Programs & Services 14
Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement The Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement is a statewide service established in 1996 to provide a range of education, training, research and professional service options for those working in the area of grief and bereavement. Mission Statement The Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement has a mission to build the capacity of individuals, organisations and communities in order to enhance well being following adverse life events. Production Eye to Eye Graphic Design Published by Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement Freecall 1800 642 066 Telephone: (03) 9265 2100 Facsimile: (03) 9265 2150 Email: info@grief.org.au Website: www.grief.org.au ABN 22 038 903 478 ACN 159 297 444 COPYRIGHT 14 Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement The Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement acknowledges the support of the Victorian Government.
Contents 1. General Information About the 2 Location Map 2 Education and Training Programs 2 Customised Training 2 Bereavement Counselling and Support Service 3 Membership and Member Benefits 3 Grief Matters: The Australian Journal of Grief and Bereavement 5 Resources 5 ACGB Online 5 Donations 5 2. Information for Participants Applying for Education Programs 6 Cancellation and Refund Policy 6 Registration 6 Privacy Policy 6 Goods and Services Tax (GST) 6 3. Education Program 14 Program Schedule 7 Australian Grief and Bereavement Conference 14 9 Victorian Workshops 14 Interstate Workshops 27 Courses 32 Bereavement Counselling and Support Service 33 4. Educator Profiles Educator profiles 34 5. Registration and Membership Registration Form 35 Programs and Services 14
1. General Information About the The offers innovative grief and bereavement education services, informed by evidence based practice, a range of consultancy services to develop and enhance the capacity of individuals, organisations and communities to deal effectively with loss, and a range of specialist intervention services for grieving people who are at risk of adverse outcomes. The Centre also undertakes research and public policy development, as well as producing publications and resources to enhance grief and bereavement knowledge and practice. Education and Training Programs The Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement offers quality education and training opportunities for health professionals, students, volunteers and any other individual or agency desiring to enhance grief and bereavement knowledge and practice. Education and training programs are offered as seminars, workshops, short and long courses and customised training that meet the specific needs of organisations and agencies. Details of the 14 education and training calendar are available in section three. Customised Training As the largest national provider of grief and bereavement education, the Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement offers a range of customised training and consultancy services that provide informed, high quality, professional development programs that meet the specialist training needs of organisations, groups and individuals. The Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement has provided training and consultation to many organisations and programs within local government, schools and school support services, hospitals, university departments, health centres, residential care services and community groups. Training can take place in venues throughout Australia or at training facilities at the. For further information please contact the Manger Health Promotion and Education (03) 9265 2100 or education@grief.org.au. KEY BLACKBURN ROAD Bus Stops approx. 40 m π pi cafe Location TO CITY COMPARK CIRCUIT ENTRANCE Building The Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement is located at: Telephone: (03) 9265 2100 Freecall: 1800 642 066 Facsimile: (03) 9265 2150 Email: info@grief.org.au Website: www.grief.org.au Melway: Map 71 A12 Parking Parking is available on site at no cost. Entrance to the carpark is on the right as you turn into Compark Circuit. Please ensure you park in one of the 18 parking spots marked ACGB. In the event that the allocated car parks are full, there is free parking on Compark Circuit, and in neighbouring streets. NANTILLA ROAD TRAFFIC FLOW ACGB com.park @mulgrave Disabled Parking COMPARK CIRCUIT ACGB Parking (18 spaces) WELLINGTON ROAD TRAFFIC FLOW ENTER HERE (Lower Ground Level) ACGB WELLINGTON ROAD Building SPRINGVALE ROAD Public Transport For those travelling via public transport, there are a number of bus stops located within a short walking distance from the Centre. Buses run frequently along Wellington Road (#691, #802, #804, #862, #900), as well as along nearby Springvale Road (#902). From the CBD If travelling by public transport from the CBD take a train to Huntingdale Railway Station and then the #900 Bus, east along Wellington Road stopping just before the intersection of Springvale and Wellington Roads. 2
Bereavement Counselling and Support Service The (ACGB) provides a statewide specialist bereavement service for individuals, children and families in Victoria who need assistance following a death, as well as bereavement advice and consultation to practitioners in other settings. The service aims to be responsive to the needs of bereaved people by offering a range of specialist services and options, recognising that different things help different people. We aim to ensure that services are accessible to a wide range of people by: offering a low cost, means tested service offering flexibility in the delivery of services having services in a range of locations throughout Victoria. In addition, opportunities are provided for professionals to receive training and gain experience in working in the field of bereavement. Specialist services and programs include: Bereavement Counselling (office based) Service is provided by qualified bereavement counsellors and experienced counsellors participating in the bereavement counselling internship program. They are supported and supervised by experienced grief and bereavement practitioners/supervisors. Counselling sessions are provided at low cost and are means tested in accordance with a Government fee schedule. Counselling appointments can be made by phoning (03) 9265 2100. Appointments are available from Monday to Friday, morning, afternoon and some evenings. The main service is located at the Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement,, Mulgrave, Victoria. Counsellors are also located in other metropolitan areas. Telephone counselling is also available if required. Regional Specialist Bereavement Counsellors are employed in five rural regions Geelong, Ballarat, Morwell, Mansfield and Bendigo. Counselling sessions can be provided by phone for those who are unable to travel to the regional cities. Bereavement Support Groups are a way of bringing people together in a safe space to share common life experiences. ACGB run a variety of support groups, including groups for: bereaved partners (catering to a range of age groups) children and adolescents (ages 6 14) bereaved men death of a parent companion animal loss. Please contact the Centre on (03) 9265 2100 or email counselling@grief.org.au to enquire about our support groups. For further information on our: Bereavement Information and Referral Service for the general public Membership and Member Benefits Membership of the Membership of the offers a range of benefits: Grief Matters: The Australian Journal of Grief and Bereavement published three times per year discounted member rates for seminars and workshops offered by the free member only grief and bereavement webinars free member functions voting rights at the Annual General Meeting. Reciprocal Membership of the Association for Death Education and Counseling (ADEC) The is delighted to offer a range of exciting membership options. Alongside our current membership program, ACGB offers an enhanced level of membership, which will include reciprocal membership with the US based Association for Death Education and Counseling. One of the oldest interdisciplinary organisations in the field of dying, death and bereavement, its nearly 2,000 members include a wide array of bereavement practitioners, mental and medical health personnel, educators, clergy, funeral directors and volunteers. Further details on ADEC can be viewed on their website: www.adec.org. In addition to the current benefits of ACGB membership listed above, joint ACGB ADEC membership will offer substantial benefits including: 1. Receive online subscriptions to two professional journals An issue identified for many practitioners is the difficulty in accessing contemporary evidence based academic literature in the fields of death, dying and bereavement. This has frequently been cited as one of the reasons for the gaps between research and practice in the bereavement field. Membership will include complimentary electronic subscriptions to the two leading journals in this field Omega: The Journal of Death and Dying and Death Studies. Members will also have access to available back issues of both journals in PDF and HTML format. Death Studies (including issues dating back to Volume 21, 1997) Editor: Robert A. Neimeyer Published ten times each year, this acclaimed journal provides refereed papers on significant research, scholarship, and practical approaches in the fast growing areas of bereavement and loss, grief therapy, death attitudes, suicide, and death education. It provides an international interdisciplinary forum in which a variety of professionals share results of research and practice, with the aim of better understanding the human encounter with death and assisting those who work with the dying and their families. Practitioner Consultancy Service for health practitioners publications and newsletters Support Group Facilitation training, please contact the Centre on (03) 9265 2100 or email counselling@grief.org.au. Programs and Services 14 3
