When people face the reality of tragic loss through death, they commonly struggle to process both the "event story" of what has transpired, and to access the "back story" of the relationship with the deceased to negotiate the liminal sense of the loved one's presence within absence. This calls for creative and intuitive therapy that respects the profound assault on the person's world of meaning, but that uses the healing power of imagination, body work and the conjuring of restorative connections to promote resilience.

Learning Objectives

1. Describe two fundamental challenges introduced by bereavement when viewed through a narrative constructivist lens
2. Summarize key guidelines for psychotherapy process that orients to key existential issues
3. Outline representative creative approaches for fostering client reflection, reconstruction and resilience