Bereavement Theory In Counselling

The person-centred theory can be useful in helping individuals who are suffering from bereavement. Below will be a discussion on the different counselling skills used in person-centred theory in relation to bereavement. Bereavement which is also known as grief, and is defined as when an individual feels a sense of loss and it changes their psychical, intellectual, emotional and social well-being negatively. Most people assume that bereavement is coping with the loss of a loved one. However, it can also be a loss of a psychical health, employment, possession and financial. There are 5 common stages that an individual usually experiences when

going through a loss and these are denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. When bereavement becomes a long-term disorder it is then classed as complicated bereavement. According to, …, when an individual's hits that stage, that is when severe signs and symptoms of depression can occur. Furthermore, bereavement counselling and therapy are provided for individuals during these difficult and emotional times. With the use of Person-centred therapy put into place to help bereavement, in rogers theory, the therapist will guide the individual to move forward and towards self-actualising. As rogers believed that all human beings have their own power to reach their own full potential.

The person-centred therapy will guide the individual to realise that they are momentarily lost in their own consciousness and that they do not have a mental disorder, as rogers states and believes that there is no such thing as having a mental disorder, it is just simply a disconnection from the self-potential. Within counselling, it is vital for the counsellor to provide and support the client's growth by showing counselling skills such as an empathic understanding of where the client is coming from, showing genuine remorse and emotions towards the client as in the counsellor themselves are experiencing what the client has experienced and is experiencing currently, (seeing things as the client sees them, being in their shoes). If the counsellor succeeds in creating that therapeutic relationship and trust with the client, the client would be a step closer to self-actualisation. The person-centred theory fits well with bereavement as the theory is based on the human instinct of survival, the therapy relies on the assumption that individuals are capable enough to make their own choice and control their own problems, once they have gained a self-worth of

their potential.
Furthermore, Rogers phenomenon approach was based on the idea of being non-direct and that the counsellor allows the client do decide what path and direction they should change or develop.

The counsellor should not force their own frame of reference or influence onto the client. The counsellors main role is to guide and help the client discover a clear path, this can allow the client to grow. In addition, throughout bereavement therapy, the person-centred approach enables clients to discover a new path and method in handling their grief. This allows the client to figure out their core sense of self and from this, they can continue to self-actualise without the feeling of being judged. A strength of the person centred therapy into bereavement is that it provides a positive and healthy environment for the client to learn from and experience, it also gives the client the opportunity to be listened to and feel valued and a sense of being worth something during difficult times. With the strong therapeutic bonds that both the client and the counsellor has created are made through communicating with one another and being genuine. Moreover, the counsellor is prioritising the clients to their full needs, this empowers the client to become actively involved in therapy. However a

downside to the person-centred approach in bereavement is that, it can take a long time for the client to open up as they have been grieving for a long period of time. Evidence show that, the therapy can sometimes intensify and trigger the memory and emotions making it even harder for the client to cope.