Analyzing Grief Theories and Worden's Mediators for Effective Support

This presentation provides an overview of supporting individuals facing loss, beginning with defining loss and grief, differentiating between physical and abstract loss, and outlining various types of grief. It delves into grief theories, highlighting the Kubler-Ross model's five stages (denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance) as a framework for understanding the grieving process. The presentation also focuses on J.W. Worden's seven mediators of grief, which enhance a person's ability to cope with loss by increasing understanding. These mediators include the nature of the relationship with the deceased, the attachment between the survivor and the deceased, the circumstances of the death, the survivor's history, individual differences, social support, and concurrent stressors. The presentation concludes by emphasizing the importance of these theories and mediators in enhancing coping mechanisms for survivors.

Supporting people facing loss

INTRODUCTION
• Loss : reflects a condition where a specific event is responsible for an individual’s altered
communication and interactions skills socially and mentally (Jewel and blackmore, 2004)
• In addition, failure to achieve a particular aim or deprivation of anything which is close / dear is loss.
• Loss can be: physical loss or abstract loss
• Physical loss is the loss which can be touch, felt or measured e.g. death of loved one
• Abstract loss is broadly associated to social links
• Grief is a emotional natural suffering to any loss which is expressed either physically or psychologically
(wright, 2009)
• It depends on personal experience, cultural environment and spiritual believes of an individual and is
unique in its own sense
• Loss can be necessary, actual, perceived, maturational, situational
• Grief can be normal, anticipatory, complicated, disenfranchised (Hume, 2008)
• This presentation includes theories of grief and one of the mediators of grief as presented by Worden

GRIEF THEORY
• There are many theories guided and proposed after Sigmaund Freud who is known to be pioneer in
this field
• These theories basically includes “letting go” and “moving on” concept to overcome grief reactions
• Some theories are : kubler – ross model, stages and phases, task for bereaved, dual process model,
continuing bonds, families making sense of death etc
• Kubler – ross model or five stage of grief theory state the ways which help an individual to move on
inspite of loss (Hall, 2011)x
• These five stages of grief are : denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance (Kubler ross and
kesseler, 2009)

• Introduced by J W worden
• Enhances person ability to cope up with grief by
increasing understanding regarding loss (Worden,
2018)
• First mediator: who was the person who died was
• Second mediator : the attachment that survivor had
with the deceased
• Third mediator : how the person died
• Fourth mediator : appreciating survivors history
• Fifth mediator : individual taste in those bereaved
• Sixth mediator : social support
• seventh mediator : concurrent stress
THE SEVEN MEDIATORS OF GRIEF

FIRST MEDIATOR OF MOURNING
• The very first mediator states about who the person died was
• It basically identifies the relationship of affected individual and person deceased such as
spouse, parent, friend etc
• Value of the relationship
• Was it close relationship or distant relationship
• Time spend in the relationship by the survivor and deceased
• Dependency in the relationship
• Conflicts (both history and last days conflicts) with the deceased which at times may bring
guilt to the survivor

CONCLUSION
• There are various theories developed explaining grief
• Kubler – ross model or five stages of grief theory explains the ways in which
survivor can move on in life after experiencing any loss
• There are seven mediators of grief presented by J W Worden which help in better
understanding of loss
• These definitely helping in enhancing coping behavior of survivor

REFERENCES
• Jewell, P. and Blackmore, P., 2004. Loss and grief. From Strength to Strength: A Manual for
Professionals Who Facilitate Diverse Parent Groups, p.104.
• Raphael, B. and Delaney, P., 2011. Loss and grief. Grief Matters: The Australian Journal of
Grief and Bereavement, 14(3), p.67.
• Wright, B., 2009. Loss and grief. primary health care, 19(1).
• Hume, C., 2008. Loss and grief. Occupational Therapy and Mental Health, p.383.
• Hall, C., 2011. Beyond Kubler-Ross: recent developments in our understanding of grief and
bereavement. InPsych: The Bulletin of the Australian Psychological Society Ltd, 33(6), p.8.
• Kubler-Ross, E. and Kessler, D., 2009. The five stages of grief. Retrieved from world wide
web November, 3, p.2009.
• Worden, J.W., 2018. Grief counseling and grief therapy: A handbook for the mental health
practitioner. springer publishing Company.