From the perspective of your specific discipline (School Counseling), complete the “Bereavement Across the Life Span” matrix which is attached.
CNL-518 Topic 8: Bereavement Across the Life Span
Directions: One’s understanding of death and the bereavement process changes over the life
span. Using the matrix provided below, summarize how individuals understand the various
stages of life, death, and how each might grieve the loss of a loved one. Create a short vignette
for each age group that expresses your understanding of the age group’s response to death and
bereavement. Finally, hypothesize how a clinical mental health or school counselor might
counsel each age group through the bereavement process. The first stage has been completed for
you as an example. Include in-text citations in the chart and references at the bottom of the
worksheet as appropriate. Do not exceed 50 words per box.
Age Group
Baby and
Toddler
Perception/Cognition of
Grief
Response to
Grief
Does not understand the
permanency of grief.
Excessive
crying and
yearning to be
held.
Vignette
Developmentally
(short
Appropriate
example/story
Counseling
of a child’s
Interventions
loss scenario)
(including
empiricallysound
interventions for
this age group)
A baby’s birth
mother died
during
delivery.
Preschool Age
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Counsel the
guardians of the
baby to be sure to
tend to the baby’s
need for touch and
comfort.
Age Group
Perception/Cognition of
Grief
Response to
Grief
Vignette
Developmentally
(short
Appropriate
example/story
Counseling
of a child’s
Interventions
loss scenario)
(including
empiricallysound
interventions for
this age group)
Grade School
Age
Adolescence/
Teenage
Years
Adulthood
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Age Group
Perception/Cognition of
Grief
Response to
Grief
Vignette
Developmentally
(short
Appropriate
example/story
Counseling
of a child’s
Interventions
loss scenario)
(including
empiricallysound
interventions for
this age group)
Late
Adulthood
References
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