The Conversation: Processing and grieving an ongoing loss
By Dr. Brad Phillips:
Traditional loss is typically considered a five-stage process, linear and time-bound, where a person moves from denial to acceptance.
Generally, traditional loss is linked to death – such as the death of a loved one, or a miscarriage. It is permanent, often abrupt, occurring when someone or something once present is suddenly absent.
But loss is complex. Other kinds of loss do not follow the one-size-fits-all archetype, and many experts now criticize the five stages of grief model.
As a nursing professor who researches the impact of childhood illness on family well-being, one of my main areas of study is how people navigate another type of loss – ambiguous loss, or loss without closure.