Preliminary

Grief is a topic that many people shy away from because it is an emotional pain people do not want to encounter or think about. Bereavement care is an essential component in the stages of grief which offers extensive and customized support for the reactions to grief. Losing a partner or spouse has been considered to be one of the worst types of loss people can suffer from. This research study investigates the extent of exposure people have to existing bereavement care. It will also explore whether what is out there is effective or if new methods and support should be introduced into the field. Using qualitative methods of research, this study will explore survey and interview methods with three participants. One participant has experienced the loss of a spouse, while the other two participants are professionals who work as grief counsellors or therapists within the industry and focus on bereavement care. With the combination of studies on literature that exists and the in-depth methods conducted in this study, the results prove the hypothesis that bereavement care services are generally effective for those who seek the support when going through the stages of grief after the loss of a loved one, specifically a spouse or partner. The results prove that it is important to introduce many different forms of therapy to help individuals through the grief process, and create awareness that support comes in many forms that continue to evolve.