On this episode of Relational Practice: A Social Work Podcast, hosts Dr. Jodie Park and Rose Mackey dive into the profound role social workers play in supporting people through grief and loss. They approach this topic from a holistic, "person-in-environment" perspective, providing a practical and insightful guide for practitioners.

Dr. Park and Rose Mackey explore several key grief theories that social workers use to inform their practice:

• The Kübler-Ross Five Stages of Grief (1969): This theory outlines the stages of denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. The hosts emphasize that these stages are not always a linear progression and that individuals can experience them in any order.
• The Dual Process Model (1999): This model highlights the natural oscillation between a "loss orientation" (focusing on the grief and emotions related to the loss) and a "restoration orientation" (focusing on rebuilding one's life and adjusting to the changes).
• The Continuing Bonds Theory (1996): This theory challenges the idea that grieving requires letting go. Instead, it suggests that maintaining a healthy, ongoing connection with the deceased is a natural and healthy part of the grieving process.
• Disenfranchised Grief (1989): This powerful concept describes grief that isn't openly acknowledged, socially supported, or mourned publicly. The hosts discuss how this can include losses that are not socially sanctioned, like the death of a secret partner or a pet.

The episode also highlights the crucial importance of cultural competence in practice. Dr. Park and Rose Mackey stress that social workers must be self-aware of their own biases and respectfully navigate diverse mourning rituals and cultural expressions of grief. They note that unresolved loss can often manifest in complex and challenging behaviours, making grief a foundational vulnerability that social workers frequently address.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone in the social work field, offering a blend of theoretical knowledge and practical application.

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Music by Hannah Park

Editing by Angus Pinkstone