Counseling Survivors of Suicide: Implications for Group Postvention

Support groups: A psychological or social device for suicide bereavement?

“…Many of these studies (e.g. Calhoun & Allen, 1991;Moore & Freeman, 1995;Pritchard, 1995) suggest that suicide is a particularly painful loss as compared to other kinds of bereavement (however, on the basis of several studies McIntosh, 1996, reports having found more similarities than differences with regard to experiencing different kinds of bereavement). Suicide is usually considered a sudden, unanticipated and untimely death, leaving the bereaved with a lot of hurt and confusion because there was no chance to settle things, evaluate mutual roles and reach a conclusion about the relationship (Achté et al, 1985;Pritchard, 1995).…”

“…Complete outsiders may be perceived as only superficially interested and unable to really comprehend the nature of the questions involved. However, sometimes it can also be accepted-or even demanded -that outsiders should not try to involve themselves in issues that they know nothing about (Lillrank, 1998;Moore & Freeman, 1995 implying that, due to their exceptional experiences, they are not just equal to but actually better than others (Goffman, 1963;Seale, 1996).…”

“…The narratives of support groups may now actually serve as the main ritual for the living to remember the deceased (Petty, 2000). Since grief is perceived as a normal rather than pathological psychological reaction to death, support groups are often regarded as more suitable than therapy for those bereaved by suicide (Moore & Freeman, 1995).…”

“…The expected achievements of grieving have been outlined in task models of grief (e.g. Moore & Freeman, 1995) in which the bereaved are encouraged to accept the reality of their loss, experience the pain, let go of the deceased, adjust to life without them and either reinvest their emotional energy into other relationships or internalise the lost people as a part of themselves (Littlewood, 1992;Walter, 1996). According to Valente et al (1988), successfully accomplished bereavement enables 'personal growth and improved coping strategies', whereas unresolved grief can cause susceptibility to such problems as 'psychosis, social decompensation, substance abuse, deviant identity, accidents, psychosomatic illness, and career failure'.…”

Clinical Challenges Following An Adolescent?s Death By Suicide: Bereavement Issues Faced By Family, Friends, Schools, And Clinicians

“…Although underutilized, support groups comprised of and facilitated by other survivors of suicide (''SOS'') have proven to be effective means of lessening the impact of extended, unresolved, and complicated grief for suicide survivors (Campbell, 1997;Moore & Freedman, 1995;Renaud, 1995;J. Tunkle, Unpublished).…”