Experiences of Norwegian Mothers Attending an Online Course of Therapeutic Writing Following the Unexpected Death of a Child
Permanent link
https://hdl.handle.net/10037/26659Date
2022-01-27Type
Journal articleTidsskriftartikkel
Peer reviewed
Author
Lehmann O, Olga V; Neimeyer, Robert A.; Thimm, Jens; Hjeltnes, Aslak; Lengelle, Reinekke; Kalstad, Trine GivingAbstract
The unexpected death of a child is one of the most challenging losses as it fractures
survivors’ sense of parenthood and other layers of identity. Given that not all the
bereaved parents who have need for support respond well to available treatments
and that many have little access to further intervention or follow-up over time, online
interventions featuring therapeutic writing and peer support have strong potential. In
this article we explore how a group of bereaved mothers experienced the process of
participating in an online course in therapeutic writing for the integration of grief. Our
research questions were: How do parents who have lost a child experience being part of
an online course in therapeutic writing? What are the perceived benefits and challenges
of writing in processing their grief? We followed an existential phenomenological
approach and analyzed fieldwork notes (n = 13), qualitative data from the application and
assessment surveys (n = 35; n = 21), excerpts from the journals of some participants
(n = 3), and email correspondence with some participants (n = 5). We categorized
the results in three meaning units: (1) where does my story begin? The “both and”
of their silent chaos; (2) standing on the middle line: a pregnancy that does not end;
(3) closures and openings: “careful optimism” and the need for community support.
Participants experienced writing as an opportunity for self-exploration regarding their
identities and their emotional world, as well as a means to develop and strengthen
a bond with their children. They also experienced a sense of belonging, validation,
and acceptance in the online group in a way that helped them make sense of their
suffering. Online writing courses could be of benefit for bereaved parents who are
grieving the unexpected death of a child, but do not replace other interventions such as
psychotherapy. In addition to trauma and attachment informed models of grief, identity informed models with a developmental focus might enhance the impact of both lowthreshold community interventions and more intensive clinical ones. Further studies and
theoretical development in the area are needed, addressing dialogical notions such as
the multivoicedness of the self.
Publisher
Frontiers MediaCitation
Lehmann O, Neimeyer, Thimm, Hjeltnes, Lengelle, Kalstad. Experiences of Norwegian Mothers Attending an Online Course of Therapeutic Writing Following the Unexpected Death of a Child. Frontiers in Psychology. 2022;12Metadata
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