Grief and the Family Grief and the Family SystemSystem

Family StructureFamily Structure

Nuclear FamilyNuclear Family Remarried FamilyRemarried Family Extended FamilyExtended Family Unmarried Partners (Domestic Unmarried Partners (Domestic

Partner)Partner)

Family GovernanceFamily Governance

PatriarchalPatriarchal MatriarchalMatriarchal EgalitarianEgalitarian

Family RolesFamily Roles

Family creates roles for its individuals.Family creates roles for its individuals. Death results in a reorganization of Death results in a reorganization of

family roles.family roles. Instrumental level: task-oriented Instrumental level: task-oriented

functionsfunctions Emotional level: peacekeeper, Emotional level: peacekeeper,

nurturer etc.nurturer etc.

Family StructureFamily Structure

OpenOpen

ClosedClosed

RandomRandom

Additional Criteria of the Additional Criteria of the Family NetworkFamily Network

Family cohesionFamily cohesion

FlexibilityFlexibility

CommunicationCommunication

Religious Beliefs and Religious Beliefs and PracticesPractices

Family ResourcesFamily Resources

Family Life Cycle and Loss Family Life Cycle and Loss ExperienceExperience

Death as a Family CrisisDeath as a Family Crisis

2 major tasks that promote 2 major tasks that promote adaptation:adaptation: Shared acknowledgment of the reality of Shared acknowledgment of the reality of

death and the experience of loss.death and the experience of loss. Reorganizing and reinvesting in other Reorganizing and reinvesting in other

relationships and life pursuits.relationships and life pursuits.

Factors Influencing Factors Influencing AdaptationAdaptation

Terminal illness.Terminal illness. Sudden, accidental or violent death.Sudden, accidental or violent death. Unspeakable death.Unspeakable death. Minimized or unacknowledged loss.Minimized or unacknowledged loss.

Potential Conflicts for Family Potential Conflicts for Family MembersMembers

Before Death:Before Death:

At Time of Death:At Time of Death:

After the Death:After the Death:

Healing Tasks for the Grieving Healing Tasks for the Grieving Family (Worden)Family (Worden)

Task I: Sharing Acknowledgment of Task I: Sharing Acknowledgment of Death or Other Traumatic LossDeath or Other Traumatic Loss Denial vs. Acceptance of RealityDenial vs. Acceptance of Reality Closed vs. Open Intrafamily Closed vs. Open Intrafamily

CommunicationCommunication Inactivity vs. ActivityInactivity vs. Activity Closed vs. Open Communication Beyond Closed vs. Open Communication Beyond

the Familythe Family

Task II: Sharing the Pain and Task II: Sharing the Pain and GriefGrief

StorytellingStorytelling

Conspiracy of SilenceConspiracy of Silence

Expressions of EmotionsExpressions of Emotions

Task III: Reorganizing the Task III: Reorganizing the Family SystemFamily System

Realignments and ReallocationsRealignments and Reallocations Evaluation of Ambiguous Limits and Evaluation of Ambiguous Limits and

RulesRules Adopting New Family Organization Adopting New Family Organization

StructuresStructures Starting a Subsequent PregnancyStarting a Subsequent Pregnancy Replacement ConcernsReplacement Concerns Traumatic LossesTraumatic Losses

Task IV: Creating New Task IV: Creating New Directions, Relationships, and Directions, Relationships, and

GoalsGoals Moving on in the face of loss.Moving on in the face of loss.

Creating new traditions.Creating new traditions.