2009 ADEC Final Program (full)

Transcription

®
Association for
Death Education and Counseling®
The Thanatology Association®
ADEC 31st Annual Conference
Living
Beyond
Loss:
Mending Body, Mind and Spirit
Final Program
April 15–18, 2009
Pre-Meeting Program
April 14–15
Hyatt Regency Dallas • Dallas, Texas, USA
www.adec.org
Association for Death Education and Counseling
g®
Exhibitors and Sponsors
Association for Death Education and Counseling®
The Thanatology Association®
Thanks the following for their support of the
2009 Annual Conference
Major Speaker Sponsor
Premium Sponsor
Gold Sponsors
Silver Sponsors
Anonymous Donor
Joan Abess
Sponsors
Gordon Thornton
Hospice Foundation
of America
Office for
Victims of Crime
Exhibitors
American Psychosocial
Oncology Society
Dignity Memorial Funeral Providers
Grief Watch
Todd Hochberg Photography
2
Kaiser Hospital
Routledge
Springer Publishing Company
Victoria Hospice
www.adec.org
Table of Contents
Exhibitors and Sponsors ............................................................ 2
Special Welcome Letters ......................................................4 – 5
About ADEC............................................................................ 5
ADEC’s Role and Mission .......................................................... 5
ADEC Board of Directors .......................................................... 6
ADEC Past Presidents................................................................ 6
2009 Conference Committee Chairs .......................................... 6
Hospitality Committee ............................................................... 6
Meet the Authors Reception Participants ...................................... 7
Session Conveners ................................................................... 7
Headquarters Staff ................................................................... 7
ADEC Award Recipients.......................................................8 – 9
Schedule-at-a-Glance .............................................................. 10
Continuing Education Information............................................. 11
Certification in Thanatology Professionals...........................12 – 13
Keynote and Featured Speakers ........................................14 – 16
Conference Objectives:
Participants of the ADEC 31st Annual
Conference will be able to:
•
Explain the most current research and
theory in thanatology
•
Demonstrate knowledge about
human reactions to death across
the lifespan
•
Reflect on the ethnic, gender and
ritual components that affect individual responses to loss-related situations
•
Identify innovative clinical
approaches to working with dying
and bereaved individuals
•
Review future trends that influence
research and practice
Daily Schedule
Tuesday ......................................................................... 17
Wednesday ................................................................... 17
Thursday ................................................................18 – 21
Friday ....................................................................21 – 24
Saturday ................................................................25 – 27
Professional Development Courses ....................................28 – 29
Specialty Workshops .......................................................30 – 34
Poster Session 1 ..............................................................35 – 40
Concurrent Sessions ........................................................41 – 60
Invited Speakers..............................................................61 – 62
Poster Session 2 ..............................................................62 – 67
Concurrent Sessions ........................................................68 – 98
Category and Indicator Index .................................................. 99
Category and Indicator Index for
Concurrent Sessions and Posters ................................100 – 103
Presenters Index ..........................................................104 – 105
Hotel Floor Plan ..........................................................106 – 107
www.adec.org
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Association for Death Education and Counseling
g®
President’s Letter
Dear ADEC Members and Colleagues,
On behalf of the ADEC Board of Directors, it is my pleasure to welcome you to the 31st Annual Conference of the Association for Death
Education and Counseling here in the exciting and energizing city of Dallas.
I look forward to joining you in rejuvenating our collective passion for our work in thanatology. Although we come from a number of different disciplines and varied work settings, we are bound together by our dedication to improving the lives of those coping with issues of
dying, death and bereavement.
Your decision to attend this year’s ADEC Conference was likely a challenging one—considering the financial difficulties we are all facing
these days. However, I genuinely believe that your decision represents a wise investment in your professional and personal well being.
Even a brief review of this conference program reveals an impressive range of presentation topics to satisfy our need for building knowledge. It may be helpful to know that ADEC has made a commitment to structure as many aspects of the organization as possible around
our Body of Knowledge matrix (see ADEC’s Handbook of Thanatology). The present conference content has been viewed through this lens
and specific effort was made to include content from all six of the matrix categories (i.e., Dying, End-of-Life Decision-Making, Grief and
Mourning, Assessment and Intervention, Traumatic Death and Death Education).
