Making room for grief: walking backwards and living forward.
In this paper, the authors describe an aspect of a program of research around grief and clinical practice. The first phase of the study involves examination of experiences of grief with attention to troublesome or problematic beliefs that fuel the extent of suffering in the bereaved. The data, obtained from a review of videotaped clinical interviews with families seen in the Family Nursing Unit at the University of Calgary, were analyzed according to philosophical hermeneutic tradition. Findings suggest that grief is an experience that is ongoing, that changes in nature over time, but that involves a continuing relationship with the deceased; it is a graceful, periodic, deliberate walk backwards while keeping a sure foot in living forward.
Moules
Nancy J
NJ
Faculty of Nursing, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. njmoules@ucalgary.ca
Simonson
Kari
K
Prins
Mark
M
Angus
Paula
P
Bell
Janice M
JM
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000416:Alberta; D001293:Attitude to Death; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003674:Defense Mechanisms; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006117:Grief; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D024802:Nurse's Role; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D012648:Self Care / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013561:Symbolism; D013997:Time Factors; D014743:Videotape Recording