Simple Approaches to Complex Bereavement

Most therapists handle simple grief and loss all the time. But complex bereavement, such as disenfranchised grief, ambiguous loss, or multiple losses, comes with unique clinical challenges Pre-existing mental health diagnoses add another level of complexity. This course provides ways to identify complex bereavement, and differentiate it from trauma, stress, depression, or PTSD. Common causes of complex bereavement will be clearly identified, along with potential grieving “stuck points.” Participants will learn a forward-moving strategy for approaching complex grief, and come away feeling confident and well-prepared to manage cases of complex bereavement.

ESTIMATED COURSE LENGTH: 1.5 hours 

CE CREDITS: 1.50 continuing education/contact hours for social workers, psychologists, counselors, and marriage and family therapists

TARGET AUDIENCE: Mental Health Practitioners

LEVEL OF INSTRUCTION: Intermediate

PREREQUISITE(S): None

INSTRUCTIONAL METHOD: Recorded video format (non-interactive)

ACCESSIBILITY ACCOMMODATIONS: Closed captioning of audio components. In order to request further accessibility accommodations, please email support@psychhub.com.

COMPLETION REQUIREMENTS: To obtain your CE certificate, learners must complete a pre-test (not scored), progress through all course segments, complete a participant evaluation, and obtain a score of 80% or higher on a post-test. Learners are expected to complete the quiz within 3 attempts. If unable to do so, the learner will need to re-review the course segments.

FINANCIAL/COMMERCIAL SUPPORT STATEMENT: This course has no commercial support.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST:  This course has no potential conflict of interest or outside commercial support. Psych Hub's conflict of interest statement is found in the footer of the training center.

GRIEVANCE AND REFUND POLICIES: Grievance and refund policies are found in the footer of the training center.

PARTICIPATION COSTS:  The cost to participate in this CE activity is included in the subscription registration fee.

COURSE CREATION DATE: 3/7/2022

By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

• Differentiate between depression, trauma, grief, and complex bereavement
• Identify at least six factors that contribute to development of complex bereavement
• Apply a forward-moving, goals-aligned approach to treatment of complex bereavement that can be customized for each client
• Describe at least three specific tools that can be implemented for management of complex bereavement

1. General elements of the grief and loss experience
   1. Emotional, physical, and spiritual
   2. Existential, sociological, economic, collective
2. Process of grieving
   1. Compatible with multiple theories of grief treatment
   2. Acceptance
   3. Experience pain
   4. Adjustment
   5. Refocusing/integration
3. Defining and differentiating simple grief from complex bereavement
   1. Simple grief
   2. Depression vs. trauma vs. grief
4. Factors contributing to complex bereavement
5. Treatment objectives
6. Tools