A cognitive approach to Prolonged Grief Disorder

In this talk, I will present a cognitive approach to understanding and treating Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD). Drawing on findings from the Oxford Grief Study, I will explore the cognitive-behavioural mechanisms that contribute to the development and maintenance of PGD symptoms, such as unhelpful appraisals, maladaptive coping strategies, and impaired loss memory integration. I will then demonstrate how these insights inform therapeutic interventions by presenting a case study of a bereaved individual treated using Internet Cognitive Therapy for Prolonged Grief (iCT-PG). This innovative treatment is adapted from Internet Cognitive Therapy for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (iCT-PTSD) and is designed to address the unique cognitive and behavioural challenges of grief recovery in a flexible and accessible format. The case study highlights the application of evidence-based strategies to reduce distress, promote integrative processing of loss, and support long-term grief adaptation.