The five stages of grief, defined by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross in 1969, have helped countless people make sense of the feelings they experience after a loss. Kübler-Ross developed the model to describe how people with terminal illness experience the dying process, and it was later applied to loss and grief.
Although this model is not supported by science as a predictor of grief, many people identify with the stages. This makes the stages a valuable tool for helping clients explore their own and others’ reactions to loss.
Our Stages of Grief handout describes each of the five stages: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. After reviewing the worksheet with your client, encourage reflection and discussion with some of the following questions:
- How do you relate to this grief model? In what ways do you not relate?
- What are some of the emotions you’ve experienced with your grief? How do you handle these emotions?
- What are some of the thoughts you have about the loss?
Keep in mind that everyone experiences grief differently. The stages of grief shows us an example of what a person could experience, not what they should experience.
Consider pairing this worksheet with the My Stages of Grief worksheet.
