Experiences of the Bereaved: Consulting Alternative Helpers in a Western Context

Summary

What it means to grieve is changing. Grief recently became a new category of mental disorder, which could impact how we make sense of our thoughts, feelings, and behaviours after we experience the death of a loved one. This new diagnosis could narrow the possibilities for how grief is understood and responded to. People can grieve in many ways. I am exploring the experiences of bereaved individuals who have consulted alternative helpers (e.g., psychics, mediums, energy healers, etc.) after the death of a loved one to value different ways of grieving, knowing, and living.