SEARCHING FOR THE MEANING OF MEANING: GRIEF THERAPY AND THE PROCESS OF RECONSTRUCTION

“…This contrast between the majority of grievers who seek meaning in the death and the minority who apparently do not might re¯ ect their di erential emphasis on what Stroebe and Schut (1999) have referred to as ‘‘loss-oriented’’ and ‘‘restoration-oriented’’ processes in adjustment to bereavement.”

“…1989; Vachon, Lyall, Rogers, Freedman-Letofsky, & Freedman, 1980; Wilner & Kaltreider, 1988), while other studies indicate that grief groups are not only ineffective (Barrett, 1978; van der Houwen, Stroebe, Schut, Stroebe, & van den Bout, 2010), but also harmful to the individual (Neimeyer, 2000).”

“The reconstruction of meaning after loss involves the process of “sense making,” “benefit finding,” and “identity reconstruction” ( Davies, Nolen-Hoeksema, & Larson, 1998 ; Neimeyer, 2000 ; Neimeyer, Prigerson, & Davies, 2002 ).”

“Neimeyer (2000) reports that his analysis of 23 randomized control studies found a positive, but modest effect size.”

“Meaning reconstruction concerns the disruption of personal meanings entailed in loss and the resulting need to make sense of the loss and restore one’s sense of order or purpose in life.(21) In contrast to earlier perspectives that espoused the desirability of detachment, or cessation of emotional involvement with the…”

“Continuing bonds is further recognised as a way to find meaning in loss (Tedeschi & Calhoun, 2006; Davis & Nolen-Hoeksema, 2001) and purpose in suffering (Currier et al, 2006), and to augment meaning reconstruction (Neimeyer, 2000).”

“It is critical that those who are seeking therapy are those that are most likely to benefit from it, particularly in light of evidence suggesting the potential harmful effects of unnecessary grief therapy (e.g., Neimeyer, 2000; Stroebe et al., 2005).”

“which measures an individual’s ability to adapt to stressful life events has been regarded as one of the critical factors in meaning reconstruction and researchers such as Neimeyer [103]–[105], Burke [66], [106] and Currier [107], [108] have demonstrated meaning reconstruction as one of the key predictors of successfu…”

“Dr. Robert Neimeyer highlights “meaning making” as a central element to cope with loss (Neimeyer, 2000).”

“For instance, according to Neimeyer (2000), ‘‘the possibility that the most important meanings of loss might elude simple verbal formulation . . .- prompts a variety of more metaphoric, poetic, and narrative strategies for exploring the multiple meanings of a loved one’ s life and death’’ (p. 554).”

“…very successfully Doka’s concept of disenfranchised grief was also used to describe the therapists’ loss however, maybe the grief theory context in which the findings where presented would have been more complete with the addition of a more constructivist theory (Neimeyer, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001).”

“Previous studies in an American context investigate ‘‘the search for meaning’’ after families cope with loss due to death (Neimeyer, 2000), which is a subject not explored in the Indian setting.”

“They have pointed out a major flaw in the debate by demonstrating that Fortner ( 1999 ), in his dissertation, and Neimeyer ( 2000 ), in close collaboration with Fortner, were indeed careless and mistaken in their claim that grief treatments present the client with substantial risk of deleterious effects.”

“The coping process offers bereaved parents an opportunity to recognize the new reality of their lives by helping them to construct new frames of reference for the self, the other, and the world (Neimeyer, 2000).”

“If bereaved individuals are able to take a role in planning and are clear that they are acting on the wishes of the person who is dying, they are better able to make sense of the death (Neimeyer, 2000).”

“…“cognitive” theories in psychology, such meanings are understood here in terms of the sometimes explicit but often implicit ways that we human beings seek “replicative themes” (Kelly 1955 ), discerning and imposing regularity and significance on the unfolding patterns of our lives (Neimeyer 2000 ).”

“…choose to use only the term of prolonged grief. from, and therefore should be targeted for, interventions (Currier, Neimeyer, & Berman, 2008; Hoyt & Larson, 2010; Jordan & Neimeyer, 2003; Larson & Hoyt, 2009; Neimeyer, 2000; Neimeyer & Currier, 2009; Rosner, Lumbeck, & Geissner, 2011; Schut, 2010).”

“Neimeyer (2000) brought the findings to the attention of the scientific community and appropriately attributed them to this unpublished source.”

“Instead, proponents of the new paradigm of grief theory have re-emphasized the role of meaning reconstruction (Neimeyer, 1998, 2000, 2001a, 2001b, 2002) and ‘‘relearning the world’’ (Attig, 1996, 2001) as central mechanisms in grieving.”

