Evolving Posttraumatic Growth in Family Bereavement: A Post-Intentional Reflexion

ABSTRACT

The journey of growth following trauma represents a complex process of finding meaning following loss. Post-intentional phenomenological reflexion on a bereavement experience and collaborative autoethnography provide avenues for continued evolution, multiple meanings, and becoming. This investigation draws from a collaborative autoethnography created during a family bereavement experience. A researcher participant and her family reflect on the loss of a family member one year after his death. This reflection of posttraumatic growth offers themes of healing and continued relationship after a death. Findings include a creative representation of themes in a post-intentional letter.

KEYWORDS:

• Complicated bereavement
• posttraumatic growth
• post-reflexion
• grief
• collaborative autoethnography
• creativity in counseling

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).