Grief and Loss in the Time of COVID-19
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Authors
Meinzer, Tamara
Issue Date
2022-11
Type
Capstone
Language
en
Keywords
grief , loss , complicated grief , disenfranchised grief
Alternative Title
Abstract
This paper reviews a variety of literature about grief and loss in the time of COVID-19. Grief is considered in relation to death loss and non-death loss. This paper uses both qualitative and quantitative literature to review the experiences of loss and grief in the adult population. It considers the implications for mental health care workers working with this population in a post COVID-19 individual therapy setting. It is shown that there are unique traumatic factors related to the experience of death loss during the pandemic, be it death due to COVID-19 or other causes, resulting in an increase in complicated grief. It is also shown that non-death losses are a pervasive experience of the pandemic, though many are not readily acknowledged as significant, resulting in disenfranchised grief that may be misdiagnosed as anxiety and depression. This paper expands on concepts of grief and loss as they pertain to the COVID-19 pandemic and presents therapists with a five-pillar approach to consider when working with clients who are navigating the difficult challenges of grief and loss.