Using Kollar's Solution-Focused Pastoral Counseling for Bereaved Clients: The Process of Empowerment from Clients' Perception

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate how bereaved clients recovered from grief and loss after receiving Kollar's solution-focused pastoral counseling (KSFPC) from a perspective of empowerment. Ten Taiwanese Christian clients (3 men, 7 women; M age =42.5 yr., SD = 8.5), who had experienced a significant loss of a loved one within the past two years, were recruited from churches in northern Taiwan, forming a convenience sample. The clients, based on their time availability, were randomly assigned to one of the two pastoral counselors and had four KSFPC sessions. The grounded theory procedure was adopted for qualitative data analysis. Four prominent categories emerged from the open-ended questions, in-depth interviews, and interactive counseling notes, including First Encounter with Solution-focused Pastoral Counseling (SFPC), Transitional Life Re-Decision-Making Process, Reflections and Changes, and New Participatory Competencies, within which 12 axial categories and 42 meaning units were identified. The results support the use of KSFPC to empower clients' competence in recovery from grief and loss. Implications for future research and KSFPC practice are suggested.