Summary
We discuss self-compassion as a promising tool for such purpose, as mindfulness, self-kindness, and common humanity as three elements of self-compassion may facilitate coping with loss- and restoration-oriented stressors. We review the extant literature and propose a framework to facilitate research in this area. This framework focuses on pathways through which surviving parent’s self-compassion may decrease maladaptive grief reactions and mental health problems and increase adaptation in bereaved families. We illustrate the utility of the framework by giving an example of a real-world bereavement program that utilized self-compassion. Future directions are proposed.

Summary
Relational therapists have historically depended on White, upper-middle-class colorblind models of marriage in their therapeutic work with Black couples that do not account for the socioemotional and historical effects of racism on couple’s outcomes. No framework alone has yet described the vulnerable, yet resilient, process of how Black couples work to remain connected in their relationship while experiencing daily disconnections from experiences with racism. A new relationship model is introduced based on the integration of Critical Race Theory, Contextual Therapy, and Relational-Cultural Theory to describe how Black couples cope within the context of their relationships with racism-related stress.