I tend to bring it out in the therapy, but Im waiting for the client to give me hints that they might feel relief. Sometimes they start themselves, sometimes we circle around it and after a while I say something in the sense that sometimes we are uncomfortable with emotions that come along with grief because we or people in general consider them inappropriate. But we are human and feel what we feel and I am here to listen and help them understand and come to terms with those feelings. If needed, I give them examples of emotions that might seem "inappropriate" and yet are understandable when the context is known. Important thing is to accept those emotions and understand what they say about the clients views on the situation of loss.

The passing of a loved one should never bring relief to any one but where a terminal illness has kept this loved one in pain for so long, and nothing seems to reduce the pain, death should certainly be relieving to all, even the caretaker. The relief comes from two avenues:-

a). where the persistent excruciating pain gets terminated for the patient, and

b). where the loved ones, including the caretakers can breath a sigh of relief, and be glad that it's all finally over. In such a case, though they will miss the company of the departed, the fact that the pain is no more is always reassuring.

I believe that which ever way we look at it, some counselling service will be useful to assist both the living loved ones and caretakers to make progress with their lives.

I think empathysing some one in such grief situation ang giving moral, social, financial support can make some one relived. Moreover remembering his or her good qualities instead of negative points will be giving peace of soul.

When there is a neutral party involved that could give the individual the support they may need to move forward after their loved one has passed. Having support is also a key factor in healing. In addition, to having support, a listening hear and a shoulder to cry on makes all the difference in cases like this.

A client should never be made to feel that relief in the context of bereavement is wrong. Many impose guilt or shame on themselves for feeling it.

Another context aside from long slow painful death is that of abuse and/or neglect by the deceased. Their death then represents an end to the trauma they have caused the person, sometimes over a lifetime.

I think that 'normalising' it - as in, "lots of people experience relief when a loved one dies" can relieve the bereaved of an necessary layer of suffering. It is part and parcel of being human to have weird reactions in grief - anger and bargaining (Kubler Ross model) are just a couple of weird reactions. Relief is one of those IMO.

For clients who are mourning, social workers, counselors, and therapists can provide company. When providing support to a client, you must actively listen to their worries and validate their natural emotional responses.

One thing that stood out to me is using movies/books in counseling. People don't often want to read, so movies were my preference. We were encouraged to collect a list of movies that tapped into issues that were difficult to discuss but easier when reviewing the movie's story. The movie A Monster Calls deals with this matter. The protagonist's mom is dying of cancer. In the end, he admits he was glad she was dead it was an emotional, poignant moment in the movie, and it is impossible to watch without putting yourself on the witness stand and thinking, would I have felt the same way under these circumstances? https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3416532/