February 17, 2025 Working paper Open Access

Trauern in Zeiten der Psychologisierung

Reich, Arina

This paper examines how the psychologization of late-modern Western society has generated tensions and conflicts in the experience and management of grief. From early psychological models to contemporary expressions on digital platforms, psychology remains a fundamental framework for navigating emotional challenges. Drawing on Illouz’s concept of the therapeutic ethos as a central theoretical lens, this paper analyzes its influence on grief-related discourses and practices. The individual is positioned as the primary agent responsible for their own emotional well-being. The analysis highlights the increasing individualization, pathologization, and integration of grief into processes of self-optimization. As a result, grief is reframed as a personal issue requiring resolution, deemed dysfunctional in the context of social relationships. Ultimately, grief finds limited space in social interactions, giving rise to tensions between individual needs for emotional expression and prevailing social norms.