Artful Witnessing of the Story: Loss in Aging Adults

Abstract

The authors examine concepts of ego integrity review, and narrative reconstruction as cornerstones of theory that inform counseling practice with aging adults. Contemporary theories of grief reconciliation are proposed as useful models for understanding and creatively addressing needs of adults who are 60 years and older. ********** Erik Erikson (1963) offered a widely accepted conceptualization of psychosocial approach to development across span. Within this schema, Erikson outlined issue of ego integrity as central developmental task of maturing adult. He described this as evaluation of one's contribution as worthy (Erikson, 1963; Levinson, 1978). The literature on contemporary grief research similarly presents adults' need to review in hopes of making peace with their story. Robert Butler, a pioneer in gerontology, is founding director of National Institute on Aging and originator of concept review. Butler (2002) stated, the strength of review lies in its ability to help promote satisfaction, psychological well-being, and self-esteem (p. 6). In addition, contemporary models of mourning discussed process of narrative reconstruction, story-making and storytelling process of restoring meaning after loss (Neimeyer, 2001). The purpose of this article is threefold. First, in this article, we synthesize three concepts of ego integrity, review, and narrative reconstruction to expand theoretical models and counseling practices with aging adults. Second, we suggest that grief reconciliation is a beneficial lens through which an understanding of work inherent in reviewing as integrity can be viewed. Third, we discuss narrative reconstruction methodologies as creative interventions for affecting developmental needs of adults 60 years of age or older when crisis of integrity versus despair initially emerges at forefront. INTEGRITY, REVIEW, AND RECONSTRUCTION Synthesizing concepts of ego integrity, review, and narrative reconstruction enables counselors to expand their conceptualization of developmental demands specific to aging adults. When Erikson (1963) described task of ego integrity, he discussed individual's perspective on meaningfulness and worth of cumulative choices that compose story of individual's life. Aging adults who master this developmental crisis are able to reflect on and conclude that their lives are productive, satisfactory, and valuable. Such a person views his or her own being as congruent with purpose, rhyme, and reason of and develops a great deal of ego strength or ego integrity from this (Salkind, 2004, p. 152). Therefore, ego integrity refers to a successful review of life, a crisis with introspection as critical foundation. On other side of Erikson's task of ego integrity is tragedy experienced if retrospective look is evaluated as despairing and meaningless. On a developmental level, we counselors hope individual navigates through past and finds accumulated grace, learning, order, and benefit in creation of narrative as it is lived and as it is nearing end. Buder's (2002) concept of review is predicated on experience of death unique to this stage. This perspective on death has its beginnings in midlife when adults see both finish and starting lines of their life (Doka, 2002, p. 25). The increasing sense of mortality often brings a crisis leading to reevaluation, recommitment, and reprioritization as issue of time remaining is felt. For many adults, awareness of mortality forces individuals to find or to construct significance and meaning in life (Doka, 2002, p. 26). In maturing adults, an awareness of finitude (Marshall, 1980) brings to forefront a review process wherein individuals seek to affirm value of their past. …