2011

Legacy is popularly understood in today’s culture as referring to the idea of leaving something of oneself behind for future generations. Frequently legacy has been understood in two primary ways. First, it can indicate a material legacy—that appropriation of material and familial possessions to family or friends after one’s death, or a financial bequest to an institution or cause. Second there is the biological legacy— that inheritance of genetic traits with susceptibility to certain health conditions passed through the generations. However, the phenomenon of legacy as an aspect of aging or terminal illness has been understudied in the end of life literature, especially from the perspective of transmitting values and beliefs to loved ones left behind (Hunter, 2008a, 2008b; Hunter & Rowles, 2005). The psychosociospiritual concept of legacy work has historical roots in the field of music therapy (Cadrin, 2006; West, 1994). More recently the gerontological (Moremen, 2005; Werth, Gordon, & Johnson, 2002) and the palliative care fields (Chochinov, 2007) have begun to acknowledge the importance of helping individuals leave behind a legacy for loved ones. However, there is a paucity of literature about legacy work in counseling, which is probably indicative that clinical counseling applications of legacy interventions are underutilized in practice (for an exception, see Rayburn, 2008, which, while not specifically using the term legacy, included similar concepts).