The Experience of Grief After Bereavement: A Phenomenological Study With Implications for Mental Health Counseling

Phenomenological methods were used to explore the experience of grief after bereavement. Nine bereaved adults volunteered to participate in open-ended interviews in which they were asked to discuss their experience of grief after the death of a loved one. An analysis of the interviews revealed the following themes in the experience of grief after bereavement: Coping, Affect, Change, Relationship, and Details. Implications for the practice of mental health counseling are discussed.