Grief is an emotion that all human beings are likely to feel at some time in their lives. For many the grief process can be lonely, confusing and prolonged. For this reason, psychologists have long sought ways to ease this process. Early on researchers found that various forms of art proved effective in aiding individuals in the grief process. This realm of treatment became known as "Expressive art therapies" and allows patients to express feelings through various methods related to the arts. These methods include music therapy, art therapy and writing therapy. Expressive therapies have been essential in helping people cope with loss, particularly in the case of an unexpected death.
Historical Background
There has long been a connection between bereavement and the power of art to heal. In most cases people focused on music in particular, the use of music to calm the bereaved is even present in the Bible. More recently, researchers have sought to understand more about this phenomenon. Preliminary research into this topic suggests that people benefit greatly form bereavement counseling that incorporates expressive art therapy. This expressive art may come in the form of letter writing, music or photography. The research indicates that such therapy allows people to examine the relationship that they had with the lost loved one and bring closure to that relationship. In addition, expressive arts allows people to express their feeling without being judged. In addition expressive arts is effective because it allows people to express through are what they may not be able to communicate verbally. The preliminary research suggests that expressive art therapy is here to stay and that counselors desire to improve the approach to expressive writing.
Thesis/Research Questions
For the purposes of this discussion, the researcher will focus on the expressive writing realm of the expressive arts therapies. The researchers will demonstrate how expressive writing affects the grief process by allowing patients to express exactly how they feel through such things as poetry and journal writing. Empirical research will be provided that details the research that has been conducted concerning this topic. The researcher will demonstrate that thought processes involved in such activities gives the patient the opportunity to understand and accept their loss. The research questions will include the following;
Does grief effect everyone in the same manner?
How does expressive writing aid people in the grieving process?
What are the common forms of expressive writing?
How do counselors measure the success of expressive writing therapies?
This particular topic is of interests because grief can be debilitating and impede upon an individual's ability to properly care for themselves or their families. Grief is also a universal emotion that can impact anyone. In addition, in the light of the recent natural disaster in which thousands of people died unexpectedly, researchers must find innovative and universal ways of helping people deal with grief.
Review of Literature
Grief
Grief can occur for different reasons but the most pronounced grief is usually caused by the loss of a loved one. This grief is particularly difficult if the loss was unexpected. Larson and Nolen-Hoeksema (1999) assert that people cope with grief differently and for different lengths of time. The authors explain, "there are wide differences in the specific strategies people use to cope with the emotional and practical consequences of a loss. These differences may be tied to the type of loss people have experienced, their age or gender, and their basic personality characteristics (Larson and Nolen-Hoeksema 1999; pg 62)." Arnason (2001) explains that grief is thought of as some sort of path with a beginning and an end. The metaphors of 'journey' and 'process' structure grief and emphasize its ordinariness (Arnason 2001)." For some this process can be prolonged and prevent them from participating in everyday activities. Thompson (2003) asserts
"Daily habits are disrupted, activities associated with valued roles are lost, and life plans are de-railed in the wake of significant loss. Intimately linked to these tangible experiences is the realm of the imagination,...
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