Omega: Journal of Death and Dying (including issues dating back to Volume 39, 1999) Editor: Kenneth J. Doka This journal brings insight into terminal illness; the process of dying, bereavement, mourning, funeral customs and suicide. Fresh, lucid, responsible contributions from knowledgeable professionals in universities, hospitals, clinics, old-age homes, suicide prevention centres, funeral directors and others, concerned with thanatology and the impact of death on individuals and the human community. Omega is a rigorously peer refereed journal. Drawing significant contributions from the fields of psychology, sociology, medicine, anthropology, law, education, history and literature, Omega has emerged as the most advanced and internationally recognised forum on the subject of death and dying. It serves as a reliable guide for clinicians, social workers and health professionals who must deal with problems in crisis management, e.g. terminal illness, fatal accidents, catastrophe, suicide and bereavement. 2. Professional certification Certified in Thanatology (CT) and Fellow in Thanatology (FT) are professional certifications that recognise practitioners and educators in the field who meet specified requirements measured by a standardised testing process. ADEC members receive significant discounts on certification fees. 3. ADEC Connects ADEC members receive a bimonthly electronic digest. This member benefit will feature short news items for and about ADEC members. Items will include ADEC news, events, and bereavement related news. Membership Rates Two membership options are available. These rates apply from 1 st January to 31 st December 14. Option 1: Membership to ACGB only Member Individual $1.00 Organisational* $300.00 Student/Concessional $95.00 Option 2: Membership to ACGB and ADEC Member type Individual $270.00 Organisational * $570.00 Student/Concessional $150.00 * Organisational members receive the following entitlements: receipt of 2 copies per issue of Grief Matters: The Australian Journal of Grief and Bereavement any two staff members to attend ACGB workshops at the discounted membership rate. To take out a membership with the Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement, simply complete the membership form found on our website www.grief.org.au or contact the Centre on (03) 9265 2100. 4. The Forum The Forum is a members only publication that brings news of upcoming events, articles by leaders in the field and information on current developments and trends in the field. 5. Discounted journal subscriptions ADEC members receive discounted subscription rates for the Journal of Loss and Trauma, Mortality, and Living With Loss. 6. Annual Conference discounts ADEC members receive substantial registration discount to attend the ADEC Annual Conference, continuing education courses and workshops. The conference provides an excellent opportunity to network with leaders in the field and to share information and strategies. 7. Members only section and Member directory Members of ADEC have access to the Members Only section of the ADEC website. This resource includes the online searchable membership directory, an invaluable tool that allows members to keep in touch with their peers and to make referrals globally. 8. Professional development In conjunction with the ADEC Annual Conference, the Education Institute Program offers courses and workshops on perspectives in death and dying, death education and grief counselling. 9. Networking groups ADEC members share information and ideas about specific areas of interest. 10. Networking Among the varied opportunities to interact with ADEC members in an extended sharing and caring community. 4
Grief Matters: The Australian Journal of Grief and Bereavement The peer reviewed journal Grief Matters: The Australian Journal of Grief and Bereavement, published by the Centre in house since 1998, encompasses both academic and applied aspects of grief and bereavement and is a ranked journal with the Australian Research Council as part of the Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA) initiative. Past contributors have included Colin Murray Parkes, Simon Shimshon Rubin, Ruth Malkinson, John R. Jordan, Margaret Stroebe, Henk Schut, Robert A. Neimeyer, William Worden, Kenneth J. Doka, George A. Bonnano, Holly G. Prigerson, Cecilia L. W. Chan, David Balk and many more. The journal is published three times annually in Autumn (April), Winter (August) and Summer (December), with a central theme for each issue. The first edition of 14 will complement the Australian Grief and Bereavement Conference, featuring papers from the keynote speakers. Other upcoming issues will focus on missing persons, violent death, creative expressions of grief, multiple deaths and more. The journal will be of great benefit to mental health practitioners, tertiary institutions, teaching organisations and occupations related to loss and grief. Back Issues Back issues of Grief Matters: The Australian Journal of Grief and Bereavement are available for purchase, priced at $18.70 per copy. Issues published prior to 10 can be purchased for the special rate of 3 for $.00 until sold out. Back issues can be purchased by downloading an order form from our website www.grief.org.au or by contacting the Centre on (03) 9265 2100. How to subscribe to Grief Matters: The Australian Journal of Grief and Bereavement Within Victoria Grief Matters: The Australian Journal of Grief and Bereavement is available to all members of the Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement. By becoming a member, you will automatically receive Grief Matters three times a year. Outside Victoria Journal subscription to Grief Matters: The Australian Journal of Grief and Bereavement is available to individuals, organisations, institutions and libraries outside of Victoria. Journal subscriptions commence 1 st January and expire 31 st December annually. 14 Fees Individual $100.00 Organisational/Libraries* $165.00 To subscribe to the journal Grief Matters: The Australian Journal of Grief and Bereavement, please complete and return the subscription form available from our website www.grief.org.au or contact the Centre on (03) 9265 2100. Free ACGB Member Only Grief and Bereavement Webinars In 14 ACGB will provide two free grief and bereavement webinars for ACGB members. The webinars will be delivered over the internet to up to 100 participants and will include a presentation, using a range of video, audio and graphics and discussion. You can participate in the webinar simply by registering for the event and accessing the site via PC or Mac. The dates and topics are yet to be confirmed; however, these will be promoted via the Grief Brief e newsletter. You can subscribe to the Grief Brief from our website at www.grief.org.au. Resources The has an extensive number of resources available pertaining to grief, loss and bereavement. These resources are available for purchase by professionals working in the field of grief and loss, and members of the public who are bereaved or offering support to others. The publication of our comprehensive Resource Guide enables you to review the resources available, assess their suitability and purchase as required. The Centre maintains relationships with several well known international authors and organisations including Robert A. Neimeyer, Tom Golden, Babette Rothschild, The Dougy Centre (USA) and the Skylight Foundation (New Zealand) in order to provide a wide variety of resources. Resources can be purchased from the Centre by completing a resource order form available to download from the website www.grief.org.au or by contacting the Centre on (03) 9265 2100. ACGB Online For all the latest news, information, resources and training opportunities, visit the website at: www.grief.org.au. You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter at: www.facebook.com/griefaustralia www.twitter.com/tweet_acgb Donations Donations to the are tax deductible and allow us to continue to provide a wide range of support services, including bereavement counselling, support groups, newsletters, events, research, education and training. To make a donation, visit www.grief.org.au or call 1800 642 066. Thank you. Overseas Individual $1.00 Overseas Organisational/Libraries* $190.00 * Organisational journal subscribers receive 2 copies of each edition of Grief Matters: The Australian Journal of Grief and Bereavement. Programs and Services 14 5
2. Information for Participants Applying for Education Programs If you would like to register for any of the programs listed in this booklet, please complete the registration form located at the end of this program (one form per person) or available from our website at www.grief.org.au and email to education@grief.org.au, fax to (03) 9265 2150 or send via mail to: To reserve a place, a registration form along with payment details must be received in the ACGB office a minimum of two weeks prior to the training session. Your tax invoice/receipt is confirmation of your registration. We are unable to secure you a place in a seminar or workshop without receipt of a completed registration form. Once a registration form is received by ACGB, you have committed to attend the session. If you would like to discuss your suitability for any programs within this brochure please contact the Centre. Cancellation and Refund Policy The reserves the right to cancel education programs that do not achieve minimum participation, in which case all fees will be refunded. An administration fee of 25% of the registration fee will apply to cancellations made up to 14 days prior to the seminar or workshop commencement. For cancellations made between 7 and 14 days prior to the seminar or workshop, a 50% administration fee will be charged. No refund will be made for cancellations less than 7 days prior to seminar or workshop commencement. A substitute participant can be sent in your place at any time; however, the Centre must be advised of this or any other change in writing. Please note: the full invoiced amount will still be payable in the event of non attendance on the day. Payment and refund conditions differ with the Vocational Graduate Certificate in Bereavement Counselling and Intervention course, specialist educator workshops and conference. Registration Please register your attendance 30 minutes prior to the seminar or workshop commencement. Privacy Policy The is committed to protecting your privacy. If you would like further information on the Privacy Policy, please contact the Centre on (03) 9265 2100, freecall 1800 642 066, or visit our website at www.grief.org.au Goods and Services Tax (GST) Professional seminars, workshops and courses are GST exempt. The noted price may include the collection of GST associated with other costs (e.g. catering); this will be itemised on the tax invoice/receipt. Really appreciated the relatability of the presenter, using real life examples to link theory and practice; creating interest around the topics and increasing our understanding. Workshop participant 6
3. Education Program 14 VICTORIA Title Location Page SPECIAL EVENTS Australian Grief and Bereavement Conference 14 Bridging the Gap Between Research and Practice Melbourne 26 th 28 th March 9 Pre Conference Workshops Introduction to Complicated Grief Treatment: An Evidence Based Approach Dr M. Katherine Shear Individuality and the Process of Mourning Dr J. William Worden Melbourne 24 th March 12 Melbourne 25 th March 12 WORKSHOPS Engaging in Effective Brief Contact or Single Session Bereavement Support Mulgrave 29 th April 14 Complex Grief: When There is More to a Loss Mulgrave 13 th May 14 Providing Bereavement Support Following Violent or Traumatic Deaths, Including Homicide Mulgrave th May 15 Kids Grieve Too: Creative Approaches for Working with Children and Adolescents Mulgrave 28 th May 15 Understanding and Supporting Perinatal Loss Mulgrave 4 th June 16 Using Creative Writing in Bereavement Support Mulgrave 17 th June 16 The Power of Presence: Mindfulness as a Foundation For Group Facilitation Mulgrave 19 th June 17 Grief in the Digital Age: Technology and Bereavement Support Mulgrave 25 th June 17 Bereavement Practice: Expanding the Therapist Toolkit Mulgrave 22 nd July 18 Providing Effective Bereavement Support Mulgrave 29 th July 18 Strategies for Supporting Children and Adolescents Experiencing Grief and Loss Mulgrave 7 th August 19 Living Into Loss Anticipatory Grief Mulgrave 14 th August 19 Spirituality and Transilience in the Context of Bereavement Support Mulgrave 19 th August The Impact of Trauma, Separation and Loss for Children, Parents and Families Mulgrave 27 th August 21 The Grief of Living With Dementia Mulgrave 4 th September 21 Recent Developments in Bereavement: Bridging From Theory to Practice Mulgrave 9 th September 22 The Tree of Life: Storytelling and Narrative in Bereavement Practice Mulgrave 16 th September 22 Being Alongside the Bereaved as a Counsellor/Therapist Mulgrave 18 th September 23 A Right to Grieve: Bereavement Support for Older People and People With Diverse Abilities Mulgrave 7 th October 23 Mindful Somatic Experiencing as an Effective Tool for Complicated Grief Mulgrave 15 th October 24 Grief Support for Lesbians and Gay Men Mulgrave 21 st October 24 Working With Grief: Mindfulness as a Pathway to Self Care Mulgrave 30 th October 25 Supporting Men in Their Grief Mulgrave 13 th November 25 Engaging in Effective Brief Contact or Single Session Bereavement Support Mulgrave th November 26 COURSES MELBOURNE Vocational Graduate Certificate in Bereavement Counselling and Intervention Mulgrave 1 st Feb 10 th Nov 14 32 Vocational Graduate Certificate in Bereavement Counselling and Intervention Mulgrave 25 th Jul 14 12 th Jun 15 32 BEREAVEMENT COUNSELLING AND SUPPORT SERVICE Bereavement Counselling Practice Internships Mulgrave Ongoing throughout 14 33 Programs and Services 14 7
