Affiliation:
1. Wake Forest University Winston‐Salem North Carolina USA
2. Bowling Green State University Bowling Green Ohio USA
3. The University of Texas at San Antonio San Antonio Texas USA
4. Northern Arizona University Flagstaff Arizona USA
Abstract
AbstractIn this article, we examine prolonged grief through an existential theoretical lens. In particular, we critically compare criteria for prolonged grief disorder with existential theoretical principles, including existential phenomenology, existential relatedness, and existential givens of human existence: death anxiety, existential freedom, existential isolation, and existential meaning/meaninglessness. We explore how existential perspectives and principles provide a clinically useful explanation for the presence and etiology of many of the symptoms of prolonged grief. We also describe counseling implications for treating prolonged grief phenomenologically, relationally, and through the lens of the four existential givens.