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Developing a group voice through the grief journey: the Grief Choir

Abstract I have my own grief to sing, but I don't have to sing it alone. The CarePartners Grief Choir sings these words as a celebration of the support, compassion, and bonds they have discovered and developed through uniting their voices in the musical expression of their grief. The Grief Choir has created a therapeutic space where grievers may share the experiences of their grief journeys with each other – and with the community – through re-creative music experiences. Through this integrated form of musical expression, group members find new voices, witness and acknowledge each others’ pain, find meaning together in both their pain and their joy, reinvest in life, access inner resources, learn how to take care of themselves, decrease feelings of isolation, remember and honor the persons who died, and continue bonds with the persons who died. This study reviews the use of music therapy with adult grievers, explains the theoretical foundation of the Grief Choir, describes various dynamic forces within the choir, illustrates various interventions, and examines challenges encountered in the choir. A vignette is shared which reveals the benefits of the choir, and excerpts from an original composition from the Grief Choir are included.