NEW SOUTH WALES Title Location Page WORKSHOPS Providing Effective Bereavement Support Sydney 8 th May 14 27 Complex Grief: When There is More to a Loss Sydney 9 th May 28 The Grief of Living With Dementia Sydney 24 th July 29 Engaging in Effective Brief Contact or Single Session Bereavement Support Sydney 25 th July 30 Understanding and Supporting Perinatal Loss Sydney 5 th September 31 SOUTH AUSTRALIA Title Location Page WORKSHOPS Providing Effective Bereavement Support Adelaide 29 th May 27 Complex Grief: When There is More to a Loss Adelaide 30 th May 28 The Grief of Living With Dementia Adelaide 21 st August 29 Engaging in Effective Brief Contact or Single Session Bereavement Support Adelaide 22 nd August 30 Understanding and Supporting Perinatal Loss Adelaide 24 th October 31 WESTERN AUSTRALIA Title Location Page WORKSHOPS Providing Effective Bereavement Support Perth 5 th June 27 Complex Grief: When There is More to a Loss Perth 6 th June 28 The Grief of Living With Dementia Perth 11 th September 29 Engaging in Effective Brief Contact or Single Session Bereavement Support Perth 12 th September 30 QUEENSLAND Title Location Page WORKSHOPS Providing Effective Bereavement Support Brisbane 26 th June 27 Complex Grief: When There is More to a Loss Brisbane 27 th June 28 The Grief of Living With Dementia Brisbane 16 th October 29 Engaging in Effective Brief Contact or Single Session Bereavement Support Brisbane 17 th October 30 8
Australian Grief and Bereavement Conference 14 Bridging the Gap Between Research and Practice Bayview Eden Melbourne, 26 th 28 th March 14 www.grief.org.au/conference The is delighted to announce the Australian Grief and Bereavement Conference 14. This dynamic professional development opportunity will bring together five world class keynote speakers, alongside local presentations, pre conference workshop opportunities and social networking events. Keynote Speaker Dr J. William Worden Harvard Medical School, USA J. William Worden, PhD, ABPP, is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association and holds academic appointments at the Harvard Medical School and at the Rosemead Graduate School of Psychology in California. He is also Co Principal Investigator of the Harvard Child Bereavement Study, based at the Massachusetts General Hospital. Recipient of five major NIH grants, his research and clinical work over 40 years has centered on issues of life threatening illness and life threatening behaviour. Dr Worden has lectured and written on topics related to terminal illness, cancer care, and bereavement. He is the author of Personal Death Awareness, Children & Grief: When a Parent Dies, and is co author of Helping Cancer Patients Cope. His book Grief Counseling & Grief Therapy: A Handbook for the Mental Health Practitioner, now in its fourth edition, has been translated into 14 foreign languages and is widely used around the world as the standard reference on the subject. Dr Worden s clinical practice is in Laguna Niguel, California. Keynote Presentation How the Harvard Child Bereavement Study Informs Our Work with Bereaved Families The Harvard Child Bereavement Study is a longitudinal investigation of school age children who have lost a parent to death. A community based sample of 125 bereaved children from 70 families were followed for two years after the death of a parent. For each bereaved child, there was a control child matched for age, gender, grade in school, family religion, and community. This presentation will describe factors that influence the course and outcome of a child s adjustment to loss. We will look at which children are most likely to be at risk for poor adaptation and examine a screening instrument for the early identification of these children. A resilient group of children will also be described, along with factors that influence resilience. The clinical implications of the research findings will be discussed and ways to help bereaved children and their families will be presented. Keynote Speaker Dr M. Katherine Shear Columbia University, USA M. Katherine Shear, MD, is Marion E. Kenworthy Professor of Psychiatry at Columbia University. She graduated with Honors from the University of Chicago, completed medical school at Tufts University and is Board Certified in internal medicine and psychiatry and neurology. Dr Shear is author of more than 250 peer reviewed papers. She served as an advisor to the DSM 5 and participated on the Mood and Anxiety Disorders workgroup for ICD11. She previously served on the faculties of the Departments of Psychiatry at Cornell University and the University of Pittsburgh. She has received three grants from the National Institute of Mental Health and one from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention to study complicated grief treatment, a targeted psychotherapy. Two of these four studies are now complete and the other two are well underway. The treatment is based on an innovative, empirically based model of bereavement, grief and mourning. Complicated Grief Treatment has been disseminated worldwide and she regularly gives talks and workshops about this topic. Keynote Presentation Using Research in Treatment: Developing, Testing and Using Complicated Grief Treatment The session will include: a brief history of the syndrome of complicated grief (CG) conceptualising CG and constructing the treatment training, supervising and monitoring therapists pilot studies and getting National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) grants for full scale efficacy testing refining the treatment what we learned in our clinical research studies what we learned from the growing body of CG mechanisms research CG therapy today. Programs and Services 14 9
Keynote Speaker Dr Phyllis Kosminsky Private Practice, New York, USA Phyllis Kosminsky, PhD, FT, is a clinical social worker in private practice and at the Center for Hope in Darien, Connecticut, where her work focuses on grief, loss and trauma. She received her Social Work degree from Columbia University and her PhD in Social Welfare from Brandeis University. She is trained in Eriksonian hypnosis and is a certified provider of EMDR, a clinically proven method for treating trauma. In 07 Dr Kosminsky was named a Fellow in Thanatology and in 11 she was elected to the ADEC Board of Directors. Dr Kosminsky has written on a range of topics related to bereavement and loss and lectures frequently on these subjects to professional and lay audiences. Her first book, Getting Back to Life When Grief Won t Heal, draws on her 18 years of clinical experience and provides a description of the challenges that often accompany the loss of a loved one, as well as resources for moving through complicated grief. Most recently, Dr Kosminsky contributed to Techniques of Grief Therapy, edited by Robert A. Neimeyer. With co author John R. Jordan, Dr Kosminsky is currently at work on a book focused on the role of attachment in bereavement. Keynote Presentation How New Insights About the Brain are Helping Us Understand Attachment and Loss Over the past twenty years advances in neuroscience have made it possible for us to observe and describe how the brain develops in the first two years of life and how it changes over the course of our lifetimes. We have seen an exponential growth in our understanding of the role of early care giving on the development of neurological functioning, particularly in regard to attachment orientation and affect regulation. With an eye towards implications for adjustment to bereavement, we will introduce findings from neuroscience about how these capacities develop and the components of early care giving that support their growth. We will contrast this optimal scenario with the kind of non optimal, early relational experience that has been associated with deficits in affect regulation and difficulties in attachment. Clinical experience with clients who struggle with grief affirms research showing that early relational trauma, abuse or neglect can inhibit the growth of areas of the brain that support affect regulation and social bonding. These deficits contribute to relational issues that complicate grief, and also have an independent, contributory effect to people s difficulty in recovering from emotionally painful events. Clinical implications and treatment models integrating findings from neuroscience will be discussed, and case material will be included to illustrate how an awareness of the neurological substructure of attachment orientation and self regulatory capacity can support diagnosis and treatment of people struggling to recover from significant loss. Musings on how grief changes the brain, and what healing from bereavement may mean from the standpoint of brain structure, will be shared. The audience will be invited to share their own views on the implications of findings of neuroscience for the practice of grief therapy and the potential for therapeutic change and what healing means in the context of significant loss. Keynote Speaker Dr Elizabeth Lobb University of Notre Dame, Sydney, AUS Elizabeth Lobb, PhD (PsychMed), MAppSc (BehavSc), BAdultEd (Com), PostGradDipBereavementCouns, has established national and international research collaborations and pursued independent multidisciplinary clinical collaborations in oncology, haematology, cancer genetics and palliative care for 17 years. Dr Lobb holds an academic appointment as Professor of Palliative Care at Calvary Health Care Sydney and the Cunningham Centre for Palliative Care, and an Adjunct appointment as Professor of Palliative Care (Allied Health) in the School of Medicine at the University of Notre Dame Sydney. She has worked clinically as a bereavement counsellor for 24 years. Dr Lobb s research has enhanced evidence based communication and psychosocial care across the cancer continuum from diagnosis, through treatment, remission and survivorship or relapse, to palliative care and bereavement support for families and caregivers. She has been an advisor to the Commonwealth of Australia Department of Health & Ageing and the NSW Ministry of Health, and is a member of the Executive Committee of the Agency for Clinical Innovation (ACI). Keynote Presentation The Shocked Caregiver: Caregivers Experiences at the Deathbed Suggestive Of Ptsd After an Expected Death in Palliative Care offering choices about place of care, effective management of distressing physical symptoms, and provision of personalised and culturally sensitive psychosocial and spiritual support to both the patient and their family are all core activities of palliative care services, intended to reduce distress. Nonetheless, and despite the goal of supporting families and preparing them for the death of the patient, there is an awareness that some carers are at risk of prolonged grief disorder. Within the literature on palliative care, the possible occurrence of PTSD as part of the spectrum of complications of grief seems to have gone largely unrecognised. Nonetheless our clinical experience suggests that trauma symptoms and possibly PTSD may contribute significantly to bereavement morbidity in this population. This presentation will discuss the phenomenon of the shocked caregiver. Dr Lobb will present findings from interviews with bereaved carers and examine their responses to the death of their loved one, their perceptions of what represents a good death and focus specifically on responses suggestive of trauma/ptsd. Whilst many families and clinicians regard the palliative care approach to death as peaceful, and a precious time for the dying person to spend with their loved ones, for others the palliative care phase may be characterised only by feelings of shock and distress. Whether this trajectory is one of initial shock followed ultimately by growth and resilience in the face of an existential phenomenon far beyond the individual s prior experience, is one of many questions raised in this presentation. The goal of palliative care is to support patients and families when death from a life limiting illness is expected. Preparation for death, 10
