Grief & Bereavement

Grief and bereavement are an active process of meaning reconstruction in the wake of loss. [1] It affects individuals’ daily functioning, values and beliefs, identity, social and interpersonal relationships, and spiritual, religious, or philosophical viewpoints. The process of grieving a loved one can connect to trauma, attachment, perceptions, and the constructivist components such as– making sense of the death, finding positives from the experience, and undergoing growth within identity.[2]

Grief symptoms connect to feelings of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress. Some individuals may present or build personal resilience in oscillating between different moods and ways of being.[3] Common experiences connecting to one’s grieving process include:

  • Missing and yearning for the deceased

  • Intrusive thoughts, memories, and images of the deceased

  • Emotional moments of sadness, crying, loneliness, and fear

  • Social withdrawal and isolation

  • Avoidance or numbness of emotions

  • Feelings of meaninglessness and hopelessness
     

Loss

Art therapy approaches can assist in processing various losses within one’s life. Loss can be characterized by physical, spiritual, emotional, behavioural, and social/environmental changes that transform their bond with themselves and others.[4] These losses can range from job loss, divorce, empty nest syndrome, loss of trust in environment and society due to traumatic events. Some individuals can experience losses in relation to chronic or terminal illnesses, mental illness, and mental health obstacles, which effect their overall quality of life.[5] Art therapy approaches can assist in safely exploring underlying feelings attributed and associated with personal losses.

Art Therapy for processing Grief & Loss

 

This art therapy practice provides individual, group, and family art therapy depending on the needs of individuals processing their loss. Focus of individual and group art therapy sessions are:

  • Processing grief, bereavement, and loss

  • Creating feelings of safety and security

  • Accepting the reality and permanence of loss

  • Establishing a new identity in relation to loss

  • Investing in new relationships and experiences[6]  

Art therapy assists in gradually moving toward change in one’s life. This revolves around building one’s connection to interpersonal relationships, openness to new possibilities, connecting to personal strength and sense of self, exploration of spiritual or philosophical reflections, and appreciation for life.[7] 

Art Therapy & Children/Youth Grief/Loss

Children and youth can use art therapy to express and process emotions while processing changes in their personal relationships, connections to everyday environment and surrounding events following their loss.[8] 

The main goals in children’s art therapy sessions include:

  • Developing an understanding to the meaning of death or loss

  • Accepting the reality and permanence of loss

  • Creating feelings of safety and security

  • Exploring identity in relation to loss

  • Developing coping strategies

  • Learning how to connect with new relationships and experiences

  • Building on age-specific developmental tasks[8]

  • Commemorating their connection and memory of loved ones  

Children can explore themes, idea, and curiosities surrounding their loss within a safe and supportive art making environment and therapeutic alliance.[9] This process of building on children’s creative expression to embrace and release emotions will lead to a healthy sense of resilience when going through tougher stages in their life.