Description
As we all know, the death of a loved one, no matter the circumstance, is painful to
experience???add to that the intensity of a traumatic death or a seemingly avoidable one, like
suicide, murder or a sudden accident, and the level of grief only increases. What about the
chronic deterioration with multiple losses of function, like Alzheimer?۪s or Parkinson?۪s disease,
that finally culminate in death, leaving the griever numb, yet often partly relieved? Sudden
death typically leaves loved ones in shock and disbelief that can hold elements of trauma. This
workshop will discuss the factors that contribute to grief with each type of death, as well as
helpful interventions for grievers in dealing with the loss. Participants will learn how and why
leaving things unspoken or ???under cover? only add to the weight of their grief.
Presented by: Robert DeVries, D.Min., Ph.D. & Susan Zonnebelt-Smeenge, R.N., Ed.D.
Learning Objectives
Participants will:
- Identify each of the challenging factors for grievers related to specific types of death previously mentioned and how they can complicate the grieving process
- Understand ways to implement psychologically-sound principles and reframing techniques
supported by evidence-based research to help grievers work through negative feelings
related to blame, guilt, relief, anger, and regret that often surround difficult deaths and
stymie healing
