Together in spirit: Keeping our relationships alive when loved ones die

Journal/Book: Death Stud. 1999; 23: 1900 Frost Road, Suite 101, Bristol, PA 19007-1598, USA. Hemisphere Publ Corp. 161-175.

Abstract: The premise of this article is that it can be adaptive to maintain bonds with loved ones who have died. The article describes 5 useful strategies for connecting with the deceased, which include recognizing the ways in which the deceased leave an imprint upon our lives, deriving a sense of meaning from the deceased's life, using objects that symbolically link us to persons who have died, identifying ceremonial opportunities for including the deceased in our lives, and reviewing the deceased's life story. Following discussion of these strategies, implications for counseling and outreach are briefly addressed. Finally, discussion focuses on how acknowledging our bonds with the deceased has the potential to aid us in confronting our own mortality.

Note: Article Vickio CJ, Bowling Green State Univ, Ctr Counseling, Saddlemire Student Serv 320, Bowling Green,OH 43403 USA

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