Surviving grievers of traumatic loss: A dialectical approach to survivor guilt management

This study examines the discursive strategies trauma survivors who endured a traumatic event in which their loved one died employ to navigate survivor guilt. Fourteen Israeli adults participated in in-depth semi-structured interviews, analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s thematic approach. Two core discourses of guilt management emerged: acceptance and rejection, both situated along a continuum and often coexisting in participants’ narratives. Applying Relational Dialectics Theory, this study frames the interplay of these discourses as a discursive struggle, embodying the dual role of “surviving grievers,” balancing their own survival with the death of their loved one. This effort reflects a complex endeavor to reconcile the reality of loss with the arbitrary nature of life. The findings underscore the influence of cultural and relational contexts in shaping survivor guilt, providing valuable insights for therapeutic interventions and support systems, and highlighting the need to develop targeted interventions for those agonizing with trauma-related guilt.