Loss, Grief and Bereavement

Chapter 22: Loss, Grief, and Bereavement

Overview:

• Discusses the potential losses associated with various stages of the gynaecological cancer continuum
• Explains the ‘grief work theory’ and draws upon the physical, emotional and cognitive reactions related to grief as well as the risk factors that accompany it
• Defines bereavement and how to cope with it

Description:

Women with gynaecological cancer experience a range of challenges and losses. This chapter discusses the challenges of potential loss, grief, and bereavement faced by women with gynaecological cancer.

Topics:

• Loss
  • Types of loss
  • Losses at time of diagnosis; treatment; chronic illness; and terminal illness
• Grief
  • Factors affecting grief
  • ‘Grief work theory’
  • Manifestations of grief
  • Complicated grief
• Bereavement
  • Definition of bereavement
  • Coping with bereavement

Speaker / Author:

Elizabeth Lobb
Liz has 13 years clinical, teaching, and research experience in cancer medicine. She holds a PhD in psychological medicine, a master’s degree in applied science and a bachelor’s degree in adult education. She is currently a post-doctoral research fellow in the Western Australian Centre for Cancer and Palliative Care. Her research and clinical interests include the psychological impact of cancer, factors influencing coping and adjustment, genetic counselling in familial breast and ovarian cancer, loss, grief and bereavement in life-threatening illness. Liz has taught bereavement counselling in the government, welfare, and private sectors for 10 years.

Before moving to Perth (Western Australia) in January 2004, Liz worked as a visiting bereavement counsellor at the Mater and Royal Prince Alfred Hospitals in Sydney, and was a staff and patient counsellor at Sacred Heart Hospice. She spent six years at the Prince of Wales Hospital in adolescent and paediatric oncology, and six years at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in the Medical Psychology Research Unit where she completed her Masters and PhD.

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