The Psychotherapy of Grief

This interview is a conversation between Elena and Richard Erskine, a psychotherapist whose work with grief and loss has inspired colleagues for many years.

In the conversation, they explore what grief is and how a person experiences the feeling that “part of me is gone” after a loss. They discuss truth telling — the ability to speak honestly about a person and about relationships as a whole — as well as the role of witnessing in grief, working with forgotten memories, neglect, and fantasies that keep people trapped in pain.

Richard shares examples from his clinical practice, speaks about preparing clients for meetings with dying parents, and reflects on how, within grief, “goodbye” and “hello again” become intertwined.