Coping with the Death of a Loved One: The Seductiveness of Stages

This is an excellent article about how wrong headed the whole idea of stages of grief is, and documents how pervasive they've become. 

Is there scientific evidence in support of the stage model?  The consensus of scholars is that there is not. As Robert Neimeyer has indicated, research has failed to identify a universal or normative pattern of grieving. It turns out there is considerable variability in the kinds of emotions we experience after a loss – and the order in which we experience them.  Stage models do not help us to understand why some people are devastated by a loss, while others emerge unscathed, or even strengthened.

Worth a read Coping with the Death of a Loved One: The Seductiveness of Stages

Here's my take on the stages of grief.