“Neimeyer (1998, 2000, 2001a, 2001b) contends that grieving is a process of reconstructing a world of meaning that has been challenged by loss.”

“(p140) Far from representing alarmist or uncritical echoing of the results of Fortner’s dissertation or my discussion of it (Neimeyer, 2000), these converging conclusions were reached by independent scholars in different countries apparently unaware of Fortner’s work, based on their own careful…”

“Facing the death of a loved one, some bereaved individuals turn to religious resources to give meaning to loss (Gillies & Neimeyer, 2006; Neimeyer, 2000, 2001; Neimeyer, Prigerson, & Davies, 2002) and to maintain or to move towards a better level of emotional and social well-being.”

“…life meaning and the meaning-making process have been developed for other groups including depressed therapy patients (Seligman, Rashid, & Parks, 2006), cancer patients (Greenstein & Breitbart, 2000), older adults with dementia (Mackinlay & Trevitt, 2010), and bereaved parents (Neimeyer, 2000).”

“Although the data generally support the notion that finding meaning in traumatic experiences is associated with adaptive outcomes (Davis et al., 1998; Neimeyer, 2000), it is premature to endorse interventions designed to stimulate the redemptive story, full stop.”

“In stark contrast to earlier views that focused on attachment and continuing bonds with the deceased, Neimeyer (1998, 2000a, 2000b, 2000c) echoed Freud when he theorized that bereavement was a process of reconstruction and finding new meaning in a world challenged by loss.”

“The same process occurs in the meaning-making journey they are on (Neimeyer, 2000).”

“Although supportive others (e.g., practitioners, family, friends) can facilitate meaning making, bereaved persons should not be forced into seeking purpose for the death of their loved ones (Neimeyer, 2000).”

“Neimeyer (2000) suggested that the unimpressive findings may relate to a focus on the alleviation of symptomatology (e.g., anxiety and depression), rather than on other relevant aspects of grief therapy, such as meaning making and the evolving relationship with the deceased.”

“Losing a loved one can shatter the worldview of the mourner, not solely because of the direct impact of the loss, and the drive to make sense of it, but also because of the need to re-construct one’s identity without them (Neimeyer, 2000, 2011).”

“This self-identification of problems with grieving is exactly what meta-analytic reviews (Allumbaugh & Hoyt, 1999; Currier et al., 2008; Neimeyer, 2000; Schut et al., 2001) promote as a subjective indicator of who is most likely to benefit from counseling.”

“Meaning Reconstruction Theory has generated substantiated therapeutic procedures (Neimeyer, 2016a) and contributed to multimodal psychotherapies to address specific bereavement situations (Supiano, Haynes, & Pond, 2017a, 2017b).”

“Bereaved individuals who felt that their loss is unjust often experience anger and cast blame in order to make sense of their loss (Neimeyer, 2000) Lack of preparation, social isolation, uncertainty, apprehension of losing other loved ones, being treated without dignity, inability to bid fi nal…”

“Grief counselling involves the personal reconstruction of a world of meaning that has been challenged by loss [16], a process that can be co-constructed in the safe environment of a therapeutic setting.”

“There is a substantial literature that addresses the psychological phenomena of grief (e.g., Klass, Silverman, & Nickman, 1996; Neimeyer, 2000; Saleeby, 2008), with some examination of traumatic bereavement in particular (e.g., Cohen & Mannarino, 2004; Green, 2000; Shear, Frank, Houck, & Reynolds,…”

“Recent meta-analyses and literature reviews have reported conflicting results regarding the beneficial effect of interventions for children and adolescents bereaved from varied causes (Currier, Holland, & Neimeyer, 2007; Neimeyer, 2000; Rosner, Kruse, & Hagl, 2010).”

“Thus, this article scrutinizes the diverse restorative effects of shared-online bereavement, in fostering personal empowerment (cf. Barak et al., 2008) and engendering meaning (cf. Neimeyer, 2000, 2016; Neimeyer & Sands, 2011) in coping processes.”

“Thus, as Neimeyer also points out (this issue), Currier and colleagues (2008) have performed an important service in making a thorough compilation of these studies and conducting an initial meta-analysis of their findings.”

“An additional explanation for the participants’ coping strategies is based on the constructivist approach offered by Neimeyer, Keesee, & Frotner (2000) and Neimeyer (2000).”

“Despite the number of interventions that have been proposed to support people who have had a NDE, and although sense-making is recognized as a problematic issue, no attempt has been made as yet to introduce meaning-focused theories and meaning-making interventions to support these individuals (the theoretical foundati…”

“Other researchers have found that BC is not required for most people (Neimeyer, 2000) and is useful only when grief continues to be debilitating (Schut & Stroebe, 2005).”

