JOURNAL OF CREATIVITY IN MENTAL HEALTH

2020, VOL. 15, NO. 4, 482–493

https://doi.org/10.1080/15401383.2020.1725704

Grief Snow Globe: A Creative Approach to Restorying Grief and

Loss through Narrative Therapy
Molly Rafaelya and Rebecca M. Goldbergb
a
Professional Care Services, Covington, TN, USA; bMississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS, USA

ABSTRACT KEYWORDS
This article describes a creative counseling intervention we call the Creativity in counseling;
grief therapy; loss
grief snow globe. The purpose thereof is to assist grieving clients in
adaptation; narrative
externalizing emotions and restorying grief and loss experiences therapy; restorying loss
through narrative therapy. Narrative therapy allows clients to give
new meanings to their stories and life experiences. In this article, we
explain instructions for making the grief snow globe, offer sugges-
tions for process questions to support the exercise, and present
application of the grief snow globe through a case study.

Grieving is a process that requires adaptive skills; individuals experiencing grief must
actively modify their current life situations to accommodate major systemic changes that
become apparent when grieving (Humphrey, 2009; Neimeyer & Young-Eisendrath, 2015).
Loss adaptation is unique for each individual and it refers to adjusting to loss and includes
the process of acclimating to new life circumstances (Humphrey, 2009; Neimeyer &
Young-Eisendrath, 2015). Assimilation and reconstruction of meaning are accomplished
through the use of narratives (Suddeath, Kerwin, & Dugger, 2017; Worden, 2018). This
process of reconstruction prompts elaboration on personal meaning and emotional
growth experienced by both therapist and client (Peri, Hasson-Ohayon, Garber, Tuval-
Mashiach, & Boelen, 2016).
Narrative therapy offers an exceptional set of tools to frame the grief counseling process
due to its focus on meaning making (Humphrey, 2009; Neimeyer & Young-Eisendrath,
2015). Often narrative therapy makes use of such tools as letters, journaling, documents,
and other tangibles that allow the client to redefine his or/her relationship to the problem
(Suddeath et al., 2017; White & Epston, 1990). In the narrative perspective, clients’ lives
and stories actively evolve (Neimeyer, Burke, Mackay, & van Dyke Stringer, 2010;
Neimeyer & Young-Eisendrath, 2015).
Learning to retell life stories after loss by creating new meanings is often challenging
(Neimeyer & Young-Eisendrath, 2015; Worden, 2018). The grief snow globe intervention
may help grieving clients meet that challenge. We present this exercise along with
adaptations. This intervention is intended to benefit the grieving client by helping him/
her process emotions and cognitions corresponding to loss. This is best used with clients
who range from adolescents to adults because they are more easily able to verbally and

CONTACT Rebecca M. Goldberg RGoldberg@colled.msstate.edu Department of Counseling, Educational

Psychology & Foundations, Mississippi State University, POB 9727, Mississippi State MS 39762, USA
© 2020 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
 JOURNAL OF CREATIVITY IN MENTAL HEALTH 483

outwardly recognize emotions. Application of this exercise is presented through a case

study.

Rationale
The grief snow globe intervention is supported by two main areas of professional
literature: narrative counseling theory (Neimeyer et al., 2010; Neimeyer & Young-
Eisendrath, 2015; White & Epston, 1990) and creativity in counseling (Degges-White &
Davis, 2011; Duffey, Haberstroh, & Trepal, 2009; Hill & Lineweaver, 2016; Somody &
Hobbs, 2008). First, we explain narrative theory’s role, and second, we offer relevant
scholarship supporting the use of creative measures in grief counseling. In tandem with
narrative theory, a creative approach to counseling allows clients to think more abstractly
in relation to personal growth and discovery (Degges-White & Davis, 2011; Duffey et al.,
2009; Hill & Lineweaver, 2016). This intervention helps clients with the fourth task of
mourning as individuals discover lasting connections with losses and create new meanings
(Neimeyer & Young-Eisendrath, 2015; Worden, 2018).

