The Dual Process Model of Grief, Made Practical

Healthy grief as oscillation between engaging loss and rebuilding life

What is the dual process model of grief and how does oscillation help?

The Dual Process Model (DPM), developed by Margaret Stroebe and Henk Schut, describes healthy grief as oscillation between two orientations: loss-oriented (engaging with the pain of losing the person) and restoration-oriented (attending to the practical and identity challenges of life without them). The model is well-regarded in grief research and provides a framework for understanding why taking breaks from grief is healthy, not avoidant.

The Dual Process Model reframes grief from a linear stage sequence into a dynamic, bidirectional process. Bereaved people naturally move between facing the loss directly (loss orientation: crying, missing, grief work) and attending to life demands and restoration (restoration orientation: managing practical changes, building a new identity, taking time off from grieving). The model predicts that this oscillation is both normal and necessary — too much loss focus without restoration time can be overwhelming; too much restoration focus without loss engagement can suppress grief. Stroebe and Schut developed the DPM partly in response to limitations of stage models and partly to account for individual and cultural differences in grieving style.