Major therapeutic systems and the bereaved client

Abstract

The bereaved individual may experience major emotional, physical, and cognitive changes. Counselling can facilitate the course of the grief process and various therapeutic techniques may be employed if there is evidence of complications in grief. In this context, a survey is undertaken of the utility of the principal therapeutic approaches, namely client-centred counselling, Gestalt therapy, Gendlin's focusing technique, rational-emotive therapy, transactional analysis, behaviour therapy, and transpersonal techniques. An eclectic approach to grief counselling is advocated.