| This phenomenological study, using a descriptive exploratory methodology, focused on nine therapists who had experienced the sudden death of a client. The study was aimed at gaining an in-depth, detailed understanding of therapists' experience of client sudden death.; Data was collected by conducting in-depth, semi-structured interviews with therapists who volunteered to participate in the study. Interviews were carried out utilizing an interview guide that incorporated a series of open-ended questions addressing the grand tour research question and subquestions. The interview guide was loosely based on the theories of Sanders (1989) and Doka (1989).; Research findings are presented through profiles of individual participants and by presenting a thematic analysis that includes excerpts from the interview data that fell within five overarching meta-themes: (1) Attachment in the Therapeutic Relationship; (2) Therapists' Bereavement; (3) The Therapist is Left Holding the Bag; (4) Coping with Client Sudden Death; and (5) Lessons Learned. The study revealed that: (1) the sudden death of a client is a unique death experience that exhibits features that are both similar to and different from other types of death that an individual will encounter; (2) therapists go through a process when a client dies that is both similar to and different from bereavement phase models presented in the literature; (3) a number of factors influence how a particular therapist might experience the death of a client, including the therapists' view of their professional role; (4) therapists found certain activities to be helpful when dealing with their experience of client sudden death; and (5) some therapists felt that the grief that they experienced was disenfranchised. Other dimensions of client sudden death are also addressed, including issues surrounding the therapists' decision whether or not to attend the client's funeral, some therapists' desire to finish their client's unfinished business, and the therapists' contact with the deceased client's family.; The findings suggest a need to develop a body of literature that addresses therapists' experiences of client death. Implications for practice, training, and future research are also discussed. |
