Grief Experiences During the Covid-19 Pandemic from the Perspective of Person-Centered Therapy

Abstract

In the Person-Centered Theory, grief is a process of organismic self-regulation in the face of organism-environment tension generated by loss. This paper aims to understand the grief experience of people who have lost loved ones due to Covid-19. This is a qualitative research that uses semi-structured interviews to collect data and content analysis. Two bereaved women participated in the study. The results highlighted four categories: 1. Context of death in the Covid-19 pandemic; 2. Emotional reactions and dream experiences in the face of grief; 3. Self-in-relationship with the deceased person; and 4. Existential changes and family dynamics after the death of a loved one and coping strategies. It is concluded that emotional expressions, self-regulation, and defense movements in the face of a significant person's death are unique and socioculturally circumscribed, as they are related to the self-concept of the bereaved, the degree of (in)congruence they experience, personal values, religious beliefs, the bond established with the loved one, the level of family support, as well as the conditions of value and the degree of experiential openness to the reorganization of life and notions of self.