Creative Interventions in Grief and Loss Therapy: When the Music Stops, a Dream Dies

by Thelma Duffey (Editor)

Get the tools to help the grief that comes when a dream dies

Every person at one time or another suffers when his or her dreams are shattered. Creative Interventions in Grief and Loss When the Music Stops, a Dream Dies provides truly innovative approaches to therapeutically help individuals work through and survive grief and loss. Leading experts explore creative interventions for common, yet emotionally devastating problems faced by those weathering the storms of grief after their dream has been destroyed. Therapists and counselors get the effective tools to creatively help people through the difficulties of dealing with death, addiction, trauma, changes in life circumstances, divorce, heartbreak, miscarriage, co-occurring mental health and substance use disorder (COD), suicide, adoption, and issues with children.

The chapters in this innovative volume cite existing research on specific grief and loss issues and illustrate a clinical application for each situation using various creative mediums such as music, writing, or ritual. Each approach can be expanded and modified with care by clinicians of all types to better help clients through the process. This resource is extensively referenced.

Topics in Creative Interventions in Grief and Loss Therapy Creative Interventions in Grief and Loss When the Music Stops, a Dream Dies is a creative, reaffirming resource perfect for mental health professionals, therapists, counselors, social workers, educators, and students.

Genres: Psychology, Nonfiction

349 pages, Hardcover

First published June 15, 2007

Reviews

[Sorrowka · Rating 3 out of 5]

A compilation of research papers with promising quotes, brief essays, then explanations to make sense of grief experiences in wide aspects (i.e. but not limited to pet lost, natural disaster, broken relationship, trauma, client suicide). During those tough times, people may feel complicated feelings and confusion. There are probably regret, shame, helplessness, and hidden fear. as per thought, hunches and unjust possibilities over the current and future loss can intervene the process. It intrigued me that the book use dream & music as tangible metaphor.

"It involves making peace with our unrealized dream, and in some cases, with our shattered illusions"
"We broaden our options for consciously constructing our possibilities for enjoying a new dream".

Expressive writing, one of the approach, is widely common in counseling. But it's quite unique for creating a scrapbook or doing 'ritual' to honor the past and and simultaneously creating a future (symbolizing a rebirth). For those activities, It'd be better to have psychologist guidance as to regulate 'the story within you' through active questioning. Other than that, the book encourages to take part of social community (either pet shelter, new people, etc), as uniting with others merge the sense of belonging, relatedness, and maintain self-continuity. It serves the vital booster amidst the gap, which is fulfilling life purpose and unmet needs.

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Here comes personal opinion!
Disclaimer: Subjective and biased.

I can't expect much because I consciously aware this is journal compilation, which might be boring. as in my studies I have read journal-compiled book, but I found the writing style in this book a bit vast and bewildering in explanation section. Like you wanted to make sense a thing then citing sources that are too far away.
I, also, expect a lot when got hooked by the word 'creative' and 'music'. I thought we would do some experimental. Or maybe I was in devastated state who need other alternative to make peace with my own experience.

[Autumn · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of essays from the Journal of Creativity in Mental Health focusing on expressive interventions for processing grief. A bit heavy on the theoretical side and light on the intervention side, which is typical of journal articles. Articles I found useful include Valadez & Evans' "A Novel Approach" for looking at mistrust and empathy in broken relationships and I really enjoyed Duffey & Duffey's "American Reincarnation of the Superfluous Experience." Loved the connection with this one to the superfluous character in Russian literature as a comparison to the values-clutter of Generation Y. The concept is strong, but the description of restorying is a bit weak.

Speaking of strong concept, I really connected with the theoretical foundations and intention in Gee et al's "Keeping the Music Alive," the description of grief and loss for those who are incarcerated or hospitalized for substance misuse and/or MI is dead on, and using a grief and loss approach is incredibly compassionate. But a Grief and Hope Box? A bit condescending. If someone handed this activity to me I would believe I was at my own pity-party.

So three stars for this one. Kudos to Duffey for including a chapter on pet loss! Strong theory, weak practice.