| Abstract: |
Adults struggling to maintain a connection with the deceased and those seeking greater self-compassion could benefit from this technique. With this in mind, Consulting the Deceased directs the client to write a letter to the deceased describing how she would like to keep the deceased as an active part of her story. After writing the letter-ideally outside the session, but possibly during the session if the patient was unable to outside therapy-the griever is asked to read the letter addressed to the deceased aloud, followed by the deceased’s response letter. Consequently, the therapist is encouraged to observe and highlight the griever’s ability to tolerate intense emotions as grief emerges during the writing, sharing or processing of the Consulting the Deceased letter. It can facilitate meaning making, helping bereaved individuals construct a coherent narrative that incorporates the significance of the deceased’s life into their own life story. © 2022 Robert A. Neimeyer. |
