Association for Death Education and Counseling Addresses Negative Perceptions About Grief Counseling

On October 9, ABC television aired an episode of the Boston Legal series titled "The Chicken and the Leg." During this program, two lawyers took on the case of a woman who alleged that a psychologist's therapy sessions caused her husband's suicide. The term "grief therapy" was used, and it was implied during meeting between the respective attorneys that participating in therapy directly caused the husband's death. More specifically, it was stated that research suggests that four out of 10 individuals who seek grief therapy are harmed by the experience.
The Association for Death Education and Counseling (http://www.adec.org/) recently wrote to ABC Television and the producers of Boston Legal, expressing concern over the misperceptions about grief and the usefulness of grief therapy promulgated by this episode.