Abstract
In this study, therapists’ perceptions and experiences of working with bereaved single parents are explored in order to elucidate possibly overlooked characteristics of single parents’ bereavement processes and identify recommendations for therapeutic practice with this group. Six female therapists were interviewed and the interview transcripts were analysed using a template analysis approach. Findings are considered in light of existing bereavement literature. The analysis highlights distinctive aspects of single parents’ life experiences that appear to impact upon their grief, such as the nature of the single parentchild relationship and the potential implications of the absence of adequate support networks. Regarding psychotherapeutic work with this client group the provision of a secure therapeutic relationship, the normalisation of single parents’ grief reactions and the integration of the loss within the parent’s world view are emphasised as important therapeutic tasks. Moreover, possible challenges that this type of work can pose for therapists, such as risk issues and intense countertransference feelings, are also identified and implications of this study for therapeutic practice are discussed. Finally, as this is an exploratory study in an area that appears to be currently under-researched, the limitations of the present study are addressed and recommendations for future research, aiming to enhance the empirical knowledge in this field of psychological theory and practice, are made.