Keynote Speaker Dr David E. Balk Brooklyn College, City University of New York, USA David E. Balk, PhD (CounsPsych), MC (CounsEd), MA (Theology), BA (Philosophy), is a Professor and Director of Graduate Studies in Thanatology in the Department of Health and Nutrition Sciences at Brooklyn College of the City University of New York. Prior to becoming a college professor, he worked for nearly ten years as a researcher and program evaluator for two community mental health centres in the United States in Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona. With Charles A. Corr, Dr Balk edited Adolescent Encounters with Death, Bereavement, and Coping; with David K. Meagher he editedthe Handbook of Thanatology: The Essential Body of Knowledge for the Study of Death, Dying, and Bereavement. Dr Balk is the author of Helping the Bereaved College Student, and ofthe forthcoming Dealing with Death, Dying, and Grief during Adolescence (14). He wrote the article Building a Bridge to Span the Research Practice Gap which appears in the Autumn 13 issue of Grief Matters: The Australian Journal of Grief and Bereavement. He chaired the Scientific Advisory Committee for the Association for Death Education and Counseling, and his committee authored the article Bereavement and Depression: Possible Changes to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders: A Report from the Scientific Advisory Committee of the Association for Death Education and Counseling published in 11 in Omega. Keynote Presentation Getting Researchers and Clinicians to Play Nice Together: Building a Bridge to Span the Gap Separating Practitioners and Researchers Peer reviewed journal articles, books and conference presentations have called for bridging the gap separating researchers and practitioners. This gap separates clinicians and researchers in numerous areas: social work, counseling psychology, and thanatology are but three. In his keynote address, Dr David Balk will examine what leads practitioners and researchers to dismiss the wisdom of the other, including disparate research and practice cultures and the recognition that science is but one way to gain knowledge. Some attention will be paid to evidence based practice and to obstacles preventing practitioner and agency adoption of evidence based protocols. Six alternatives for bridging the gap will be offered, as will a proposal that being grounded in theory provides the conceptual basis for equal partnership in building bridges to span the gap. Peer reviewed journal articles, books and conference presentations have called for bridging the gap separating researchers and practitioners. Programs and Services 14 11
PRE-Conference Workshops Two one day, pre conference workshops, conducted by Dr M. Katherine Shear and Dr J. William Worden, will take place prior to the Conference on the 24 th and 25 th of March 14. Workshop 1 Introduction to Complicated Grief Treatment: An Evidence based Approach Monday, 24 th March 14 Dr M. Katherine Shear This introductory workshop will cover: introduction to complicated grief (CG) recognising and understanding complicated grief constructing complicated grief treatment (CGT) structure and strategies for the introductory phase structure and strategies for the middle phase part I imaginal revisiting demonstration and discussion Learning Outcomes At the conclusion of this workshop, describe the symptoms and clinical presentation of complicated grief compare and contrast symptoms of complicated grief, depression and PTSD describe an attachment theory model of complicated grief as the framework for understanding the symptoms and as a guide for treatment discuss the principles and procedures used in complicated grief treatment. structure and strategies for the middle phase part II imaginal conversation demonstration and discussion CGT: consolidation and termination phase. Workshop 2 Individuality and the Process of Mourning Tuesday 25 th March, 14 Dr J. William Worden Grief and the process of mourning is a distinctly individual experience, where context is key. Recently there has been considerable interest and discussion in the literature on differences and similarities between normal and abnormal grief, centring on abnormal grief what it is, and how it can be treated. Traumatic events, whether natural or man made, often result in the death of loved ones and seem to be on the increase. How to deal with both grief and trauma in the bereaved are often challenges for the mental health practitioner. How different is the loss of a parent through divorce from the loss of a parent through death? There are similarities in the reactions of school age children to the break up of the home via these two avenues and similar adjustments that the family must make to accommodate to changes in family structure and role allocations. This workshop will discuss grief counselling, presenting up to date information on Worden s Model the Tasks and Mediators of Mourning and how these tasks help us to understand individual differences among grieving individuals and within families. The recent update of the DSM, and its treatment of grief, will be discussed in detail. This workshop will also look at a helpful paradigm for understanding the interaction of trauma and grief and how to counsel individuals experiencing both of these. Finally, the unique features that distinguish the two types of parental loss, death and divorce, will be identified and discussed. Learning Outcomes At the conclusion of this workshop, 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 understand how to diagnose and treat complicated bereavement understand grief related changes in the DSM 5 understand how to identify and treat traumatic bereavement understand the impact of trauma in conjugal bereavement understand how the loss of a parent through divorce differs from losing a parent to death and what makes children adapt better to parental loss. 12
Conference Registration Online Registration Process All registrations for the Australian Grief and Bereavement Conference 14 must be lodged through our online booking system. This can be accessed from our website www.grief.org.au/conference Through the online registration platform, you can register for the Conference, Pre Conference Workshops and Social Events, as well as pre purchase books written/edited by our keynote speakers. You can register a maximum of two people at a time using this system. Simple instructions are given at the beginning of the registration process, and in the grey box at the top of each page as you progress. If you encounter any difficulties with your online registration, please contact the Centre on (03) 9265 2100. Early Bird Registration Ends: Friday, 6 th December 13 Registration Closes: Friday, 28 th February 14 Conference Rates Conference Registration Registration Type Early Bird Rate Standard Rate Non Member $850 $990 ACGB Member $690 $810 Student $795 $890 Registration/Membership Pack* $810 $930 Individual Day Registration Registration Type Standard Rate Non Member $400 ACGB Member $330 Student $360 Pre Conference Workshops Registration Type Standard Rate Conference Delegate (all tiers) $180 Non Member (not attending conference) $270 ACGB Member (not attending conference) $240 Conference The Australian Grief and Bereavement Conference 14 will be held at the Bayview Eden Melbourne. Bayview Eden Melbourne 6 Queens Road Melbourne, Victoria, 3004 Perfectly positioned for business and pleasure, Bayview Eden Melbourne is a self rated 4 star hotel, located adjacent to the beautiful Albert Park Lake & Golf Course, close to all Melbourne has to offer. highlights include: 180 guest rooms and 12 suites (views available) on site undercover car parking 17 metre indoor heated swimming pool billiards room rooftop health club, including sauna, spa & gymnasium flexible Grand Ballroom with up to 5 individual rooms niche Cafe & Cocktail Bar business centre. Accommodation Rooms have been put aside for Conference Delegates at the special conference rate of $150.00 per night (extra $ per person for breakfast). To get this special rate, please mention that you are a Conference Delegate when making your booking. Rooms contain one queen sized bed, an in room safe, internet access (fees apply), LCD TV with free and pay movie channels, working desk, iron and ironing board, ensuite bathroom with shower over bath, mini bar, tea and coffee making facilities, individual heating and cooling. To book, please call the Bayview Eden Melbourne directly on 1800 033 001 or email reservations.bem@bayviewhotels.com. Further Information For full details on the conference program, social events and how to submit abstracts for consideration, please refer to our webite www.grief.org.au/conference or email conference@grief.org.au. Student (not attending conference) $250 Social Events Event Standard Rate Welcome Cocktail Function NO COST* Gala Dinner $140 *The Welcome Cocktail Function is a complimentary function for all conference and Pre Conference Workshop delegates. Bringing together five world class keynote speakers, alongside local presentations, pre conference workshops and social networking events, the Australian Grief and Bereavement Conference 14 is an event not to be missed! Programs and Services 14 13
Victorian Workshops Engaging in Effective Brief Contact or Single Session Bereavement Support Presenter: Greg Roberts There are times when community support and health care professionals might only have brief contact or sometimes just a single session with individuals regarding grief or bereavement. Research tells us that a large percentage of bereaved individuals will be able to live with their grief with minimal support from professionals. However, practitioners in the field acknowledge that complications and difficulties may occur over time if the bereaved individual has not had timely access to sound basic information about the nature of grief and how to identify when to be concerned for the wellbeing of themselves and others. This workshop will explore the idea that effective bereavement support can be offered or initiated via brief contact or a single session. The workshop is aimed at community support staff and health care workers who have contact with bereaved and grieving individuals, even though their primary role may not be in the field of grief and bereavement, and will offer a simple framework and strategies that can be used to ensure effective bereavement support. Professionals working with those who might experience grief and bereavement, such as teachers, counsellors, nurses, therapists, psychologists and other allied health professionals. At the conclusion of this workshop, describe the lived experience of grief and bereavement for individuals using contemporary grief and bereavement theories/models offer basic grief education to individuals by identifying common grief reactions, possible behaviours and when to be concerned identify strategies and resources that can assist people who are experiencing strong emotions understand when to refer to specialist grief and bereavement services for ongoing support. Tuesday, 29 th April 14 Registration closes 15 th April 14 Complex Grief: When There is More to a Loss Presenter: Greg Roberts There are times when grief has so many complex layers that a person s ability to manage their grief experience is compromised. Sometimes this is due to the nature of the loss itself, perhaps where trauma is present and sometimes because the bereaved person themselves have other difficult issues they are grappling with in the midst of their grief. This workshop will lead participants through a brief history of how the professionalised concept of Complicated or Prolonged Grief developed and, in turn, present methods of assessing the needs of clients. A range of intervention options for working with the bereaved will also be explored within the context of complex grief situations. Professionals working with those who have experienced bereavement, such as teachers, counsellors, nurses, therapists, psychologists and other allied health professionals. At the conclusion of the workshop, describe the concept of Complicated or Prolonged Grief in light of current theory and practice in the field of bereavement counselling assess whether an individual is experiencing, or is at risk of experiencing, complex grief utilise an understanding of complex or prolonged bereavement to inform the application of effective grief and bereavement support strategies. Tuesday, 13 th May 14 Registration closes 29 th April 14 14
