Workshop Overview

Although death may be inevitable and perceived as a normal part of the life cycle, people’s reactions to grief often feel quite abnormal and overwhelming. Grief is our response to loss. It is the normal, natural and inevitable response to the death of someone we are connected to and it can affect every part of our life. It is highly individual and affects people in different ways. Acute grief may be experienced at times of sudden, unexpected and traumatic death and has its own set of symptomatology, which may differ to that of ‘normal’ grief.

This workshop targets professionals working with those experiencing grief and bereavement, such as counsellors, nurses, pastoral care workers, therapists, psychologists, social workers, teachers and other allied health professionals.

Learning Outcomes

This workshop will provide participants with the understanding and skills to:

• Identify acute grief symptomatology
• Differentiate between acute and ‘normal’ grief
• Implement effective support strategies for working with people who are experiencing acute grief