Volume_5_Issue_4_Digest

2 TPC Digest Bereavement Experience of Female Military Spousal Suicide Survivors Grief is a natural response to human loss. Each loss is unique and requires various supports in order to recover in a healthy way. It is not possible to generalize the way that grief affects individuals. Frequently, discomfort exists and there is often an avoidance of discussing the pain and heartache that individual survivors experience in the shadow of sudden and traumatic loss. The death of a loved one is a challenge, whether it comes without warning or after a long struggle with illness. But several circumstances set death by suicide apart from other types of loss (e.g., homicide, accident) and make the process of bereavement unique and complex. The suddenness of suicide, the violent behaviors often associated with suicide and the unexpectedness of suicide complicate the grief as well. The individuals, family members or survivors who experience the loss have diverse needs and varying levels of resilience. The expression of normal grief is evident through emotional, cognitive, physical and behavioral responses. Normal and abnormal responses to bereavement span a spectrum in which intensity of reactions, presence of random grief behaviors and time course determine the differentiation. There is consistent criticism in the literature that there have been too few studies to provide meaningful support for a coherent theory of the mechanisms of bereavement following suicide. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between bereavement, social support, stigma, primary and secondary appraisals, and coping skills among female survivors of military spousal suicide. The researcher wanted to address the needs of military families facing specific issues associated with experiencing the suicide of a spouse. Association with the military ensures that most families will have to experience some form of bereavement and many forms of loss during times of war. Stress plays a role in the grief process within the military culture, especially when it relates to suicide. Military men and women are less equipped than the general population when it comes to being culturally sanctioned to outwardly demonstrate or share their emotional experience of grief. The researcher isolated specific issues surrounding grief that need to be addressed (i.e., stigma, social support, primary and secondary appraisals, and coping). As researchers continue to explore the bereavement process within the military community, there may be more acceptance of the grief process following a suicide, and the stigma surrounding suicide may decrease. This study allowed for the ability to explore the underlying feeling around various issues related to grief and suicide. Lindsey Mitchell, NCC, is the recipient of the 2015 Outstanding Dissertation Award for The Professional Counselor and a licensed counselor in both Texas and Washington, D.C. Correspondence may be addressed to Lindsey Mitchell at lmitch26@gwmail.gwu.edu . Read full article and references: Mitchell, L. (2015). Bereavement experience of female military spousal suicide survivors: Utilizing Lazarus’ cognitive stress theory. The Professional Counselor , 5 ,443–458. doi: 10.1241/lm.5.4.443 Utilizing Lazarus’ Cognitive Stress Theory 2 Lindsey Mitchell