Providing Bereavement Support Following Violent or Traumatic Deaths, Including Homicide Presenter: Greg Roberts Violent or traumatic deaths bring a range of complex reactions that can vary widely from individual to individual. Strong physical, cognitive and emotional reactions are common, with the social world of the bereaved also affected. Engagement with law enforcement agencies and the legal system brings its own challenges, along with media attention in many cases. Attendees at this workshop can expect to engage in a discussion of these complex issues and explore the most effective ways to provide support and assistance to the bereaved, while being mindful of the impact on the support worker themselves. Professionals working with people who are experiencing grief as a result of a violent or traumatic death, such as social workers, teachers, chaplains, counsellors, nurses, therapists, psychologists and other allied health professionals. At the conclusion of this workshop, explore current grief and loss theories understand and be able to offer simple techniques for managing strong emotions be aware of role definition and boundaries as a support worker when working with violent and traumatic deaths develop an understanding of the complex needs of those bereaved through violent and traumatic deaths increase confidence in working with individuals affected by these issues. Tuesday, th May 14 Registration closes 6 th May 14 Kids Grieve Too: Creative Approaches for Working With Children and Adolescents Presenter: Allen Jeffress Give sorrow words, yes, but also paint and glue and hammers and nails and long walks and quiet and music and play and all other possible forms of expression, including silence (Donna L. Schuurman). There are many ways to explore and process experiences associated with loss. This workshop will focus on the uniqueness of bereavement in children and adolescents and how creative expression can be an access route to making sense of these experiences. It will explore how creative languages can communicate and represent a child and adolescent s experiences to both themselves and others. This workshop will support professionals to draw upon children and adolescent s intrinsic capacity to heal through art and play, exploring how creative expression is often a natural and safe language for these developmental stages. Throughout the day participants will engage in a variety of creative activities that have been used in the ACGB Kids Grieve Too support group program. This workshop will be limited to 14 participants due to a focus on experiential learning. Participants will be given a hard copy of all activities, with the aim to equip professionals with tools to use in their own practice. Participants attending this workshop do not need to have training or specific skills in creative arts, as the focus is on the process rather than the final product. Professionals working with those experiencing grief and bereavement, such as support workers, group facilitators, counsellors, social workers, teachers, therapists, psychologists and other allied health professionals. At the conclusion of the workshop use research and literature to substantiate the use of creative approaches in bereavement expand and build confidence in the use creative expression in bereavement support know how to respond to creative expression use creative methods to identify strengths, ways of coping, maintain continuing bonds and expand emotional intelligence. Wednesday, 28 th May 14 Registration closes 14 th May 14 14 Programs and Services 14 15
Understanding and Supporting Perinatal Loss Presenter: Keren Ludski emotional, spiritual and environmental Perinatal loss refers to the death of a baby aspects of perinatal loss. The factors that during gestation and up to 28 days after may be useful in understanding and assisting birth. Because these deaths are often post loss adjustment will also be covered. sudden, without warning and completely unexpected, the grief that follows these losses is often disenfranchised. Professionals working with people who are It is widely stated in the literature that the death experiencing perinatal grief, such as social of a child is one of the most intense forms of workers, chaplains, maternal and child health grief. The death of a child seems to violate the care workers, counsellors, nurses, midwives very laws of nature. Parents may feel that they therapists, psychologists and other allied have failed in their fundamental roles as health professionals. parents to protect their child. They may struggle due to the lack of information and reasoning behind the death of their baby. Often At the conclusion of the workshop, the relationship between parents and child is not recognised if the child dies prior to birth. Our describe the ways in which our society society provides minimal social rules for the way has historically responded to perinatal in which unborn or recently born children are to death and the influence of this on the be mourned. There are no social rules regarding bereaved how friends and family members should identify and describe the range of issues, respond to such a loss. This non supportive questions and experiences that face the environment places the parents, siblings, and perinatally bereaved other members of the social network at risk of identify effective support strategies and disenfranchised grief. resources that can be used by those In this workshop participants will focus on experiencing perinatal bereavement the patterns of grief of women and their increase participants confidence in families who have had a pregnancy end in working with individuals affected by miscarriage, medical termination or stillbirth. these issues We will examine different strategies to utilise an understanding of perinatal help these families attend to the physical bereavement to inform effective perinatal effects of their grief, while understanding support to minimise the risk of complex the possible connections to the cognitive, bereavement. Using Creative Writing in Bereavement Support Wednesday, 4 th June 14 Registration closes 21 st May 14 Presenters: Greg Roberts and Evelyn Chittleborough There are many ways of living with and expressing grief after the death of a loved one. Drawing on practice based knowledge and making links to current theoretical ideas, this workshop will demonstrate how to work creatively with clients, by following their lead as they live through the grief and loss associated with bereavement. There will be a focus on the benefits of poetry as a creative medium, with some space to explore other creative mediums. Evelyn Chittleborough will use a case study of a client who, after his wife died, found it difficult to speak about his loss and grief, but found he could communicate through poems that detailed the depth of his love for his wife as well as the intensity of his grief and pain. The client has put some of his work together in a booklet that he would like to share with others who may not have words for their grief. Using this case example, Greg Roberts, alongside Evelyn, will encourage participants to consider how creative methods are supported by current theories of grief and bereavement, such as continuing bonds and meaning reconstruction. This workshop is designed for counsellors, therapists, psychologists, palliative care workers and other health professionals working with people who have experienced grief and bereavement. At the conclusion of this workshop, work in a more creative manner with clients explore times when a creative approach in counselling may have been appropriate have an increased understanding of the concepts of continuing bonds and meaning reconstruction in bereavement. Tuesday, 17 th June 14 Registration closes 3 rd June 14 16
The Power of Presence: Mindfulness as a Foundation for Group Facilitation Presenter: Michal dewilloughby Mindfulness has been described as bringing one s complete attention to the present experience on a moment to moment basis (Marlatt & Kristeller, 1999, p. 68) and as paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally (Kabat Zinn, 1994, p. 4). The science underpinning mindfulness remains in its adolescence, however, due to the outstanding efforts from researchers to define mindfulness both conceptually and operationally, the construct now offers much promise in the areas of scientific inquiry, and as a supportive strategy for mental health and chronic pain patients. Likewise, counselling professionals have found it to be a beneficial tool for both themselves and their clients in the therapeutic alliance, as well as in the facilitation of support groups. (David Black, 09; Kabit Zinn, 05). This workshop s main focus will be bringing mindfulness into the group process, with an emphasis on group facilitation and, in the context of grief and bereavement. Professionals working with those experiencing grief and bereavement, such as group facilitators, counsellors, nurses, therapists, psychologists and other allied health professionals. After taking part in the workshop, the participant will understand experientially: the basic principles of mindfulness how recent literature and research substantiates the need for using mindfulness in working with bereaved individuals from a foundation of mindfulness, the context of group work, and how to facilitate a bereavement support group looking at some key issues in the planning of a mindful bereavement support group the personal experiencing of group processes. Thursday, 19 th June 14 Registration closes 5 th June 14 Grief in the Digital Age: Technology and Bereavement Support Presenter: Christopher Hall Modern communication technologies have profoundly influenced social practices and views about death, dying and bereavement. Transcending the limits of space and time, the internet provides us with instant access and often immediate feedback. This workshop will provide information on the emerging field of thanatechnology and how technology can be enlisted to provide and enhance bereavement support. How can we use technology as a means of providing bereavement support? How does technology provide opportunities to deal with death, dying and bereavement? How can we best deliver bereavement support? What roles do blogs, social media, smartphones and web conferencing platforms play in providing effective bereavement counselling and support? How do we address emerging ethical issues, such as befriending clients on Facebook or sending or receiving texts or tweets from or to clients? It is hoped that a number of local and international presenters will contribute to this workshop using some of these new technologies. Professionals working with those experiencing grief and bereavement, such as counsellors, therapists, psychologists, social workers and other allied health professionals. At the conclusion of this workshop participants will have: an enhanced understanding of how thanatechnology, or the use of communication technologies and emerging digital technologies, is dramatically changing social practices and views about death and bereavement explored a range of strategies which can be used in providing grief and bereavement support considered the implications of these new technologies upon the practice of bereavement support. Wednesday, 25 th June 14 Registration closes 11 th June 14 Programs and Services 14 17
