Continuing Bonds: New Understandings of GriefDennis Klass, Phyllis R. Silverman, Steven Nickman First published in 1996. This new book gives voice to an emerging consensus among bereavement scholars that our understanding of the grief process needs to be expanded. The dominant 20th century model holds that the function of grief and mourning is to cut bonds with the deceased, thereby freeing the survivor to reinvest in new relationships in the present. Pathological grief has been defined in terms of holding on to the deceased. Close examination reveals that this model is based more on the cultural values of modernity than on any substantial data of what people actually do. Presenting data from several populations, 22 authors - among the most respected in their fields - demonstrate that the health resolution of grief enables one to maintain a continuing bond with the deceased. Despite cultural disapproval and lack of validation by professionals, survivors find places for the dead in their on-going lives and even in their communities. Such bonds are not denial: the deceased can provide resources for enriched functioning in the present. Chapters examine widows and widowers, bereaved children, parents and siblings, and a population previously excluded from bereavement research: adoptees and their birth parents. Bereavement in Japanese culture is also discussed, as are meanings and implications of this new model of grief. Opening new areas of research and scholarly dialogue, this work provides the basis for significant developments in clinical practice in the field. |
Other editions - View all
Continuing Bonds: New Understandings of Grief Dennis Klass,Phyllis R. Silverman,Steven L. Nickman Limited preview - 1996 |
Continuing Bonds: New Understandings of Grief Dennis Klass,Phyllis R. Silverman,Steven L. Nickman Limited preview - 1996 |
Continuing Bonds: New Understandings of Grief Dennis Klass,Phyllis R. Silverman,Steven Nickman Limited preview - 2014 |
Common terms and phrases
able active adolescent adopted adult affect American asked associated attachment become behavior believe bereaved birth birth mother bond chapter child connection construction continuing cultural dead death deceased described died emotional example experience experienced expressed fantasy father feel felt friends function give grief grieving husband idea important indicate individual inner representation interaction internal interview involved Journal less living look loss lost maintain marriage meaning memories mother mourning nature never object ongoing pain parents Parkes past person positive present Press psychological question reality relationship remember reported resolution responses role seemed sense shared sibling significant Silverman social spirit spouse Stroebe subjects suggest talk theory things thought tion told understanding University widows women York