“…1997; Moules, Simonson, Fleiszer, Prins, & Glasgow, 2007; Moules, Simonson, Prins, Angus, & Bell, 2004) that involves reconstructing meaning (Neimeyer, 2000, 2001; Neimeyer, Burke, Mackay, & van Dyke Stringer, 2010) or adjusting and adapting to a life without the deceased (Sandler, Wolchik,…”

“Rather, in keeping with contemporary interpretations of the grief and loss experience (Nadeau, 2001; Neimeyer, 2000), we propose that women living with breast cancer may experience diverse primary and secondary losses in dynamic and fluid ways such that they view the illness from differing frames…”

“Neimeyer and Hogan (2001) acknowledged that there needs to be more research on areas such as bereavement resulting from sudden, violent or stigmatising deaths.”

“…(e.g., direct communication, helping children understand, listening to and sharing feelings), as well as their new place in the world without their siblings (e.g., encouragement and reassurance), could help children adjust better than those who are not encouraged to seek meaning (Neimeyer, 2000).”

“…of homicide and the individual’s personal belief system about how the world operates and how safety and order are actualized (Armour, 2002, 2003; Currier, Holland, &Neimeyer, 2006, 2008; Janoff-Bulman, 1992; Neimeyer, 2000; Pakenham, 2008; Park &Folkman, 1997; Updegraff, Silver, & Holman, 2008).”

“…based on the constructivist theory advocate that bereaved individuals develop an ongoing narrative that allows them to create varying meanings over time and to incorporate their own understandings of themselves with the meanings developed in connection with the death and loss (Neimeyer, 2000).”

“(p140) Far from representing alarmist or uncritical echoing of the results of Fortner’s dissertation or my discussion of it (Neimeyer, 2000), these converging conclusions were reached by independent scholars in different countries apparently unaware of Fortner’s work, based on their own careful…”

“Reviews and meta-analyses of bereavement intervention studies have suggested that bereavement support may be surprisingly ineffective for mourners at large (Jordan & Neimeyer, 2003 ; Neimeyer, 2000 ).”

“Revisiting the course of illness, and/or the experience of the death, and documenting it as well as possible can help create a coherent narrative (Neimeyer, 2000).”

“We examined the process of therapeutic change through the lens of Meaning Reconstruction Theory and meaning making (Neimeyer, 2001, 2001a, b) in participants in Complicated Grief Group Therapy for bereaved dementia caregivers.”

“…literature pertaining to PDC, the modeling and socialization of the bereaved surviving relative (Klugman, 2006), imaginal conversations with the dead (Dannenbaum & Kinnier, 2009), and the therapeutic and empowering role of CBs with the dead (Klass, 2006; Neimeyer, 2000; Silverman & Nickman, 1996).”

“Despite these difficult circumstances and potential future risks, only a small percentage of families pursue formal bereavement interventions, perhaps due to uncertainty over the efficacy of these treatments (Allumbaugh & Hoyt, 1999; Larson & Hoyt, 2007; Neimeyer, 2000).”

“Neimeyer (2000, 2001) considered how meaning making in relation to loss could yield a wealth of growth and understanding.”

“Key factors in coping with grief are meaning-making (Neimeyer, 2000; Valentine, 2019), the interaction between the construction of hope, self-compassion, and posttraumatic growth (Morris et al., 2021; Sperandio et al., 2021), and relational support (Dyregrov & Dyregrov, 2008; Kalsås et al., 2023).”

“It can be seen as part of an effort to try to make sense of the situation in order to find closure [41].”

“Research suggests individuals who experience traumatic loss have difficulties integrating the loss into a greater overall framework (Currier, Holland, & Neimeyer, 2009; JanoffBulman, 2004; Neimeyer, 2000; Neimeyer, Herrero, & Botella, 2006).”

“Contemporary grief theorists emphasize the importance of the way grieving individuals attempt to question, find positive benefits, and make sense of the death of a loved one as a way to cope with loss (Neimeyer, 2000, 2019).”

“Neimeyer (2000) proposed expanding the conception of meaning to offer appropriate intervention for the bereaved.”

“, 2013) and because religion and religious beliefs help the bereaved find a sense of meaning in the loss (Neimeyer, 2000).”

“The positive psychology strategies are exercises used to extract positive aspects from experiences (Neimeyer, 2000) to cope with problems, following also the guidelines by Karl Popper (1995) about the role of solving problems to the progress of the human being.”