Bereavement Practice: Expanding the Therapist Toolkit Presenter: Keren Ludski Grief has the capacity to affect an individual psychologically, physically, spiritually, cognitively and emotionally. Sometimes talk therapy is not enough. This workshop will provide you with an experiential sampling of different therapeutic interventions that you can use in your work with clients. By experimenting with truly innovative approaches to grief and loss therapy, professionals will gain new and different skills to add to their therapeutic toolkit. This will further help to develop a program that is best suited to the individual needs of the client, therefore helping them gain perspective on their loss and the ability to move forward with their grief journey. Professionals working with those experiencing grief and bereavement, such as counsellors, nurses, therapists, psychologists, teachers and other allied health professionals. At the conclusion of the workshop, identify and describe a range of therapeutic interventions that may be useful when working with the bereaved work in a more creative way with clients work with increased confidence with clients using a broader range of interventions develop an understanding of the risks and benefits of implementing different creative strategies have an increased understanding of the concepts of continuing bonds and meaning reconstruction in bereavement. Tuesday, 22 nd July 14 Registration closes 8 th July 14 Providing Effective Bereavement Support Presenter: Greg Roberts When working with grieving people it is important to recognise and understand normative grief reactions. Grief, loss and bereavement is a particular area of practice which requires a toolkit of responses and strategies which are tailored to each individual s needs. This workshop is designed for professionals wanting to improve their basic understanding of how to support people experiencing grief and bereavement. Participants will identify a range of practical ideas and tools appropriate for working with grieving people. Professionals involved in the care and support of bereaved people, including nurses, counsellors, doctors, social workers, teachers, clergy, volunteers and youth workers. Those with a basic understanding of counselling practice, but whose primary or sole area of practice may not be grief support. At the conclusion of the workshop, be aware of common grief responses identify and describe some theoretical perspectives and useful models recognise the needs of grieving people identify and implement effective strategies to support grieving individuals. Tuesday, 29 th July 14 Registration closes 15 th July 14 Grief has the capacity to affect an individual psychologically, physically, spiritually, cognitively and emotionally. 18
Strategies for Supporting Children and Adolescents Experiencing Grief and Loss Presenter: Greg Roberts This workshop will consider loss and grief from the perspective and needs of grieving children and adolescents. Young people have different needs to adults when they experience loss. Adults who provide care and support need to be sensitive to these unique needs. This workshop will explore the developmental changes in childhood and adolescence, how these changes impact of grief responses and consider a range of support strategies that can be effective when supporting grieving children and adolescents. Professionals working directly with children and adolescents such as teachers, counsellors, nurses, therapists, youth workers, psychologists and other allied health professionals. At the conclusion of this workshop, understand grief and loss theory as it impacts upon the lives of children and adolescents identify the impact and developmental needs of grieving children and adolescents identify effective strategies when providing support to grieving children and adolescents. Thursday, 7 th August 14 Registration closes 24 th July 14 Living Into Loss Anticipatory Grief Presenter: Greg Roberts While we are aware that death and loss come to all of us, humans spend most of their time focused on living life. When confronted with the certainty of an impending death or the news of an illness that is certain to bring death, life takes on a very different focus. This workshop will pay attention to supporting those who are living with death or loss on their immediate horizon and introduces the concept of living into loss, which involves giving acknowledgement to both the grief or losses as they occur and finding ways to embrace the parts of life that still exist. Consideration will be given to the impact of working with the dying on support professionals themselves. Also covered in this workshop will be ways to assist people to prepare for the death or loss when it occurs. Learning Outcomes At the conclusion of the workshop, describe what is meant by anticipatory grief, in light of current theory and practice in the field of grief counselling identify a range of strategies that can be used to support people experiencing anticipatory grief apply the concept of living into loss when working with grieving individuals be aware of how anticipatory grief can impact on professionals working in the field. Thursday, 14 th August 14 Registration closes 31 st July 14 Designed for Professionals working with those who are experiencing anticipatory grief, such as, teachers, counsellors, nurses, therapists, psychologists and other allied health professionals. While we are aware that death and loss come to all of us, humans spend most of their time focused on living life. When confronted with the certainty of an impending death or the news of an illness that is certain to bring death, life takes on a very different focus. Programs and Services 14 19
Spirituality and Transilience in the Context of Bereavement Support Presenter: Michal dewilloughby it is only through knowing ourselves that we can be authentically in relationship with others. Ironically, it s only through relationship with others that we can know ourselves (Otto Rank). Mindfulness: A process by which an individual, through curiosity, develops a deep awareness of self and other. Through the practice of mindfulness, one can gain the ability to respond non-judgementally in the present moment. Spirituality: Although difficult to define, inherently involves an individual s reality and the inner essence of who they are. It is an inner knowing that enables one to discover their deepest values and meanings in a way that is most authentically theirs (Miller, 1994, in Doka, 07). Transilience: Leaping or passing from one thing or state to another, and to be transformed by the experience. In the field of grief and bereavement, it comes as no surprise that spirituality and religion can play an important role in the healing process of bereaved individuals. Whilst there are some researchers who remain conflicted as to whether spirituality/religion is beneficial to a client s mental health, many studies report that there are more positive effects of having any form of spirituality than not (Gerhild, Becker, Xander, Blum et al., 07). This workshop s aim is to explore from both a mindful and experiential focus, the subjects of spirituality/religion and transilience in the context of bereavement support. Part of this exploration will be to take into consideration Rollo May s (1999) notion we are so divorced from ourselves, because our own world is left out of the picture. Participants will also have time to experientially practise and contemplate their own, and their current clients belief systems in the context of holistic bereavement support. Professionals working with those experiencing grief and bereavement, such as counsellors, chaplains, nurses, therapists, psychologists, teachers and other allied health professionals. At the conclusion on this workshop, participants will understand experientially: how recent literature and research substantiates the importance of working with a client s spiritual worldview how both the counsellor and client are not separate elements, but are interconnected in the therapeutic relationship through the use of mindfulness, how to invite the cooperation of the unconscious of clients from many forms of spiritual faiths and backgrounds the idea of the therapist being a mindful co explorer who helps the client discover the reality of meanings and meaning potentials as they move transiliently through their grief journey. Tuesday, 19 th August 14 Registration closes 5 th August 14
The Impact of Trauma, Separation and Loss for Children, Parents and Families Presenter: Ruth Schmidt Neven This workshop is underpinned by the recognition that much of our work with clients and patients often focuses on unresolved experiences of loss, grief and trauma. Unless this is understood and worked through, important connections between how the past affects the present are lost and impede development. As a result adults become victims of their experience, repeating destructive and dysfunctional patterns of behaviour. Understanding the impact of separation, loss and trauma on early infant relational experience and the process of attachment is crucial to making sense of the later behaviour of the child, adolescent and parent. This workshop will demonstrate the importance of good assessment and how creating opportunities for therapeutic communication can help our clients understand these painful aspects of their experience in a safe and contained way, in order to promote the developmental process. The workshop will cover: making connections between relationships, attachment and the brain creating meaning out of chaos how the child speaks to the family differentiating between developmental trauma and traumatic life events the wider impact of trauma taking a systemic view introduction to the principles of assessment and therapeutic communication in working with child and family trauma. Counsellors, therapists, and psychologists, palliative care workers and other health professionals working with children, parents and families who have experienced grief and bereavement. At the conclusion of this workshop understand the connection between compromised early relationships, attachment and brain development and the impact on behaviour in later life discriminate between the impact of traumatic life events and developmental trauma develop insight into the process whereby trauma and unresolved grief become transmitted across generations develop skills in assessment and therapeutic communication with children, parents and families. Wednesday, 27 th August 14 Registration closes 13 th August 14 The Grief of Living With Dementia Presenter: Greg Roberts When a family member is diagnosed with Alzheimer s disease or a form of dementia, it s likely that the losses have already begun some time before. Stretching ahead of family members and the person themselves is an uncertain future littered with loss and grief that both comes and goes and comes and stays. This workshop will take participants through an exploration of the many facets of grief experienced by those affected by dementia. We will consider the different needs of both the families/carers and the person with dementia themselves. Strategies will be offered to help people who support these families to engage in an active grieving process that acknowledges both loss and life. Professionals working with those who have experienced bereavement, such as teachers, counsellors, nurses, therapists, psychologists and other allied health professionals. At the conclusion of the workshop, identify the varied losses associated with dementia use an understanding of grief and loss theory to support family members identify and use strategies that allow an active engagement with the grief being experienced by individuals affected by dementia utilise some simple communication tools to be able to work directly with individuals who are living with dementia and acknowledge their grief. Thursday, 4 th September 14 Registration closes 21 st August 14 Programs and Services 14 21
