Bereavement Plaques

Looking for information on bereavement plaques? Read about how a bereavement plaque can help someone struggling with grief to feel supported and loved.

The condition of grief, otherwise known as "bereavement," which often comes as a result of the loss of a loved one, carries with it a very harsh and serious set of emotions, which sometimes can lead to very serious consequences. Grief is a very real emotion specific to being human, and while it is healthy to grieve when we've lost one, it is also important that people receive moral and emotional support from friends and family, since, at this time, those who are bereaved typically find themselves in a fragile, vulnerable position themselves.

Dr. George Bonanno, a psychologist at Columbia University, conduced landmark studies into grief, and learned that there are four major "trajectories" to the grief process. They include:

1. Resilience: "The ability of adults in otherwise normal circumstances who are exposed to an isolated and potentially highly disruptive event, such as the death of a close relation or a violent or life-threatening situation, to maintain relatively stable, healthy levels of psychological and physical functioning" as well as "the capacity for generative experiences and positive emotions."
2. Recovery: When "normal functioning temporarily gives way to threshold or sub-threshold psychopathology (e.g., symptoms of depression or Posttraumatic stress disorder, or PTSD), usually for a period of at least several months, and then gradually returns to pre-event levels."
3. Chronic dysfunction: Prolonged suffering and inability to function, usually lasting several years or longer.
4. Delayed grief or trauma: When adjustment seems normal but then distress and symptoms increase months later. Researchers have not found evidence of delayed grief, but delayed trauma appears to be a genuine phenomenon. 

While these four trajectories may seem clinical at first, they are very real, and most people can relate to have reacted to death in one of these four manners. While some trajectories are healthy, other ones can be self-destructive. It is at this time that those who are grieving need the most comfort and support.

How Bereavement Plaques Can Help Those Who Are Grieving

One of the factors in grief is the actual loss of a loved one -- the intangible feeling of loss, now that that person is no longer in and of the world. In this way, a bereavement plaque can be a true comfort to some people who are grieving. The bereavement plaque helps to immortalize the lost person is such a way that reveres them and helps to capture their best qualities.

This is particularly true with bereavement plaques that feature a photo or rendering of the loved one who has passed on. 

At Laser Engraved Memories, we have proven experience in crafting beautiful bereavement plaques that truly capture the essence of the loved one. From laser engraved photos to a personalized message, the bereavement plaque can be a truly cherished gift to someone who is going through a particularly difficult time from the loss of a loved one.

If you're ready to learn more about bereavement plaques, be sure to browse our memorial plaques section.

By Inês Raposo