Grief 101: The Evolution of Grief Models & How They Inform Processing Loss with System Involved Youth and Their Families

Wendy Kessler

Training Description

Grief is the most universal experience that humans share, and yet within United States society, it is often the most misunderstood. This training will utilize research-based models to increase participants' understanding of the grief process, offer guidance in grieving personal losses, and provide education on how to effectively support system-involved youth and their families affected by grief. Participants will be informed through presenter instruction, a slide presentation, self-reflection, and ritual practice. To increase participant engagement and content retention, the presenter will also utilize the chat box, reaction emojis, annotation features, guided participant discussion, and Questions & Answers.

Learning Objectives

Participants will be able to:

● Explain 3 evidence-based, grief models that normalize the grief process.

● Identify 3 factors that complicate the typical grief process.

● Apply 2 grief tools which can be used to support system-involved youth and their families.

Agenda

12:00-12:15pm: Welcome

● Introduction of Trainer

● Introduction of Topic

● Introduction of Participants

12:15-1:00pm: Why Grief Education Matters

● Activity: Grief Myths Worksheet

● PPT Education: Grief 101

● Group Discussion

1:00-1:45pm: The Evolution of Grief Models

● PPT Education:

  ○ 3 Most Popular Grief Models

  ○ Applying Understanding of Grief Models to Non-Death Losses

● Activity: Practicing Dialectical Thinking in Grief

1:45-2:00pm: BREAK (CE hours will not be offered for this time)

2:00-3:00pm: How We Support Others

● PPT Education: Adverse Childhood Experiences & Complicated Grief

  ○ Emotions Need Motion

  ○ Building Resilience

● Activity: “What My Body is Telling Me” Worksheet

● Group Discussion

3:00-3:45pm: Growing Around Grief

● PPT Education: Post Traumatic Growth

● Activity: Name a Superhero You Identify With in the Chat

● Case Study Exploration: “Superhero Grief: The Transformative Power of Loss”

● Group Discussion

3:45-3:55pm: Closing Ritual

3:55-4:00pm: Wrap-up

Meet Our Trainer

Wendy Kessler, MSW, FT is a Grief Specialist. She is credentialed as a Fellow in Thanatology (the study of death, dying, and bereavement) by the Association of Death Education and Counseling, and a Certified Mental Health First Aid Instructor. Wendy worked as hospice Bereavement Specialist from 2017-2022 – offering grief care to patients’ loved ones, hospice staff, and community partners. Through hospice work she recognized a gap in grief education for helping professionals, and a need for better understanding and support for grievers. As a result, she left corporate hospice care and launched Grief Guide Consulting, LLC in 2022. Her private practice grief services include individual counseling, support group facilitation, group education, and consulting. She believes that grief is not a problem to be fixed. It is a journey that we can learn to navigate, and when the path is unfamiliar or uncertain it can help to have a guide. You can learn more about Wendy or contact her at her website: www.griefguideconsulting.com.

This course meets the qualifications for (3.75) BBS CE hours for LCSWs, LMFTs, LPCCs, and LEPs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences & is provided by Fred Finch Youth Center, CAMFT Provider #045295.