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    Rights statement: This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Death Studies on 11/08/2016, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/07481187.2016.1188868

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Designing personal grief rituals: an analysis of symbolic objects and actions

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Designing personal grief rituals: an analysis of symbolic objects and actions. / Sas, Corina; Coman, Alina.
In: Death Studies, Vol. 40, No. 9, 11.2016, p. 558-569.

Research output: Contribution to Journal/MagazineJournal articlepeer-review

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Sas C, Coman A. Designing personal grief rituals: an analysis of symbolic objects and actions. Death Studies. 2016 Nov;40(9):558-569. Epub 2016 Aug 11. doi: 10.1080/07481187.2016.1188868

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Sas, Corina ; Coman, Alina. / Designing personal grief rituals : an analysis of symbolic objects and actions. In: Death Studies. 2016 ; Vol. 40, No. 9. pp. 558-569.

Bibtex

@article{6f4409485f3845aabad19573ecfad1c3,
title = "Designing personal grief rituals: an analysis of symbolic objects and actions",
abstract = "Personal grief rituals are beneficial in dealing with complicated grief, but challenging to design, as they require symbolic objects and actions meeting clients{\textquoteright} emotional needs. We report interviews with ten therapists with expertise in both grief therapy and grief rituals. Findings indicate three types of rituals supporting honoring, letting go, and self transformation, with the latter being particularly complex. Outcome also point to a taxonomy of ritual objects for framing and remembering ritual experience, and for capturing and processing grief. Besides symbolic possessions, we identified other types of ritual objects including transformational and future-oriented ones. Symbolic actions include creative craft of ritual objects, respectful handling, disposal and symbolic play. We conclude with theoretical implications of these findings, and a reflection on their value for tailored, creative co-design of grief rituals. In particular, we identified several implications for designing grief rituals which include accounting for the client{\textquoteright}s need, selecting (or creating) the most appropriate objects and actions from the identified types, integrating principles of both grief and art/drama therapy, exploring clients{\textquoteright} affinity for the ancient elements as medium of disposal in letting go rituals, and the value of technology for recording and reflecting on ritual experience. ",
keywords = "grief rituals , grief therapy, symbolic objects and actions, designing personal grief rituals",
author = "Corina Sas and Alina Coman",
note = "This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Death Studies on 11/08/2016, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/07481187.2016.1188868",
year = "2016",
month = nov,
doi = "10.1080/07481187.2016.1188868",
language = "English",
volume = "40",
pages = "558--569",
journal = "Death Studies",
issn = "0748-1187",
publisher = "Taylor & Francis",
number = "9",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Designing personal grief rituals

T2 - an analysis of symbolic objects and actions

AU - Sas, Corina

AU - Coman, Alina

N1 - This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Death Studies on 11/08/2016, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/07481187.2016.1188868

PY - 2016/11

Y1 - 2016/11

N2 - Personal grief rituals are beneficial in dealing with complicated grief, but challenging to design, as they require symbolic objects and actions meeting clients’ emotional needs. We report interviews with ten therapists with expertise in both grief therapy and grief rituals. Findings indicate three types of rituals supporting honoring, letting go, and self transformation, with the latter being particularly complex. Outcome also point to a taxonomy of ritual objects for framing and remembering ritual experience, and for capturing and processing grief. Besides symbolic possessions, we identified other types of ritual objects including transformational and future-oriented ones. Symbolic actions include creative craft of ritual objects, respectful handling, disposal and symbolic play. We conclude with theoretical implications of these findings, and a reflection on their value for tailored, creative co-design of grief rituals. In particular, we identified several implications for designing grief rituals which include accounting for the client’s need, selecting (or creating) the most appropriate objects and actions from the identified types, integrating principles of both grief and art/drama therapy, exploring clients’ affinity for the ancient elements as medium of disposal in letting go rituals, and the value of technology for recording and reflecting on ritual experience.

AB - Personal grief rituals are beneficial in dealing with complicated grief, but challenging to design, as they require symbolic objects and actions meeting clients’ emotional needs. We report interviews with ten therapists with expertise in both grief therapy and grief rituals. Findings indicate three types of rituals supporting honoring, letting go, and self transformation, with the latter being particularly complex. Outcome also point to a taxonomy of ritual objects for framing and remembering ritual experience, and for capturing and processing grief. Besides symbolic possessions, we identified other types of ritual objects including transformational and future-oriented ones. Symbolic actions include creative craft of ritual objects, respectful handling, disposal and symbolic play. We conclude with theoretical implications of these findings, and a reflection on their value for tailored, creative co-design of grief rituals. In particular, we identified several implications for designing grief rituals which include accounting for the client’s need, selecting (or creating) the most appropriate objects and actions from the identified types, integrating principles of both grief and art/drama therapy, exploring clients’ affinity for the ancient elements as medium of disposal in letting go rituals, and the value of technology for recording and reflecting on ritual experience.

KW - grief rituals

KW - grief therapy

KW - symbolic objects and actions

KW - designing personal grief rituals

U2 - 10.1080/07481187.2016.1188868

DO - 10.1080/07481187.2016.1188868

M3 - Journal article

VL - 40

SP - 558

EP - 569

JO - Death Studies

JF - Death Studies

SN - 0748-1187

IS - 9

ER -