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Chapter 54: Bereavement

DOI:

10.1891/9780826124876.0054

Authors

  • Iglesias, Alex | 
  • Iglesias, Adam

Abstract

This chapter reviews the burgeoning body of information on prolonged grief disorder (PGD), a construct that has been heretofore titled complicated grief, traumatic grief, and pathological grief with subcategories including interrupted, delayed, and absence of grief. It also reviews the literature on the treatment of PGD with hypnosis and presents a case example of hypnosis-aided behavioral treatment in a case of spousal bereavement. Healthy adjustment to bereavement has been described by several theoretical models. These models share several features including focus on resilience and adaptation, premise that adaptation requires strategies in a multitude of situations, the importance of developing and operationalizing coping strategies, and the role that the sociocultural context plays in the adaptation process. Hypnotherapy is a valuable approach to treat bereavement. The chapter presents a hypnotic-mediated approach that emphasizes reconnecting and restoration aspects of PGD treatment.