The following text is a summary, which briefly introduces the main themes and the investigative work of the present thesis. The thesis primarily discusses the theme; Professional understandings of grief and Complicated Grief Disorder.

Grief, as a result of death, is a painful and heartbreaking feeling which varies greatly in its individual form of expression.
You can say, that the phenomenon of grief has come in the spotlight, not only for the self-reflection for the modern individual, but also in the public debate on health and psychiatry.
Grief related to death, can be divided into two main categories; normal grief reaction and complicated grief reaction. The reaction of normal grief is the foreseeable reaction, where the creature of grief is strongest the first 6-12 months. And the reaction of the complicated grief does not reduce within 6-12 months, and often invalidates the grieving person physically, mentally and socially.


In 2018 WHO added a new diagnostic manual, called ICD-11, where the ' Prolonged Grief Disorder ' (complicated grief reaction) is added to the list "mental disorders". Since then is ‘Complicated Grief Disorder’ considered as a clinical and psychological diagnosis. The new diagnostic manual is now ready for implementation in all Member States, which is why, the Danish health system has allocated 8 million DDK for the establishment and operation of a competence and development center for ' Complicated Grief diagnosis '.
The diagnosis of Complicated Grief Disorder is implemented in the Danish health System 2020.

Over the past few years, the most prominent international and national researchers have investigated the phenomenon of grief, which now also contains terms of psychological and pathologically perspectives and cultural consequences.
But there is a great knowledge gap in the research from an organizational perspective. The professionals who practice and handle mourning/grief on a daily basis, are not involved in the research results, and there is a lack of knowledge of professional understandings of grief and practice of grief diagnosis.

The purpose of this study is to contribute with an organizational insight into grief understandings, both as the phenomenon and as a professional practice, based on the upcoming Complicated Grief Disorder.

This thesis is a qualitative study based on three semi-structured interviews with a priest, general practitioner and a psychologist, which all are representatives of organizations, in which grief and grief managing are part of their work descriptions.

The aim of the thesis purpose is, to illuminate and highlight how professional actors create meaning in their understandings of grief and treatment, especially based on the understandings of the implementation of Complicated Grief Disorder in the Danish health System.