Following the metaphor: bereavement care implications
Keywords:
metaphor, ambiguity, understanding, symbols, ghostsAbstract
AbstractBereft people frequently use metaphors to describe their grief. Metaphors can both contribute to clarity or understanding and be confusing or misconstrued. Bereavement carers can easily assume they understand metaphors used by individuals and families rather than skillfully following metaphors. This article discusses and demonstrates perspectives and tools for understanding and working with metaphors. A particular metaphor – that of the ghost – is used to illustrate possible ways to follow metaphors in grief and bereavement care. Links to related scholarship are shown to uphold and complement the approaches described, especially a model created by Richard Kopp.
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