Ambiguous Loss and Grief

CALLING HOME with Whitney Goodman, LMFT

In this episode of The Calling Home podcast, host Whitney Goodman discusses the concept of ambiguous loss, a term coined by researcher Pauline Boss in the 1970s. This type of loss refers to grief that has no definitive boundary or closure, such as the loss of a loved one who is physically absent but still present in thoughts, or a loved one who is physically present but emotionally absent. Goodman provides advice on how to grieve this type of loss, including giving oneself permission to grieve, finding people who understand the situation, and being open to having a different type of relationship with the person.

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