Worden’s tasks of mourning through a social work lens

Abstract

ABSTRACT Loss is a universal experience. In social services, social workers or allied professionals may be working with clients who have experienced some type of loss and are going through the grieving process. Worden’s Four Tasks of Mourning have guided grief and loss work in the field of bereavement. This author’s direct service and practice experience as a clinical social worker supporting grieving individuals has further informed Worden’s task model through a social work lens. This paper will include a comprehensive overview of Worden’s Tasks of Mourning through a social work perspective, followed by a practical application of the social work informed model. Areas of practice discussed include: the eclectic integration of interventions within the tasks, grief as a lifelong process, establishment of a new normal, and the multidimensional nature of emotions in the grief process.