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Grafton Eliason, M.Div.
Department of Counseling, Psychology, and Special Education
Duquesne University
Pittsburgh, PA 15282
(912) 661-1347
graftoneliason@msn.com
Dr. Rick Myer
Department of Counseling, Psychology, and Special Education
Duquesne University
Pittsburgh, PA :5282
(912) 396-4036
Mark Lepore, MSW
327 South Highland Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15206
(412) 292-4266
This presentation describes an innovative cognitive method for understanding grief using a model suggested by Tomer and
Eliason (in press) for death anxiety. The model proposed by these two authors examines death anxiety from a cognitive
perspective focusing on both the past, present, and future regrets as mediators of death anxiety. This approach is easily
adaptable to examining the experience of loss as people grieving must reconcile issues regarding the past and future in order
to function in the present.
The presentation is divided into three sections with the first being a summary of other models for describing grief. Using a
historical approach, this section traces the development of models for interpreting the grief process. The second section
briefly outlines the death anxiety model and describes its adaptation for better understanding grief and loss. In this section,
we propose the Integrative Cognitive Model of Grief and Loss. The final section offers practical suggestions and therapeutic
interventions for clinicians who encounter clients experiencing grief. There will be plenty of time for discussion and
questions.