Recent Developments in Bereavement: Bridging From Theory to Practice Presenter: Christopher Hall The field of grief and bereavement has undergone transformational change in terms of how the human experience of loss is understood and how the goals and outcomes of grief therapy are conceptualised. Long held views about the grief experience have been discarded with research evidence failing to support previously popular notions. During the past decade an increasing volume of rigorous research from practitioners as diverse as sociology, psychology, theology, philosophy and medicine has transformed the grief and bereavement field into a truly multidisciplinary one. This workshop will explore issues at the cutting edge of bereavement theory including the increasing focus upon the nature, assessment and prediction of complicated or prolonged grief. When is grief therapy beneficial and when is it of more limited utility? When is emotional disclosure of benefit? Are Continuing Bonds necessarily a good thing? and what has recent research found to be effective when intervening with clients with complex needs? Professionals involved in the care and support of grieving and bereaved people who wish to increase their knowledge of contemporary grief and bereavement theory. This group includes nurses, counsellors, doctors, teachers, clergy and volunteers. At the conclusion of the workshop, participants will have: an enhanced understanding of recent development in bereavement theory considered the implications of these new developments upon the practice of bereavement support. Tuesday, 9 th September 14 Registration close 26 th August 14 The Tree of Life: Storytelling and Narrative in Bereavement Practice Presenter: Allen Jeffress Storytelling is innate to the human experience and serves as a purpose to find meaning and make sense of our lives. Combining the narrative and creative arts can provide safety and control for bereaved people and has the capacity to hold them as the expert of their experiences. This workshop will use the Tree of Life metaphor developed by Ncazelo Ncube (Zimbabwe/South Africa) and David Denborough (Dulwich Centre Foundation) as a visual framework to assist bereaved people to speak about their lives in a way that makes them stronger. This metaphor combines words, imagery and other forms of expression to support bereaved people to tell their story through an approach that acknowledges the fullness of their loss while also drawing attention to their ability to adapt and be transformed. The Tree of Life metaphor assists professionals to draw attention to the bereaved person s historical ways of coping, knowledge, skills and abilities. The Tree of Life was developed for collective support, though also has individual applications. This workshop will explore the key principals of the Tree of Life through experiential learning, giving participants an opportunity to experience the process for themselves. Participants attending this workshop do not need to have training or specific skills in creative arts as the focus is on the process rather than the final product. Professionals working with those experiencing grief and bereavement, such as support workers, group facilitators, counsellors, social workers, teachers, therapists, psychologists and other allied health professionals. At the conclusion of the workshop utilise the key concepts that underpin the Tree of Life approach understand the narrative context which the Tree of Life has evolved from identify with whom and how the Tree of Life approach can be used explore ways to integrate the Tree of Life approach into practice. Tuesday, 16 th September 14 Registration closes 2 nd September 14 22
Being Alongside the Bereaved as a Counsellor/Therapist Presenter: Greg Roberts Grief after the death of a loved one can be experienced as isolating and lonely. While strategies and support options are an important part of offering counselling to the bereaved, we also know that our willingness to be with the grieving person contributes to their ability to live with their loss. In recent years there has been significant discussion in the field of grief and bereavement regarding the concept of being an expert companion to the bereaved, blending our professionalism with our ability to simply be a strongly connected and supportive human being to another grieving individual. Within this workshop we will engage with the notion that the quality of our relationship to the bereaved person influences the effectiveness of our work with them and may in fact be the key factor in bereavement support work. Participants can expect to explore the potential for ethical ways of using the self of the counsellor as part of best practice in bereavement counselling. Professionals working with those experiencing grief and bereavement, such as teachers, counsellors, nurses, therapists, psychologists and other allied health professionals. At the conclusion of this workshop, describe the ways in which a professional companion might offer support to a bereaved person consider the current research and literature in the field that promotes the notion of expert companioning clarify for themselves their own potential to more consciously and ethically develop a strongly connected therapeutic relationship to grieving people identify personal boundaries and self care options to allow for effective interpersonal relationships with bereaved individuals. Thursday, 18 th September 14 Registration closes 4 th September 14 A Right to Grieve: Bereavement Support for Older People and People With Diverse Abilities Presenter: Greg Roberts For people with a disability and members of the aged population, grief is often multifaceted and complex. These people can find that feelings of grief and loss are minimised or over normalised, leading to various forms of disenfranchised grief. This workshop will explore the ways in which we can both acknowledge and support people in living with the experience of loss and grief at all levels of their lives. We will explore options for re enfranchising the grief experience and creating space for communication around the meanings of loss/change events in the lives of older people and those with diverse abilities. The workshop will combine theoretical ideas and experiential learning. Professionals working with those who are experiencing anticipatory grief, such as teachers, counsellors, nurses, therapists, psychologists and other allied health professionals. At the conclusion of the workshop, describe the range of loss events that can be experienced among the aged and disabled population identify a range of strategies that can be used to support these people when they experience grief and bereavement understand the concept of disenfranchised grief in relation to these population groups. Tuesday, 7 th October 14 Registration closes 23 rd September 14 Programs and Services 14 23
Mindful Somatic Experiencing as an Effective Tool for Complicated Grief Presenter: Michal dewilloughby Somatically based psychotherapy incorporates the very basic tenets of mindfulness. That is, through the use of the body, paying attention to the therapeutic process and relationship in the present moment as it is happening (McIndoe, 06). It is widely recognised in the field of trauma, that while explicit memory is accessed primarily through cognition, implicit memory must be reached through the body (Levine, 10; McIndoe, 06; Odgen et al. 06). In addition, bereavement research shows that between 10 15% of bereaved individuals experience complications or ongoing traumatic symptomology after the loss of a significant relationship as a result of death. The aim of this workshop is to demonstrate the use of mindfulness and somatic experiencing as an empowering and transformational adjunct in working with bereaved individuals therapeutically. Using mindful somatic experiencing with bereaved individuals who are suffering the aftermath of a traumatic loss, gives therapists a greater capacity to access and transform both hyperarousal (fight or flight response) and hypoarousal (freeze/ depressive response) that accompanies traumatic symptomology. It allows the natural creation of a safe therapeutic environment to work with traumatised individuals; enables a different kind of communication rather than the use of words; supports the client in staying with overwhelming experiences and emotions, and teaches clients how to self regulate and self soothe. In addition, mindful somatic experiencing empowers the client to somatically process any unfinished business that may arise from the bereavement Professionals who work in the field of grief and bereavement, such as counsellors, therapists, psychologists, teachers and other allied health professionals. At the conclusion of this workshop, participants will: understand how current literature validates the need to include mindfulness and the body when working with complicated or traumatic bereavement have explored comprehensively the idea that the body can be a royal road to the unconscious (Kurtz, 07), in a similar way that dreams and relational experience can be used experientially have had opportunities to explore the body as a resource to access memory, core material and to not have to make interpretations through the use of case studies, examine the use of varying mindful somatic strategies with clients. Wednesday, 15 th October 14 Registration closes 1 st October 14 Grief Support for Lesbians and Gay Men Presenter: Evelyn Chittleborough Death, grief and loss for people in the sexually diverse community can be difficult when, at times, their relationships are not given full recognition in society. While grief is an individual experience, mourning a loss requires familial and societal support and recognition for the grief to be actively lived with and integrated into the person s life. This workshop looks at ways of providing bereavement support for lesbians and gay men at a time of bereavement and will focus on disenfranchised bereavement, inclusion and acknowledgement of sexual diversity, as well as issues that may arise after bereavement for same sex attracted people. 24 This workshop is designed for counsellors, therapists, and psychologists, palliative care workers and other health professionals working with people who have experienced grief and bereavement. At the conclusion of this workshop participants will have: reflected on their current bereavement counselling practice when working with people who identify as same sex attracted an increased understanding of issues related to inclusive principles further understanding of the concept of non judgemental practices an increased understanding of disenfranchised grief an increased awareness of lesbian and gay community groups and professional support. Tuesday, 21 st October 14 Registration closes 7 th October 14
