The Therapeutic use of Ritual in Maladaptive Grieving

Abstract

This article presents a case for the designation of “ritual” as a psychotherapeutic technique for use in maladaptive grieving. Examples are given of the attitudes and utilization of ritual in psychoanalysis, strategic and existential psychotherapies, and pastoral and cross-cultural counseling. The authors suggest how, when, and why ritual can be used to assist individuals to move from a maladaptive to an adaptive style of grieving.