In this lecture, Chloë Swinton – integrative counsellor, trainer and founder of Ambiguous Loss UK – aims to help you understand the term ‘ambiguous loss’ and how to support clients. After watching the lecture, you will be able to:
- describe the term and types of ambiguous loss
- analyse and understand your own ambiguous losses
- identify this type of loss and grief with clients
- recognise ways to support clients with ambiguous loss.
Chloë, who has personal ambiguous-loss experiences herself, also invites you to reflect on your own experience of loss as part of this lecture.
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Beginning by looking at what ambiguous loss is, Chloë draws on the work of Dr Pauline Boss, who first developed the theory of ambiguous loss.
Ambiguous loss may take either of two forms: physical absence with psychological presence (e.g. when a person goes missing) and psychological absence with physical presence (e.g. when someone has dementia). Both are more widespread than you might think, and Chloë presents statistics to illustrate this.
Ambiguous loss is also highly relevant to situations experienced by many people during the COVID-19 pandemic.
You will learn about what happens in ambiguous loss, and what attitudes and mindsets make it more difficult for people to cope. Chloë presents her own MARCH model, describing the five elements that can support both you yourself and your clients in managing ambiguous loss.
Chloë ends with a series of questions that you can use in assessing clients who are experiencing ambiguous loss.
You will take away from the lecture eight references for further reading and research regarding ambiguous loss.
About the Lecture Presenter
Chloë Swinton is an Integrative Counsellor who works holistically with adults in the UK, and also as a Trainer. She specialises in ambiguous loss and has been supporting people in this niche area since 2001. She founded Ambiguous Loss UK in 2015 with a vision for a compassionate world supportive and understanding of ambiguous loss.
Chloë works in private practice offering sessions online, by phone, and face to face in Norwich. She runs the Ambiguous Loss Support Group on Facebook for those affected, and is writing a self-help book.
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Counselling Clients Experiencing Ambiguous Loss - lecture overview