Narrative therapy in grief counseling

Narrative therapy suggests a client can rewrite his or her story and acknowledges that the
journey is what is important, not the product or outcome (Peri et al., 2016). Narrative
therapy gives individuals the power to change the meanings of lived events or circum-
stances (Suddeath et al., 2017; White & Epston, 1990). This theory maintains awareness of
the individual’s skills and abilities to allow him or her to recognize his or her story
through retelling it and developing new meanings (Peri et al., 2016). Narrative therapy is
utilized with clients experiencing a multitude of grief-related circumstances (Alves et al.,
2014). For instance, if a client is having a hard time coping with feelings of guilt in relation
to loss, she or he can learn how to look at the problem as problematic, instead of looking
at himself or herself as the problem (Humphrey, 2009; Stroebe, Schut, & Boerner, 2017;
White & Epston, 1990). Utilizing the grief snow globe in a way that allows the client to
compartmentalize his or her feelings as separate from the self can decrease self-blame and
help make feelings manageable (White & Epston, 1990). Narrative therapy gives grief its
own identity and embodies it with the past, present, and future, allowing clients to look at
their grief externally, increasing the clarity of their feelings (Peri et al., 2016).
From the narrative perspective, life is about meaning making (Suddeath et al., 2017; White
& Epston, 1990). The way that an individual experiences loss and grief will affect his or her
meaning in life and sense of self. Clients who have lost loved ones may also lose their sense of
purpose and even question their roles in life. Some clients may feel dependence on their lost
loved ones, which can lead to the sense of hopelessness for the future without those loved
ones. Using narrative approaches, clients are given the opportunity to tell their stories in
supportive settings that validate and normalize their experiences (Neimeyer et al., 2010). The
therapist’s role is to listen fully to the client’s personal truth and provide a safe outlet for the
client to explore, share, and learn to restory the meaning of the loss (Neimeyer et al., 2010).
A new narrative gives the client a chance to identify a multidimensional view of the
relationship with the loved one (Peri et al., 2016) and the new meaning provides mechanisms
for the client to adjust to life without the deceased (White & Epston, 1990). Restorying a loss
484 M. RAFAELY AND R. M. GOLDBERG

helps clients also understand their relationships with deceased loved ones as more than just
one-dimensional experiences (Neimeyer et al., 2010). Instead of focusing on one aspect of
a relationship, clients can experience the many dimensions that existed in the past and how
they experience them currently in the present (Brandon & Goldberg, 2016; Goldberg &
Stephenson, 2016; Peterson & Goldberg, 2016).
There are four tasks of mourning used in grief counseling for loss and bereavement
(Worden, 2018). In the first task, the mourner accepts the reality of the loss; in
the second task, the mourner works through the pain of the grief; in the third task,
the mourner adjusts to an environment without the deceased; the fourth task focuses on
continuing bonds with the loss by finding a lasting connection (Worden, 2018).
Incorporating narrative therapy into grief counseling allows clients to address the
fourth task of mourning which focuses on continuing bonds with the loss by finding
a lasting connection (Worden, 2018). The loss of a loved one can challenge the beliefs
an individual embodies and, in turn, create less meaning for that person (Neimeyer &
Young-Eisendrath, 2015; Worden, 2018). Using narrative therapy techniques, a client
can find new meaning through the new narratives that she or he creates. Further,
providing meaning to the loss allows the individual to confront the loss by labeling it
with various feelings and avoiding maladaptive coping mechanisms (Neimeyer et al.,
2010; Stroebe et al., 2017). Restorying a loss through narrative methods allows the client
to establish himself or herself as separate from his or her loss while incorporating that
loss into new life meaning (Suddeath et al., 2017; White & Epston, 1990). Narrative
therapy pairs well with the versatility of creative interventions.

