Stages of Grieving - Elisabeth Kubler Ross

Download the Stages of Grieving - PDF handout HERE
https://counsellingtutor.com/stages-o...

You’ve probably heard the 5 stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance – and in this section, Rory and Ken will explore these stages in more depth and how they may present in the therapy room:

The 5 stages of grief are often presented in a linear format – however, this isn’t always the case. The stages can present in any order, and for some people, not all stages will be experienced.
A client may experience retrospective bargaining – thinking things like ‘if I had done this…’, ‘if only I had thought to…’.
The theory of the stages was put together from observing people who were dying – this means it may not always translate to those who have lost someone.
The theory has been adapted and modified since its initial release.
Using the stages as an example, we can normalise a client's feelings of anger – removing some of the guilt/shame they may experience from feeling this way.
Any of the stages can persist long after the initial loss – they can especially be triggered by things such as birthdays or anniversaries.
All of the stages can be reverted into – acceptance isn’t a finality.