What term refers to the process aimed at loosening the attachment to the deceased for reinvestment in the living?

The term that refers to the process aimed at loosening the attachment to the deceased for reinvestment in the living is known as grief work. This concept emphasizes the emotional and psychological processes individuals undergo as they navigate their grief after the loss of a loved one. Grief work involves confronting and processing feelings about the loss, allowing individuals to eventually let go of their attachment and redirect that emotional energy towards their present lives and relationships.

Unlike other approaches such as grief counseling, which can be more supportive and structured, or mourning work, which often refers to the outward expression of grief in a societal or cultural context, grief work specifically focuses on the internal psychological processes necessary for healing. Integration work, while relevant to the concept of processing loss, is less focused on the emotional attachment to the deceased and more about incorporating the experience of loss into one’s life narrative. Therefore, grief work is the most precise term for the process described in the question.