they tend to do a few things:

1. Refer out (usually as a knee jerk reaction)

2. They give it a try (just to see what happens)

3. And they try to rely on the tired and true interventions that work for them and feel comfortable to practice. 

The good news is the basics that we possess are the foundation to support the grieving. The bad news is unfortunately it is not always effective in companioning the client to heal their grief and move through to post (traumatic) grief growth.

Grief work has to have grief education complimenting it.  Only then does grief begin to make sense in the senselessness of it all.

For grief therapy to be effective, it’s simple, we have to companion the grieving.

As clinicians we must be able to vacillate between professionalism and companion. That means easing in and out of our clinical skills and approach, and into the vulnerability of being a human professional. That also means being able to feel comfortable in the sacred silence, the vulnerability of not knowing what to say or how to lead, as well as digging into our own rich experience around loss and grief.  For some this is the scary piece behind the insecurities of supporting grief. These are also the things that help us bridge our compassion with the clinical.

It may sound simple and some may even say that it feels intimidating,

And in order to be a compassionate connector effectively and successfully, one must first understand grief and how it impacts the mind, body, heart, spirit and soul.

Grief work and therapy interventions aren’t a one and done deal.  Grief work is as eclectic as the griever is individual. You CAN learn the skills of bridging the clinical you already know with the compassionate connection your client is seeking in healing their grief. You can do this with education, interventions, and companioning compassionately, and we are gathered here to show you how.

This training is unique…

In the panel of Expert Guests, featured niches, and the topics discussed.  The grief work perspectives are not only focused on death and dying. The speakers talk about clinical best practices, diagnosis, assessments, supporting special populations, different types of losses and different kinds of grief. Personal experiences are shared in transparency and with vulnerability. There are moments of laughter and deep introspection. It truly is a bridging of professionalism, individual humanness and compassion.