Using creative interventions in grief therapy

Creativity in grief counseling helps to facilitate emotional expression while creating meaning
(Ceaușu, 2018; Humphrey, 2009). Using creativity in therapy aids the client in maintaining
a bond with the loss, in addition to processing unfinished business (Humphrey, 2009; Stroebe
et al., 2017). Individuals range in grief reactions (Cordaro, 2012; Suddeath et al., 2017) and
creative interventions are useful when working with clients who have various ways of coping.
Creative counseling pathways can allow clients to experience more self-expression and
become aware of feelings that they would otherwise not acknowledge (Duffey &
Haberstroh, 2013). Constructing personal stories through creative exercises creates more
meaning making than when using narrative therapy alone (Peri et al., 2016). The grief snow
globe, a creative approach to therapy, can appeal to clients’ empathy, allowing them to
interpret feelings in ways that empower their creativity while remaining focused on learning
about their grief (Duffey & Haberstroh, 2013). Creative interventions in conjunction with
narrative therapy techniques can provide the means for free expression in clients. In using
such methods, clients are not only able to express their grief verbally, but also potentially
through visual representations like mobiles or other tactile creations (Brandon & Goldberg,
2016; Goldberg & Stephenson, 2016; Peterson & Goldberg, 2016).

Creation of the grief snow globe intervention

The grief snow globe was originally created as part of an assignment by the first author for
a graduate grief counseling class taught by the second author. The class assignment
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entailed each student selecting a movie about loss and addressing its application to grief
counseling by creating a new therapeutic measure appropriate for the character (identified
client) in the movie. Author 1 chose the movie Jack Frost (Azoff & Miller, 1998) in which
11-year-old Charlie Frost experiences the death of his father (Jack) at Christmas time.
After Jack dies, Charlie maintains their relationship when Jack’s spirit begins to embody
a snowman. Charlie spends time with his father in his new form until it is time for Jack to
leave him once again when the snow melts. Charlie learns about continuing bonds with
the deceased. He understands that even though his father’s physical form is gone, he is
allowed to continue a relationship with him in a new way. The grief snow globe was
created in an effort to give the client an opportunity to verbalize feelings and restory the
loss experience, so Charlie restories the loss of his father, creating new meaning therein.
The original materials used were mason jars, eight colors of ribbon, and glass beads/
stones in different colors. Each ribbon denoted a different emotion (e.g., red-signified
anger, black-signified emptiness, blue-signified sadness). Each stone represented memories
associated with the loss. The rest of the class participated in creating their own grief snow
globes as they were asked to think of their own experiences with grief and loss. During
discussion, the class relayed that this activity was thought-provoking and agreed that it put
an interesting perspective on grief by showing that emotions and memories can range for
each survivor. One participant felt a personal connection with the activity and decided she
would keep hers on a windowsill in the kitchen to remind her of new meanings associated
with her personal loss. All six students in the class shared that they enjoyed the grief snow
globe activity because it provides new perspectives on loss and grief. One student
expressed that the creative approach will benefit a variety of clients and that the final,
physical product is conducive to understanding personal losses more holistically. This
intervention was further piloted at a small university in the Southeastern U.S. where the
grief snow globe continued to develop in purpose and materials over time.

Assumptions
When using the grief snow globe as a counseling intervention, consider the following
assumptions:

(1) The grief snow globe offers a new contribution to grief therapy through narrative
and creative means;
(2) Counselors can access materials at local craft stores, superstores, and online; and
(3) Visual representations can help grieving clients; they allow grief to be understood
in new ways when tangible products are used in conjunction with processing
feelings in therapy.

Objectives
The objectives of the grief snow globe are to:

(1) Reframe the loss;

(2) Uncover new ways to think of the loss;
486 M. RAFAELY AND R. M. GOLDBERG

(3) Help clients identify meaning with the loss while also coping with the loss; and
(4) Continue a connection after the loss through new meanings.

