The Use of Ritual in Counseling Sessions for Suicide Loss Survivors

Suicide loss impacts every aspect of the lives of those left behind, creating shattered assumptions and feelings of meaninglessness. In this perspective piece, the authors attempt to describe how the use or rituals in sessions can be therapeutically beneficial to suicide loss survivors across the lifespan. This piece provides a brief overview of the impact of suicide loss, theoretical approaches to suicide loss, and examples of rituals that can be used in sessions. Lastly, the authors share how they have used rituals in their own clinical work to provide guidance for mental health professionals working in diverse clinical settings who desire to integrate the use of rituals with clients navigating suicide loss. .