A Summary Of Erikson's Developmental Theory

Grief: Ages and Stages

Erik Erikson’s developmental theory is the basis for stages of development within academic psychology. Erikson established eight stages of development, ranging from infancy to old age. The most peculiar one, and likely due to my current age, is young adulthood. This stage, according to Erickson, lies after the adolescence stage and before the adulthood stage. Within this young adulthood stage, intimate relationships are highly plausible and often times end in marriage to a partner, aiming both individuals towards full adulthood. How does one cope during this young adulthood stage though, if say, their partner is taken away from them in a tragic event? How does this effect

As the wife searches for a way to continue her development, she will certainly be stunted in her progression as she continues to try and transition from young adulthood to adulthood, now, with out her partner. In all probability, the stage of intimacy vs isolation will be revisited, likely resting on isolation. Kübler-Ross describes the starting point after a loss, “ The five stages- denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance-are a part of the framework that makes up our learning to live with the one we lost.” Learning to live, and develop, without someone whom was so vital to your existence is trying. Kübler-Ross argues that while the five stages of grief are inevitable, they’re not predetermined in any specific order. Kübler-Ross further adds, “They (the five stages) are tools to help us frame and identify what we may be feeling. But they are not stops on some linear timeline in grief. Not everyone goes through all of them or goes in a prescribed order. Our hope is that with these stages comes the knowledge of grief’s terrain, making us better equipped to cope with life and loss.” (Kübler-Ross,

Along with the five stages of grief she will travel through, post traumatic stress will likely play a pivotal role in her life moving forward. I’d recommend grief therapy. Grief therapy would aid in her acceptance of the loss. Discussing therapy, Neimeyer states, “Therapy begins with who we are, and extends to what we do. That is, brining ourselves to the encounter, as fully as needed, is the essential precondition for all that follows, the distinctive blend of processes and procedures that broadly defines given therapeutic tradition and more specifically defines our own therapeutic style.” In the exact context of dealing with grief stricken individuals, Neimeyer offers an outlook that focuses more on moving forward in life with the loss, rather than focusing on the loss itself. Neimeyer adds, “the stance of the therapist (relating to grief therapy) is one of respectful, empathic engagement in the client’s evolving narrative of self and world. The therapist does not decide what meanings will be reconstructed and which will be reaffirmed in the wake of loss, but instead assist clients in recognizing incompatible old meanings or constructs and works with them as they endeavor to find alternatives.” Simply put, within grief therapy, the focus for the wife would be to find a way to continue her life moving forward without her husband, or her loss. Making daily choices and progressing through her developments without her husband.