Art Therapy for Complicated Grief: A Focus on Meaning-Making Approaches

Abstract

:Grief responses vary as a function of individual differences. Some bereaved individuals are resilient, whereas others suffer from intense, long-suffering grief, numbness, and emptiness, called “complicated grief.” A best practice approach to treating clients suffering from bereavement takes these individual grief responses into consideration. This paper provides a review and commentary on perspectives and treatment approaches for complicated grief. The traditional “grief work” approach is critiqued from a perspective informed by research on individual differences in grief responses to bereavement. Current treatment approaches for complicated grief are discussed, including the place of art therapy within these approaches. A focus on meaning-making approaches is taken with suggestions for adapting narrative-based practices to include art therapy.