Process Oriented Meaning-Making: Model for Multicultural Grief Counselling

Despite the universality of grief, numerous counsellors lack the ability to identify and effectively interact with clients who are experiencing grief using evidence-based methods. Researchers have examined strategies to improve education in grief counselling and have identified best practices, such as socio-constructionist meaning-making techniques. However, these recommendations have not been fully put into practice. In 2023, a research study (Gaur, 2023) was conducted to investigate the utilization of evidence-based recommendations by counsellors in their practice, as well as to examine the content of counselling programs aimed at preparing professionals for the field. It investigated how counsellors-in-training and counselling professionals help clients in session to create meaning. The study yielded a tool that aids in comprehending the specific actions counsellors are employing to effectively facilitate the development of meaning in post-loss therapy sessions. The 8-step guide, known as Process Oriented Meaning-Making (POMM), was created by consolidating the shared experiences of all counsellor participants regarding how they believe meaning-making is accomplished in their sessions. This article provides a comprehensive analysis of the utilization of POMM, including practical exercises that can be advantageous for counsellors to integrate into their sessions.