The Other Side of Recovery

Abstract

This chapter considers what the ‘other side’ of recovery from bereavement could be, drawing together conclusions from empirical research on the possibility of ‘non-recovery’ and what happens when people fail to recover. First, Pearce summarises her argument for an alternative way of theorising grief that seeks to look beyond psychological theories and to highlight the role of relationality and ambivalence in understanding both grief and the subjectivity of the bereaved person. Second, Pearce attends to the concept of ‘non-recovery’ to argue for the importance of acknowledging the failure to recover. Third, she concludes the search for the ‘complicated griever’ and questions whether the notion is a construct or a reality. The closing sections look to the future of bereavement care research and practice, outlining the theoretical and practical implications of the book.