A sea of stories, languages and metaphors in the intervention with grief support groups

Abstract

As a society, we barely find embraceful spaces for the multiple sufferings from the loss of something or someone very important to us, this grief moment is highlighted by intense emotions difficult to the griever to self-regulate. The objective of this article was to present an experiential report on the use of figurative language and discuss some mourning metaphors co-constructed in grief support groups for bereaved children and adults. Five metaphoric expressions in different groups were described: Balloon, Destroyed Brick Wall, Sea of Mourning, Emotional Basement and Surviving in the Jungle. The use of the figurative language in group interventions fomented the participants’ elaboration of diffuse emotions and feelings, improved the immersion of bereaved children in group work and mediated emotional and physical elaborations on their grieving processes, stating as a useful resource to integrate their mourning processes.