Grief and Loss: An Interpersonal Process Group for Incarcerated Men

The provision of psychological services in a correctional institution is important for several reasons: risk management, symptom management, development of healthy coping skills, reduction in maladaptive/disruptive behaviors, modeling pro-social behavior, and encouraging self-advocacy and healthy relationships. This proposal explains the need for, purpose of, and potential long-term benefits of the implementation of a Grief and Loss interpersonal process group for incarcerated men and includes facilitation guidelines to assist clinicians with initial implementation. This proposal not only addresses aspects of interpersonal development expected from process groups, but also extends support for societal goals of rehabilitation such as a reduction in recidivism rates, increased facility safety through improved inmate communication, emotional regulation, and implementation of healthy coping skills and pro-social behaviors. Additionally, this treatment group seeks to improve the process of reintegrating inmates with their families, communities, places of employment, and society as a whole. It is meant to be incorporated as an additional preferred method of intervention to established psychological service programming and may be a compliment to other commonly-used interventions with a stronger empirical literature base