Process to create a grief snow globe

The following process will facilitate the use of the grief snow globe intervention in
counseling:

(1) In advance, the therapist will cut twenty pieces of ribbon from each color in order
to have enough pieces to quantify the feelings associated with them. Along with the
ribbons, the therapist will also have plastic beads, plastic stones, pony beads, or
glass stones based on availability. Prior to the session, the counselor will ask the
client to bring in an empty pickle or jelly jar. Ribbons and beads/stones will be
separated into clear snack bags. A notecard and pen will be used for a legend to
note the ribbons, stones, and feelings.
(2) Client is asked to signify each ribbon bag by using a pen to label them with
emotions that are relevant to the way in which s/he expresses grief-related feelings.
Client also identifies memories that s/he will represent figuratively with the beads/
stones provided. Client will choose a ribbon color and place the appropriate
amount in the jar that s/he feels is representative of that feeling; proceed with
other ribbons accordingly. Throughout, client will state and discuss his/her reason-
ing for picking each feeling-color association. Examples of the final product can be
seen in Figures 1 and 2.
(3) Client and counselor will then review process questions (see Table 1), which allow
for a discussion of the client’s new loss perspective. By uncovering the reason for
each feeling word and the ribbons chosen as representation therein, and beads/
stones selected to represent memories, the therapist and client create a new story
for the client’s loss adaptation. The client is able to learn self-empathy through his/
her new meaning-making abilities. This appeals to the fourth task of mourning
(continuing bonds after loss; Suddeath et al., 2017; Worden, 2018).

Adaptations of the process

Materials
The grief snow globe intervention can be adapted in a variety of ways to match client
needs. During the application and adaptation of this exercise, process, and materials were
altered for cost-effectiveness. For readily available, free containers, clients, and/or counse-
lors can supply their own clean, dry pickle or jelly jars as a convenient way to reuse items
intentionally. Additionally, the paper box adaptation was used to replace the jar when
supplies were limited which also included ribbons that were cut from varying colors of
construction paper. In addition, the purpose of the intervention was adjusted to fit the
client’s narrative. Using trial and error, the grief snow globe was changed with certain
clients and became a worry box, coping mechanism box, and treasure box. Some clients
placed their worries and grief in the box to externalize and objectify them with the
 JOURNAL OF CREATIVITY IN MENTAL HEALTH 487

Figure 1. Sample of electronic grief snow globe.

intention of recognizing that their feelings do not define them. One client labeled his
losses and grief with a name (e.g., “Jerry”); another client labeled the grief box as “the bad
box.” In labeling the box with a name, each client looks at the grief as separate from
himself or herself by referring to it as its own entity.
The worries and thoughts incorporated in the boxes were written on colored construc-
tion paper or white paper (which was colored using crayons or markers) depending on the
supplies at hand. Small beads/stones were also added to give the box more substance.
After creation of these boxes, clients were asked process questions to establish personal
meaning of the experience and how they benefited from their creations (see Table 2).
While Author 1 was an intern at the small Southeastern U.S. university, the grief snow
globe was manipulated to fit a guided mediation activity utilized during termination
sessions with clients. The guided meditation script prompts the participant to visualize
a treasure box that holds the most significant grief or problem. Author 1 would then
implement the creation of a tangible treasure box out of colored cardstock or plain paper
using any box template that can be found on the internet (Template, 2018). Other clients
used small clear glass mason jars in order to see the contents therein. Once again, process
questions (see Table 2) were utilized for the counselor to maintain a better understanding
of clients’ choices.
More cost-effective materials might also include plastic containers, such as ornament
capsules or snow globe containers (available in craft stores and online). If materials are not
accessible, computer-simulated grief boxes can be manufactured through Microsoft Word.
488 M. RAFAELY AND R. M. GOLDBERG

Figure 2. Sample of actual grief snow globe.

Table 1. Recommended process probes and questions.

