Grief is a natural reaction. It is not considered a pathology. Grief however can become pathological and complicated. Extreme trauma can be an ingredient to possibly cause complicated and traumatic grief. These types of grief can emerge later and cause long term problems.
Grief hence has the ability to become complicated due to the nature of the loss, the nature of the person grieving and surrounding circumstances.
The article, “Grief vs. Traumatic Grief” by “Odelya Gertel Kraybill Ph.D.” looks at how unexpected loss can contribute to traumatic grief. She states,
“Traumatic grief, that is, the grief that accompanies loss that is unexpected, is different. Such a loss triggers post-trauma survival mechanisms in addition to the mourning of whatever was unexpectedly lost.”
To read the entire article please click here
Please also review our Grief Counseling Program and see if it meets your academic and professional goals.