Tasks and mediators of mourning: A guideline for the mental health practitioner

Abstract

Clinicians who work with bereaved individuals around grief issues need a way to understand the process of mourning. Generally, the mourning process can be conceptualized as involving either stages, phases, or tasks. In this article the author selects the task model and outlines the tasks of mourning as well as identifying 6 mediators of mourning that influence both the grief experience and duration of the bereavement course. This model is useful for working with both complicated and uncomplicated bereavement. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.