Suggested probes and questions
1. How does this exercise change the way you feel/think about loss?
2. Can you share the reason you choose each color ribbon in your grief snow globe?
3. What is the significance of the beads/stones you choose for your grief snow globe?
4. Where will you keep your grief snow globe? How will this location help you in your grieving process?
5. Do you plan to leave the grief snow globe closed? Do you think you will open the grief snow globe and examine its
insides to help you in the grieving process?
6. Does creating something meaningful in tandem with talking about your experiences make the grieving process more
manageable? If so, how?
7. Will you add to or change anything about your grief snow globe after today?
8. Does creating a new perspective and meaning of your loss help with your grieving process in your opinion?

This representation (see Figure 1) can be saved on the computer, emailed to the client,
printed out, and stored in the client case file for future use.

Clients
When working with grieving couples in counseling, we recommend that each partner creates
a grief snow globe and shares both common feelings of loss and unique reactions to compare
narratives and personal interpretations therein. This will provide couples with opportunities
to gain or increase empathy for each other’s view of the loss and new adapted life stories.
 JOURNAL OF CREATIVITY IN MENTAL HEALTH 489

Table 2. Materials used in grief snow globe.

Materials needed to build grief snow globe
1. Empty jar, clean and dry
2. Different colors of ribbon (8 is recommended)
3. Bag of beads/stones of any shape or size
4. Small sandwich bags
5. Notecard for a legend
6. Pen or marker
7. Scissors
Note. All materials may be obtained online or at
superstores and craft stores. Start-up cost is
$5.48, and price per intervention is less than $.50.

Further, depending on clients’ ages, they can label the ribbons themselves to have more
control and ownership over the experience of the grief snow globe. In contrast, individuals
who have developmental disabilities and young children may need assistance in formulating
and labeling the grief words associated with the ribbons as well as identification that the beads/
stones signify good, bad, or neutral memories.
Additionally, this intervention can be used in group counseling. Clients may complete
the process individually and then share with the group to normalize feelings of grief and
loss. Moreover, the individual client may not have the same perceptions of the loss as the
group. Group members’ interpretations are likely to be more objective, which can benefit
the individual client by expanding his/her awareness.

Types of loss
The grief snow globe intervention can be utilized with individuals who have experienced
nondeath losses as well. These types of losses can include natural disaster, terrorist attack,
military deployment, divorce, developmental life transitions that come with aging, trauma,
friendships, sexual assault, and loss of job, personal items, ability, relationships with
significant others, pets, and mobility (Brandon & Goldberg, 2016; Goldberg &
Stephenson, 2016; Peterson & Goldberg, 2016). For example, this intervention can be
adapted for a client who experiences a job loss or change; the individual can use the
ribbons to express the positive qualities that s/he intends to work on to better his/her
potential at the next job. These can include work ethic, time management, ability to work
well in groups, and integrity. Clients who have experienced sexual assault can utilize this
intervention by labeling the ribbons with their strengths to empower themselves. In these
cases, clients can retell their stories by showing themselves empathy and self-advocacy.
A client who endures the loss of a personal item of significance can utilize this interven-
tion by labeling the ribbons as the various personal ideals associated with the importance
of such an item (e.g., lost family heirloom can denote memories, history, and value).

Requirements and limitations

A limitation of this intervention is the requirement of materials and cost. Start-up cost is
$5.48, and the price per intervention is less than $.50. If original materials are not
available, the paper box and supplies can be utilized as less expensive versions of the
grief snow globe. It is valuable to recognize that the importance of this intervention lies in
490 M. RAFAELY AND R. M. GOLDBERG

the reasoning and meaning behind the grief snow globe and the choices motivating the
color-assigned ribbons and memory beads/stones or paper representation of the snow
globe’s contents. This allows the client to look back at the grief snow globe in the future
and understand that his/her feelings associated with the loss are valid and worth
considering.

