust fairly well to the situation

A small minority of children will need mental health treatment though

50% of all North American children witness divorce1 out 10 children of divorce experience 3 or more parental

marriage breakups50% of all children born to married parents will experience

divorce of their parents before they are 18http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKKHVpu1ksI

CHILDREN AND DIVORCE

Blended family- joining of two previously separated familiesMany of the conflicts in blended families arise because of the

developmental stages of the children, the maturity level of each adult involved and the stage of grieving over the divorce each

adult is working throughLoyalty issues are common for children in cases where a

stepparent becomes part of their home life.1 out of 3 Americans is now a stepparent, stepchild, or some

other member of a blended familyMore than half of Americans today, are now or will eventually be

one or more step situations during their livesBy 2010 blended families are projected to be the predominant

family form in the US

BLENDED FAMILIES