Grief Group Formation

Forming a Grief Group

Abstract
Grief counseling in groups has proved to be an effective and successful procedure in assisting the transition of bereaved individuals to normal life due to reasons such as the provision of emotional assistance and the establishment of a network of support that constitutes of participants who have gone through similar experiences. Nonetheless, participation in grief groups does not guarantee successful recovery from grief unless the group has been initiated after conducting extensive research and background planning. This research paper explores the phases and stages of planning, screening and decision making that precede the formation of grief groups. Dedicated sections of the paper focus on assessing aspects…show more content…
Therefore, the foremost question that must be answered at the initial stage relates to the purpose of the formation of the grief group and what objectives it aims to achieve and serve upon its establishment.
Worden (2009) outlines the key purposes of grief groups as: provision of emotional support, educational and academic purposes and interactive or social purposes. George et al. (2009) add that with regards to the grief groups that are established for serving the spouses of soldiers who have died in combat, the counseling process essentially serves a core purpose that is focused towards a specific group of individuals. Similarly, the core purpose of grief groups that are developed within the school to assist the recovery of children who have dealt with the death of a parent is to assist their transition to a healthy and normal life (Eppler…show more content…
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