Case example
The following is a case example utilizing the grief snow globe intervention based on actual
client experiences, and all names have been changed to maintain confidentiality. This
client has given permission for her story to be incorporated for the learning process.
Megan is a 25-year-old undergraduate student studying psychology who has been attend-
ing counseling sessions at her university after the death of her boyfriend of three years,
Dylan. She endured this tragic loss when Dylan overdosed on methamphetamine. Megan
was, unfortunately, the one to find him deceased in their shared apartment. Six months
after Dylan died, Megan attended a few counseling sessions in her hometown until she
moved to her current university town. Eighteen months after his death, she has come to
counseling again because she often finds herself questioning and wondering what could
have been for their relationship had he lived. Megan seems to be in turmoil.
During an initial counseling session, after the client states that her presenting concern
is her unresolved grief, the counselor informs Megan of an intervention called the grief
snow globe. This can enable Megan to release her emotions in a way that will allow her to
restory and make new meaning of the loss. The counselor asks Megan if she is comfortable
trying this method and explains the grief snow globe as an empowering and creative
method for creating a lasting connection to the one she lost. Megan seems quite receptive
to it. The counselor asks Megan to bring an empty pickle or jam jar for their next session.
Upon Megan’s next visit, the counselor and client sit in front of a table with the
materials spread out in front of them. In this case, strips of colored card stock are utilized
instead of ribbon because available materials are limited. There are twenty pieces of each
of the seven different colored paper ribbons separated in clear bags. Small plastic beads are
also displayed for Megan to use to represent stories and memories, keeping in mind that
they may be good, bad, or neutral. A notecard and pen are also provided to create
a legend. This will help Megan and her counselor remember in the future what emotions
are represented by the colored ribbons, and what memories are represented by the beads.
The counselor asks Megan to start by picking a colored ribbon and labeling it with an
emotion ranging from good to neutral to bad that suits how she feels about her loss. She
picks purple to begin; this color represents sadness. She states that purple is her favorite
color and she wants to use it the most so that she will be attracted to looking at the snow
globe when the activity is over. She crinkles the purple paper ribbons and places a handful
of them in the snow globe. Her next choice is red which she signifies as anger. She states
that she is angry that Dylan left her and that he made the conscious decision to abuse
harmful substances. She places many red ribbons in the snow globe. Next, Megan chooses
blue to signify loneliness because Dylan was not only her boyfriend but also her best
friend. She places the blue ribbons one by one in the mason jar and then moves on to the
yellow ribbons. She picks the feeling of happiness for yellow to show how Dylan made her
feel during their best times together. She describes yellow as a positive, happy color. Dark
 JOURNAL OF CREATIVITY IN MENTAL HEALTH 491

