Sibling Bereavement

by Ann Farrant

The effect of losing a brother or sister can result in severe emotional trauma for a child. The author of this text believes there is no "right" way for parents to behave towards surviving children - each family, each death, each survivor is different. The book allows victims of sibling bereavement to tell their own stories and share their own conclusions about the experience, seeking to provide enlightenment on this emotional subject. The author looks at the effect of sibling bereavement on surviving children, repercussions of lack of support, surviving children who act as comforters to their parents, guilt, projections of anger, unresolved conflicts, consequent family relationships, and children who cannot, or will not, mourn. Using real-life case studies to illustrate her points, Ann Farrant looks at the issues involved. She aims to show how it is possible to gain from, rather than be crippled by, the experience of losing a sibling.

Paperback

First published October 1, 1998

Reviews

[Rebecca KB · Rating 4 out of 5]

Feels quite dated reading it in 2023 but highlights how we’ve changed in our approach to sibling bereavement. It reassured me that the approach I’ve taken is far far better than how this subject was treated last century.