2008 Professional Development Courses
Introduction to Thanatology: Dying, Death, and Bereavement
Faculty: Madeline E. Lambrecht, EdD RN FT and Sherry R Schachter, PhD FT
Intended Audience:
The Introduction to Thanatology Course is intended for those new to the field of Thanatologyand individuals who are working as volunteers and support staff with critically ill, dying, or bereaved individuals. This course will also be helpful for professionals (nurses, physicians, psychologists, social workers, chaplains, funeral directors, police, EMTs, etc) who may have little formal education in Thanatology and are working with the critically ill, dying, or bereaved.
Course Description:
This course gives an overview and summary of the field of Thanatology based upon the Body of Knowledge published by ADEC. It explores the social, cultural, psychological, legal/ethical, and spiritual issues raised by illness, dying, death, and bereavement. All information is relevant to everyday life and most specifically to those practitioners providing support to the dying and bereaved. The course will explore the meaning of death and examine personal attitudes and fears, in order to understand the grieving process and basic grief support throughout the life span.
Course Objectives:
At the completion of the course, the participant will be able to:
- Identify the six categories and twelve indicators which form the Body of Knowledge as delineated in the Handbook of Thanatology (Balk, 2007).
- Describe historical, contemporary, and cross-cultural perspectives of death and dying.
- Explain the social, cultural, psychological, and spiritual aspects of death, dying, and bereavement including ceremonies and rituals.
- Describe understandings of the death experience related to a life span development.
- Identify legal/ethical/technological issues pertinent to the death experience.
- Describe the various models of the grief experience.
- Identify ways in which caring people may assist the dying and bereaved with basic grief support.
- Describe how research guides clinical practice and the importance of bridging the gap between clinicians and researchers.
- Explore personal beliefs and feelings related to the death experience.
- Differentiate between formal and informal death education.
Required Text:
The latest edition of the following text will be required:
Balk, D. (Ed.). Handbook of Thanatology:The Essential Body of Knowledge for the Study of Death, Dying, and Bereavement. Northbrook, IL: Association for Death Education and Counseling, The Thanatology Association,
ISBN: 978-0-9794082-0-5.
Intermediate Course: Grief Counseling
Faculty: Valarie A. Molaison, PhD FT
Intended Audience:
This course is designed for all professionals who have at least two years of experience working with the bereaved.
Course Description:
This course examines key concepts related to the human response to loss and the facilitation of healthy bereavement. Topics include theoretical models of the grief experience, risk and resilience, developmental, cultural, family, and other mediating factors in normal, uncomplicated bereavement using the most current research and theoretical perspectives in the field. The course will explore specific strategies and counseling tools to effectively companion with persons (e.g.: individuals, couples, families, or groups) coping with loss.
Course Objectives:
At the completion of this course, the participant will be able to:
- Identify major types of loss and typical responses from American society.
- Identify common tasks facing bereaved individuals.
- Describe developmental, cultural, family, and other mediating factors related to normal, uncomplicated bereavement.
- Evaluate risk and resilience factors affecting bereavement outcomes.
- Identify specific strategies & counseling tools used to companion with bereaved clients.
Required Text:
The latest edition of the following text will be required:
Worden, J.W., (2002). Grief Counseling and Grief Therapy: A Handbook for the Mental Health Practitioner (3 rd Ed.). New York: Springer. ISBN: 0-8261-4162-5
Advanced Course: Complicated Bereavement and Grief Therapy
Faculty: J. Eugene Knott, Dr., PhD
Intended Audience:
Psychologists, social workers, marriage and family therapists, licensed professional counselors, nurses, physicians, pastoral counselors, or anyone with professional training seeking advanced skill development in bereavement intervention with challenging cases.
Course Description:
A significant percentage of individuals who lose a loved one struggle with prolonged and debilitating grief that merits professional intervention. The goal of this course is to draw on contemporary models and research findings that help distinguish between benign (or resilient patterns of grieving) and those that are more complicated, traumatic, or entail greater risk to the bereaved person’s psychosocial adaptation, health, and interpersonal relationships. The course will acquaint participants with specific conceptual and practical tools for evaluating and intervening in such complications.
Course Objectives: At the completion of this course, the participant will be able to:
- Distinguish between normal and problematic forms of bereavement in terms of characteristic symptoms and trajectory.
- Present and evaluate research identifying risk factors for poor bereavement outcome, as well as predictors and correlates of resilience.
- Review contemporary models of complicated or traumatic bereavement with a focus toward assessment and intervention.
- Describe procedures for evaluating bereavement complications that merit intervention.
- Illustrate alternative strategies for complicated or traumatic bereavement intervention, anchoring these in clinical material.
Required Text(s)
The selection of the text(s) and/or readings for this course will be at the discretion of the course faculty.
Updated:
October 25, 2007
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