Grief Support Intensive: Essential Theory and Interventions for Working With Grief
This fifteen-hour intensive is developed to provide clinicians with the essential theoretical and practical knowledge required to support clients grieving both death and non-death losses. Using research around risk and resilience after loss, alongside the most current theories of attachment and the dual process model of coping with loss while restoring life, participants will learn tools for helping clients integrate the loss into their lives while maintaining a dynamic internal continued bond with loved ones.
Therapists, social workers, and counselors in almost all settings are asked to support to clients grieving both recent and remote losses. And yet the majority of Masters and PhD programs in these fields do not require coursework in grief and bereavement. The landscape of modern grief theory has changed significantly over the last 50 years and yet much of the coursework that exists has failed to incorporate the most recent research and theory. This intensive will ensure you have the solid clinical foundation you need to understand and support those in grief, no matter your practice setting.
Participants may register for the full 2.5 days or participate in individual sessions.
A replay of all sessions will be available after the live event.
Agenda:
Thursday, September 21st
Grief 101: A Foundation for Professionals - 3 CEs
11am-2:15pm ET
This session will help participants to understand the most current conceptualizations of how individuals grieve, relevant types of grief, identified grieving styles, and common cognitive, emotional, behavioral, and spiritual experiences faced by grievers. (see agenda tab and click session title for full description and objectives)
Beyond the Five Stages: Understanding and Applying Modern Grief Theory - 3 CEs
3pm-6:15pm ET
Beginning with Freud and working through the present, this program will provide a foundation in 20 th and 21st-century grief theory, with a strong emphasis on the significant paradigm shift away from stage-based models in current practice. (see agenda tab and click session title for full description and objectives)
Friday, September 22nd
Grief Therapy Techniques: A Foundation for Clinicians - 6 CEs
11am-6:15pm ET
This session will provide clinicians with a strong foundation in evidence-informed grief counseling and therapy techniques, including appropriate evaluation tools. Participants will walk away with concrete interventions they can immediately apply to practice. (see agenda tab and click session title for full description and objectives)
Saturday, September 23rd
Working with Ambiguous Grief and Non-Death - 3 CEs
11am-2:15pm ET
Beginning with a review of ambiguous grief (grieving someone who is still alive) and other non-death losses, this session offers a foundation in Pauline Boss's ambiguous grief counseling approach. Participants will learn critical tools for working with the family of those with dementia, estrangement, placement, incarceration, and substance abuse. (see agenda tab and click session title for full description and objectives)
Session Facilitators:
Eleanor Haley, MS and Litsa Williams, MA, LCSW-C are the co-founders of What’s Your Grief, one of the largest online grief and bereavement support organizations. Both are mental health professionals with a collective 25+ years of experience working with those grieving both death and non-death losses. Eleanor and Litsa met while supporting families who had lost loved ones to traumatic and unexpected deaths in Baltimore, MD. Drawing on their personal and professional experience with grief, WYG was built as a resource offering concrete, practical, creative, down-to-earth, and relatable support, founded on the values of psychoeducation and creative coping. It has grown to serve more than 5 million visitors each year. Eleanor holds a master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Loyola College in Baltimore, MD and Litsa received her master's degree in Clinical Social Work from the University of Maryland School of Social Work, as well as a master’s degree in Philosophy from the University of Warwick (UK). They have been interviewed as grief experts for the Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, NPR, and New York Times. They co-authored the book What's Your Grief: Lists to Help You Through Any Loss.
