Complicated Grief Part 1: Helping Clients Move Beyond Grief to Purpose
$45.00
Grief is a universal experience; however, the response to grief is different for many people. Individuals who have a prolonged or delayed reaction to a loss may develop complicated grief. The need for therapeutic intervention is important for people suffering from this type of grief.
Although the frameworks put forward by Kübler‐Ross and Lamb explain the grief process for many individuals, sometimes people do not progress through these natural stages and are unable to accept the loss and move forward with their own lives. The grieving process may be disturbed for these individuals. When this process is blocked or disturbed, complicated grief may arise. In this training, we will focus on the fundamentals of working with clients experiencing Complicated Grief.
Upon completion of this training, participants will be able to:
- Educate clients on grieving processes as unique to the individual.
- Identify observable symptoms of prolonged grief.
- Evaluate the client’s inner motivations for holding onto a prolonged grieving process.
- Construct a model for helping clients move forward.
- Implement 5 interventions the therapist can use to help clients move forward.
Social workers completing this course receive 3 Clinical asynchronous continuing education credits.
For other board approvals, this course qualifies for 3 hours of Clinical, Evidence-Based Practices, and General Skill Building continuing education training.
Course Instructor: Dr. Paul Hardy, D. Min, CSAC, NMAC
Recording Date: 9/07/2024
Recorded Live Webinar with downloadable presentation slides and/or handouts, evaluation, and a required quiz. The learner is required to pass with a 70% or higher to achieve the CE certificate of completion. The learner is able to reset the test until a satisfactory score is achieved. CE Training Workshops, LLC, provider #1770, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 8/2/2022 – 8/2/2025. CE Training Workshops, LLC has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7091. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. CE Training Workshops, LLC is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. System Requirements: Firefox, Chrome, Brave, Safari, Edge on any modern operating system (Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, iOS). A desktop browser is recommended. We do not provide support resources for issues encountered using a mobile device. For more information about our policies and board approval statements, please visit our FAQS page.
Paul Hardy, D. Min., CSAC, NMAC is a National Master Addictions Counselor (NMAC) with a Doctor of Ministry degree in Pastoral Counseling from Liberty University. Dr. Paul has thirty years of experience in pastoral counseling, substance use work, trauma recovery, and anger management work.
Complicated Grief Part 1: Helping Clients Move Beyond Grief to Purpose (3 HR) Syllabus
I. Understanding the Grieving Process
- Grief is a universal experience, but expressions of it vary
- Grieving is nonlinear and unfolds uniquely for each individual
- Stages include shock, denial, anger, bargaining, depression, testing, and acceptance
- Acute grief involves intense yearning, sorrow, and intrusive thoughts
II. Uniqueness and Adaptation in Grief
- Grieving does not follow a set timeline or fixed pattern
- Most people grieve over 1–2 years with natural integration over time
- Grief changes form rather than disappears, eventually finding a new place in life
- Adapting is distinct from coping; it involves internal reorientation
III. Types and Complexities of Grief
- Anticipatory, normal, and complicated grief outlined
- Complications include chronic, delayed, absent, and distorted grieving
- Contributing factors: caregiver fatigue, avoidance, denial, and erroneous beliefs
- Cultural and relational contexts influence grief progression
IV. Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD)
- PGD symptoms last over a year in adults and 6+ months in youth
- Features include identity disruption, emotional numbness, and avoidance
- Diagnosis requires multiple persistent symptoms causing daily dysfunction
- Common among those with prior trauma, mental health history, or poor support
V. Client Barriers and Inner Motivations
- Emotional blocks: bitterness, guilt, isolation, and rumination
- Motivations may include fear of letting go, unresolved trauma, or loss of identity
- Grief may provide continued connection to the deceased
- Sleep disturbances and suicidal ideation are possible complications
VI. Grieving Model and Personality Dynamics
- Three grieving personalities: Doers (drive), Feelers (soothing), Thinkers (threat)
- Personality shapes how grief is processed and expressed
- Constant replay and belief systems keep grief active
- Use of Paul Gilbert’s Compassion-Focused Therapy systems model
VII. Assessing Dysfunction and Therapeutic Impact
- Dysfunction includes inability to function, enjoy life, or maintain relationships
- Central question: how much disruption has the loss caused?
- Assess for self-blame, denial, persistent yearning, and avoidance behaviors
- Use psychoeducation to differentiate normal from disordered grief
VIII. Interventions to Move Clients Forward
- Five key tools: Position, Listen, Accept, Cry Out, Empathize
- Ask open-ended questions to uncover beliefs and obstacles
- Explore the impact of the loss and how the client wants to remember the deceased
- Use narrative therapy to reconstruct meaning and integrate the loss
IX. Supportive Techniques for Grieving Well
- Encourage healthy expression through conversation, ritual, and reflection
- Normalize the “waves” of grief and identify emotional triggers
- Provide structure with small, actionable steps and validation
- Teach clients to access social, spiritual, and community resources
X. Resources and Continued Learning
- Recommended websites: What’s Your Grief?, Compassionate Friends, AARP Grief Tools
- Useful for client and clinician support through handouts and community groups
- Provide literature and podcasts to reinforce session themes and interventions
- Emphasize ongoing exploration and adaptation beyond the therapy setting
