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Working with Loss and  Grief
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Working with Loss and Grief
A Theoretical and Practical Approach

Second Edition


December 2013 | 192 pages | SAGE Publications Ltd
This updated second edition of Working with Loss and Grief provides a model for practitioners working with those who are grieving a significant life loss. Making clear connections between theory and practice, the 'Range of Response to Loss' model provides a theoretical 'compass' for recognising the wide variability in reaction to loss and the 'Adult Attitude to Grief' scale is a tool for 'mapping' individual grief and its change over time, providing an individual grief profile. Together these offer a framework for practitioners to:

-listen to stories of grief told by clients

-identify common patterns in grief

-recognize individual difference in grief response

-make assessments

-prompt therapeutic dialogue

-guide therapeutic focus and

-evaluate outcomes.

This edition includes: a new chapter on 'The RRL Model and a Pluralistic Approach to Counselling' ; two new case studies; additional content on vulnerability; new grief assessment tools and systems, and the latest research.

Dr Linda Machin is Honorary Research Fellow at Keele University, having been a Lecturer in Social Work and Counselling at Keele. She established a counselling service for the bereaved in North Staffordshire and continues to work as a researcher and freelance trainer.

 
Introduction:
 
Exploring the Landscape of Loss
 
Establishing Theoretical Bearings
 
Exploring Therapeutic Perspectives
 
A Model for Understanding Grief - a Compass and a Map
 
Exploring the Individual Territory of Loss - Mapping Grief
 
The RRL Model and a Pluralistic Approach to Counselling
 
Listening to Personal Grief Narratives
 
Engaging with the Grief Narrative - Focus on Vulnerability
 
Engaging with the Grief Narrative - Focus on Resilience
 
Practitioner Perspectives - Maps, Journeys and Destinations

Linda Machin writes with clarity and relevance about the challenges of well informed decision making and effective practice in the field of bereavement support.  She offers a wide ranging synthesis of theoretical and therapeutic developments and a strong research base.  Practical case studies facilitate the wider use of the Range of Response to Loss model.  This book will be of benefit to all with an interest in understanding loss and grief and improving the quality of bereavement support. 

Dame Barbara Monroe
Chief Executive of St Christopher's Hospice

This is a practical and valuable overview for working with grief. The concepts and approach allow for the breadth of human experience rather than following a formulaic linear pathway, and have the flexibility to be applied to a wide range of clients. 

Jo Griffin, Chartered Counselling Psychologist
Private Practice Journal

An excellent book for my students who are studying the end of life units and those studying bereavement modules. Very informative.

Miss Jodie Mortern-Davies
Health, Northampton College
July 10, 2019

Loss and grief are essential components in working with any service group and yet very little attentiion is paid to this area.

The author has managed to embrace both theory and practical approaches to the work on loss and grief. Each chapter will assist the reader with an understanding on the subject area and evoke thought on understanding this area of practice.

Mr Robert Bielby
faculty of health and social care sciences, Kingston University
March 31, 2015

Extremely useful resource for students developing their awareness of dealing with adversity in their therapeutic practice.

Ms Stephanie Revell
Health and Wellbeing, University of Cumbria
March 9, 2015

This was a very helpful text - informative and useful for considering and working therapeutically with issues of loss. It provokes reflections more broadly than the recognised themes of death and grief.

Mrs Lindsay Schofield
PICT, Penny Parks Training
September 20, 2014

Midwives are exposed to bereavement and loss as they work in partnership with childbearing women and their families. This book offers practical ways of engaging with women during bereavement, with structured models and case examples that are beneficial in facilitating the grieving process.

Ms Emma Etuk
St Bart's Schl of Nursing & Midwifery, City University
September 20, 2014

An excellent revision of the earlier version - added to core reading list for my bereavement module

Mrs Laura Middleton-Green
Divison of Nursing Studies, Bradford Univ.
September 4, 2014

As a lecturer of loss, grief and bereavement I found Linda’s book to be extremely useful. She provides a more appropriate model of loss and grief for today’s society with a well defined Attitude to grief Scale that health and social care practitioners would be able to work with. I highly recommend this book.

Ms Julie Tilstone
Education, Douglas Macmillan Hospice
July 22, 2014

this is an interesting textbook exploring a challenging topic but it is not specific enough for direct recommendation in my forthcoming module but I will recommend library purchase as students may dip into the book for theoretical perspectives related to this area of work and care.

I did feel that each chapter should have had the references and further reading at the end of each rather than all together at book end.

Mr Keith Booles
Faculty of Health & Science, Staffordshire University
June 10, 2014

Sample Materials & Chapters

Chapter One: Introduction


For instructors

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