navy ribbons signify guilt toward his active addiction. She feels that she should have done
something to help with his substance abuse instead of kicking him out of their home
periodically. This is where she struggles with the unknown of what their life could have
been had he become sober. Orange ribbons mean hopefulness for Megan; she feels this
way about her future and her new life at her university. She believes that she would not
have taken the chance to move to a new school and to live with her family if she was still
with Dylan. Pink ribbons mean love for Megan; she loves her partner, even in death, and
wants to commemorate that feeling. Along with their love came commitment; she chooses
the green ribbons to signify the commitment she had for her boyfriend when he was alive.
Now that Megan is done with the ribbons, she moves on to the beads.
The therapist reminds Megan that the beads signify memories ranging from good to
neutral to bad. Megan uses red beads to signify the abusive memories and the instances
when Dylan cheated on her. She goes into more detail about his cheating tendencies and
violent tendencies while placing about seven red beads in her snow globe. Megan remembers
that she and Dylan went on a weekend trip to the beach three years ago which she wants to
remember as well. She places three beads to represent this trip. Megan’s fondest memory was
Thanksgiving of 2014 when they hosted a “Friendsgiving;” Megan added eight beads because
she wants this one moment to outshine all of the negative memories.
After constructing the snow globe, the counselor asks Megan the process questions (see
Table 1). Megan responds that she will place it by her art table because that is where she
proudly displays her creations. Megan tells the counselor that she will open the snow globe
and write new meanings on each of the strips of paper in relation to the emotions that the
colors signify. She states that the color scheme of the project is almost deceptive because it
is so bright. It is a happy-looking snow globe, but the memories are not all necessarily
happy; they are a mixture of happy and sad, filled with love, despair, and hope for herself.
Overall, Megan benefits because she processes her grief in a creative way that she can keep
with her. The counselor is able to learn more about Megan’s grief and her capabilities for
loss adaptation. The counselor also learns about Megan’s ability to rationalize both
positive and negative emotions and memories from her loss experience. During the
subsequent sessions, Megan’s perception of her new life outlook becomes evident. She
finds a sense of purpose and hope in her future in psychology to help individuals who
experience addiction like Dylan had. She even reports being hopeful to find new love and
establish what relationship traits she wants in her next partner. As Megan’s treatment
continues, the grief snow globe remains a central focus of sessions and she shows that
growth as a survivor is a unique process individualistic to each mourner. Megan is able to
use this activity as a coping strategy in her process of bereavement.

Case conceptualization
In Megan’s sessions, narrative therapy, and creative approaches are utilized to help her
navigate grief. The therapist’s goal initially is to have Megan share her story and feel
unjudged and safe while doing so. Since she experienced such attachment to and depen-
dency on her boyfriend when he was alive (which she continues to feel even in his death),
her initial sense of hopelessness is evident. Experiencing self-blame makes it hard for her
to feel like she can move through her grief surrounding his death. In using a narrative
approach in tandem with the grief snow globe, Megan can externalize her feelings,
492 M. RAFAELY AND R. M. GOLDBERG

personify them and give them their own identities outside of herself. She can start working
through the burden that the emotions of sadness, angriness, loneliness, and guilt bring to
her. At the same time, she can incorporate positive memories (e.g., Friendsgiving 2014)
and feelings of hopefulness into her new meaning of the loss. In her journey through the
fourth task of mourning (Worden, 2018), Megan now has a tangible, self-expressive
method of viewing her new life experience without Dylan, while continuing the bond
she feels with him.

Conclusion
The grief snow globe is a creative means to grief counseling that utilizes narrative theory;
through this intervention, clients are able to share their stories and feelings associated with
their losses. By actively restorying losses, clients are able to better understand how to
process their grief in productive ways that facilitate the fourth task of mourning, main-
taining continuing bonds with the loss (Worden, 2018). This intervention is useful
because it allows clients to link their narrative counseling experience with a physical
object to take home, put on display, and reference as needed.
Our creative exercise helps clients to also understand their relationships with deceased
loved ones as more than just one-dimensional experiences. Instead of focusing on one
aspect of a relationship, our adaptation lets clients experience all dimensions therein
(Brandon & Goldberg, 2016; Goldberg & Stephenson, 2016; Peterson & Goldberg,
2016). For example, using Jack Frost (Azoff & Miller, 1998) with clients grieving parental
loss allows them to project themselves onto the identified character (“Charlie”) and
displace their feelings of guilt associated with loss in order to cope positively. Movies in
counseling are typically used to identify characters with whom clients relate in order for
them to assume metaphorical relationships to engage in meaning-making (Turns &
Macey, 2017). This intervention promotes clients’ understanding of grief and loss adapta-
tion through creating new perspectives on loss. The intervention can be easily adapted for
a variety of ages and groups and employed to facilitate client growth within different
counseling settings. In developing this intervention, we have seen that no two grief snow
globes are ever the same since this is a creative approach to therapy. The intervention
demonstrates that everyone’s loss experience is unique; no two loss representations are
identical (Somody & Hobbs, 2008).

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