Living with loss: How sense of presence shapes ongoing connections with the deceased

Sense of presence (SOP) experiences, in which bereaved individuals feel the presence of a deceased person, are commonly reported yet remain poorly understood within grief research. Using constructivist grounded theory approach, semi-structured interviews with 25 bereaved participants explored how SOP experiences emerge, are understood, and become integrated within the grieving process. Analysis resulted in the Presence-Connection Model of Loss, which conceptualizes SOP as part of an evolving relationship with the deceased. The model highlights the interconnected roles of emotional response, relational meaning, orientation toward the presence, and relational continuity expressed through SOP and other forms of connection, including perceived signs, inner dialogue, and mental imagery. Experiences varied in sensory form, emotional tone, and relational meaning and were shaped by the prior relationship with the deceased, the circumstances of the loss, and personal, cultural, and spiritual frameworks. The findings suggest that SOP may provide one way through which bereaved individuals maintain connection with the deceased while adapting to loss over time.