TY - JOUR
T1 - A tale of two widows
T2 - investigating meaning-making and identity development through writing in the face of grief
AU - Den Elzen, Katrin
AU - Lengelle, Reinekke
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
PY - 2023
Y1 - 2023
N2 - In this article we explore the grieving-through-writing process of two researchers who dialogue about spousal loss. Drawing on the idea that bereavement requires meaning-making, we engage in an interview-style conversation about how (1) we each made sense of our spouse's death, (2) experienced Post-Traumatic Growth (PTG) as described by Calhoun and Tedeschi [(2006). Handbook of posttraumatic growth: Research and practice. Routledge], and (c) underwent identity change. Through a “researcher as practitioner” lens, we conceptualise identity change using Dialogical Self Theory and engage in writing as a therapeutic narrative re-storying process. We note that each of us differed with regards to when we wrote about our loss. The work is intended to contribute to the grief literature and can support counselling and writing-for-wellbeing practices.
AB - In this article we explore the grieving-through-writing process of two researchers who dialogue about spousal loss. Drawing on the idea that bereavement requires meaning-making, we engage in an interview-style conversation about how (1) we each made sense of our spouse's death, (2) experienced Post-Traumatic Growth (PTG) as described by Calhoun and Tedeschi [(2006). Handbook of posttraumatic growth: Research and practice. Routledge], and (c) underwent identity change. Through a “researcher as practitioner” lens, we conceptualise identity change using Dialogical Self Theory and engage in writing as a therapeutic narrative re-storying process. We note that each of us differed with regards to when we wrote about our loss. The work is intended to contribute to the grief literature and can support counselling and writing-for-wellbeing practices.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85131750304&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/03069885.2022.2070126
DO - 10.1080/03069885.2022.2070126
M3 - Journal Article
AN - SCOPUS:85131750304
SN - 0306-9885
VL - 51
SP - 355
EP - 366
JO - British Journal of Guidance and Counselling
JF - British Journal of Guidance and Counselling
IS - 3
ER -