Working With Grief: Mindfulness as a Pathway to Self Care Presenter: Greg Roberts This workshop will introduce participants to the importance of our self as part of our work in bereavement support how the work can affect us at all levels of our lives and how it can impact on our work with clients. Using discussion, examples and practise, the workshop will cover the personal challenges of providing grief and bereavement support, along with an exploration of compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma and how to recognise and minimise their effects in the workplace and our personal lives. A range of mindfulness approaches to self care will be offered to participants as a pathway to ensuring healthy work practices. Professionals working with those who are experiencing grief and loss, such as teachers, counsellors, clergy, welfare officers, nurses, social workers, therapists, psychologists and other allied health professionals. At the conclusion of the workshop, recognise how supporting those who are grieving can impact on your wellbeing have a practical understanding of compassion fatigue and vicarious trauma using current thinking in the field use a practical understanding of a range of personal and professional self care strategies to identify and develop a tailored self care plan understand mindfulness concepts and how they can be applied in practice. Thursday, 30 th October 14 Registration closes 16 th October 14 Supporting Men in Their Grief Presenter: Greg Roberts When grieving, as in many areas of life, whether you are male or female can change your own and other people s expectations of how you should be. Different ideas about how men and women manage their grief come from our society and culture. The reality is that everyone grieves differently and men s grief is as diverse as that of women. In this workshop participants will explore the concept of grieving styles in relationship to men and the varied ways of offering useful support to men who are dealing with grief and loss. Issues such as how to engage with men in a support setting and working within the individual s grieving style, rather than trying to change it, will be covered over the day. Participants will engage with practical ideas around both individual and group work with men. Professionals working with those who have experienced bereavement, such as teachers, counsellors, nurses, therapists, psychologists and other allied health professionals. At the conclusion of the workshop, use knowledge of grieving styles to inform support work with men develop effective ways of engaging with men who are grieving identify resources and strategies that are useful for offering support to men who are grieving consider the impact of their own gender on working with men. Thursday, 13 th November 14 Registration closes 30 th October 14 Programs and Services 14 25
Engaging in Effective Brief Contact or Single Session Bereavement Support Presenter: Greg Roberts There are times when community support and health care professionals might only have brief contact or sometimes just a single session with individuals regarding grief or bereavement. Research tells us that a large percentage of bereaved individuals will be able to live with their grief with minimal support from professionals. However, practitioners in the field acknowledge that complications and difficulties may occur over time if the bereaved individual has not had timely access to sound basic information about the nature of grief and how to identify when to be concerned for the wellbeing of themselves and others. This workshop will explore the idea that effective bereavement support can be offered or initiated via brief contact or a single session. The workshop is aimed at community support staff and health care workers who have contact with bereaved and grieving individuals, even though their primary role may not be in the field of grief and bereavement. The workshop will offer a simple framework and strategies that can be used to ensure effective bereavement support, when only having brief contact with bereaved or grieving individuals. Professionals working with those who might experience grief and bereavement, such as teachers, counsellors, nurses, therapists, psychologists and other allied health professionals. At the conclusion of this workshop, describe the lived experience of grief and bereavement for individuals using contemporary grief and bereavement theories/models offer basic grief education to individuals by identifying common grief reactions, possible behaviours and when to be concerned identify strategies and resources that can assist people who are experiencing strong emotions understand when to refer to specialist grief and bereavement services for ongoing support. Thursday, th November 14 Registration closes 6 th November 14 The Grief Lecture The Grief Lecture aims to provide a forum that stimulates discussion within the community on loss and grief issues. Previous speakers have been Ruth Cracknell (01), Julian Burnside, QC (02), Judith Lazarus (CEO of Victorian Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders, 03), the psychologist and author Steve Biddolph (04), Alexander McFarlane, Professor of Psychiatry, The University of Adelaide (05), Pat Jalland (Professor of History, History Program, Research School of Social Science, Australian National University, 06) and William Verity (Author of Bear is Now Asleep) and his wife Caroline, and Christine Nixon, speaking of her experiences within her role heading the Victorian Bushfire Reconstruction Authority. Details of the Grief Lecture will be announced in 14. All members will receive information on the Grief Lecture and details will be posted on the Centre s website www.grief.org.au. 26
Interstate Workshops Providing Effective Bereavement Support Presenter: Greg Roberts When working with grieving people it is important to recognise and understand normative grief reactions. Grief, loss and bereavement is a particular area of practice which requires a toolkit of responses and strategies which are tailored to each individual s needs. This workshop is designed for professionals wanting to improve their basic understanding of how to support people experiencing grief and bereavement. Participants will identify a range of practical ideas and tools appropriate for working with grieving people. Professionals involved in the care and support of bereaved people, including nurses, counsellors, doctors, social workers, teachers, clergy, volunteers and youth workers. Those with a basic understanding of counselling practice, but whose primary or sole area of practice may not be grief support. s and s At the conclusion of the workshop, be aware of common grief responses identify and describe some theoretical perspectives and useful models recognise the needs of grieving people identify and implement effective strategies to support grieving individuals. The following is applicable to all sessions listed: 24 Sydney Adelaide Perth Brisbane Rendezvous Studio Hotel Sydney Central 803 813 George Street Sydney NSW 00 Mercure Grosvenor Hotel Adelaide 125 North Terrace Adelaide SA 5000 Mercure Perth 10 Irwin Street Perth WA 6000 Mercure Hotel Brisbane 85 87 North Quay Brisbane QLD 4000 Thursday, 8 th May 14 Thursday, 29 th May 14 Thursday, 5 th June 14 Thursday, 26 th June 14 Registration closes: 24 th April 14 Registration closes: 15 th May 14 Registration closes: 22 nd May 14 Registration closes: 12 th June 14 Programs and Services 14 27
Complex Grief: When There is More to a Loss Presenter: Greg Roberts There are times when grief has so many complex layers that a person s ability to manage their grief experience is compromised. Sometimes this is due to the nature of the loss itself, perhaps where trauma is present and sometimes because the bereaved person themselves have other difficult issues they are grappling with in the midst of their grief. This workshop will lead participants through a brief history of how the professionalised concept of Complicated or Prolonged Grief developed and, in turn, present methods of assessing the needs of clients. A range of intervention options for working with the bereaved will also be explored within the context of complex grief situations. Professionals working with those who have experienced bereavement, such as teachers, counsellors, nurses, therapists, psychologists and other allied health professionals. At the conclusion of the workshop, describe the concept of Complicated or Prolonged Grief in light of current theory and practice in the field of bereavement counselling assess whether an individual is experiencing, or is at risk of experiencing, complex grief utilise an understanding of complex or prolonged bereavement to inform the application of effective grief and bereavement support strategies. The following is applicable to all sessions listed: 24 s and s Sydney Adelaide Perth Brisbane Rendezvous Studio Hotel Sydney Central 803 813 George Street Sydney NSW 00 Mercure Grosvenor Hotel Adelaide 125 North Terrace Adelaide SA 5000 Mercure Perth 10 Irwin Street Perth WA 6000 Mercure Hotel Brisbane 85 87 North Quay Brisbane QLD 4000 Friday, 9 th May 14 Friday, 30 th May 14 Friday, 6 th June 14 Friday, 27 th June 14 Registration closes: 25 th April 14 Registration closes: 16 th May 14 Registration closes: 23 rd May 14 Registration closes: 13 th June 14 There are times when grief has so many complex layers that a person s ability to manage their grief experience is compromised. Sometimes this is due to the nature of the loss itself, perhaps where trauma is present and sometimes because the bereaved person themselves have other difficult issues they are grappling with in the midst of their grief. 28
The Grief of Living With Dementia Presenter: Greg Roberts When a family member is diagnosed with Alzheimer s disease or a form of dementia, it s likely that the losses have already begun some time before. Stretching ahead of family members and the person themselves is an uncertain future littered with loss and grief that both comes and goes and comes and stays. This workshop will take participants through an exploration of the many facets of grief experienced by those affected by dementia. We will consider the different needs of both the families/carers and the person with dementia themselves. Strategies will be offered to help people who support these families to engage in an active grieving process that acknowledges both loss and life. Professionals working with those who have experienced bereavement, such as teachers, counsellors, nurses, therapists, psychologists and other allied health professionals. At the conclusion of the workshop, identify the varied losses associated with dementia use an understanding of grief and loss theory to support family members identify and use strategies that allow an active engagement with the grief being experienced by individuals affected by dementia utilise some simple communication tools to be able to work directly with individuals who are living with dementia and acknowledge their grief. The following is applicable to all sessions listed: 24 s and s Sydney Adelaide Perth Brisbane Rendezvous Studio Hotel Sydney Central 803 813 George Street Sydney NSW 00 Mercure Grosvenor Hotel Adelaide 125 North Terrace Adelaide SA 5000 Mercure Perth 10 Irwin Street Perth WA 6000 Mercure Hotel Brisbane 85 87 North Quay Brisbane QLD 4000 Thursday, 24 th July 14 Thursday, 21 st August 14 Thursday, 11 th September 14 Thursday, 16 th October 14 Registration closes: 10 th July 14 Registration closes: 7 th August 14 Registration closes: 28 th August 14 Registration closes: 2 nd October 14 Programs and Services 14 29