The conference also includes many opportunities for networking to satisfy our need for professional resource building, mutual encouragement, and personal connection. ADEC Networking Groups will be meeting for lunch on Thursday and Friday. These groups run the gamut
and are focused on topics from Children’s Programs and Suicide Prevention to Bridging Research and Practice and Death Education.
Although the Networking Groups meet in person at the conference, they are also active throughout the year thanks to the wonder of listservs. Plan to attend the President’s Welcome, the People of Color/Multicultural Forum (open to all conference attendees) and the Meet the
Authors Reception on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday evenings, respectively. These events provide great opportunities to make connections with colleagues both known and new to you.
If you are a new member and/or first-time attendee please consider attending the gathering held on Wednesday evening. You will have
the chance to meet ADEC leaders and to learn about the organization.
Other highlights to keep an eye out for are the bookstore, the exhibit area and the student silent auction (bid often--as proceeds provide
scholarships for students to attend the conference!). Join us for the annual ADEC business meeting on Saturday morning at 7:30 a.m. and
find out more about ADEC and the Board’s efforts over the past year and to welcome the incoming Board Members and Officers.
Many individuals have contributed to making this exceptional conference happen. Co-chairs Louis Gamino and Jon Reid have been
working for years on developing the theme and programming as well as contributing to many other areas of planning. They have been
supported in their work by the Conference Steering Committee, chaired by Howard Winokuer (our incoming President), and by a number
of volunteers to whom we all owe a debt of gratitude. The hard work and dedication of our staff at Sherwood cannot be overestimated.
In particular, ADEC benefits on a daily basis from the consistently professional and competent contributions of our Chief Staff Officer, Rick
Koepke and Administrative Manager, Emily Burch. With regard to conference planning, Conference Director, Liz Freyn’s contributions are
valuable beyond words. Much discussion, preparation and enthusiasm have gone into bringing our 31st Conference to fruition.
As I finish my year as ADEC’s president, I have never been more confident in ADEC’s future. Your Board and The Sherwood Group continue to enhance the organization and its influence. I urge you to consider getting more involved in ADEC. It does take time and energy,
but it is truly worth it. We all come with expertise and when we contribute to ADEC, we contribute not only to the future of the organization, but also to the future of thanatology. It has been my privilege to serve as your president.
I am sure that you will find the conference engaging, intriguing and enjoyable. My hope is that the connections and memories you forge
here in Dallas will sustain you during the months to come and assure your participation in Kansas City next year!
Heather L. Servaty-Seib, PhD
Counseling Psychology
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www.adec.org
Conference Chairs’ Letter
Howdy and a great big Texas welcome to “all y’all” here in Dallas for the ADEC 31st Annual
Conference, “Living Beyond Loss: Mending Body, Mind and Spirit.” We want to extend a warm
Southwestern welcome to new members and first-time registrants as well as to all the “old hands”
in the ADEC family who are in attendance. We’re glad you came to see us.
Our conference logo includes the Lone Star of Texas and the Chinese characters for body, mind
and spirit. It signifies our conference theme of “East meets West” in death education and care
of the dying and the bereaved. That same trans-cultural emphasis is reflected in our selection of
keynote speakers: Monica McGoldrick, Cecilia Chan and Ira Byock. In addition, we have some
splendid invited speakers: Paula Loring, James Werth Jr., Kenneth Sewell and representatives
from our very own child & family bereavement centers in Fort Worth, Austin, El Paso and San
Antonio. Adding in all the fine programs available in the concurrent and poster sessions, we
have a world-class educational opportunity in store for you.
This year we have made a concerted effort to reach out to members and attendees involved
in funeral and aftercare work as well as in victim advocacy. Programs pertinent to these two
special interests are designated by an “F” or a “V” in your program book. No matter what your
discipline, why not make it a point to attend a session outside your customary area of focus? You
can learn something valuable and contribute to the cross-fertilization that makes ADEC meetings
so meaningful and encouraging.
Big D, as local folks call it, has all kinds of great attractions: JFK 6th Floor Museum tour on Thursday evening, Gilley’s famous dance hall (complete with armadillo races), The King Tut Exhibit at
the Dallas Museum of Art and lots more. There’s plenty of great cuisine to sample, like Wolfgang
Puck’s new Five Sixty Restaurant atop “the ball” (i.e., Reunion Tower). Or, you can try regional
favorites like juicy Texas steak, fried catfish, fajitas, Tex-Mex, barbeque and margaritas. It makes
the mouth water just thinking about it.
Back in Montréal, we started teaching everyone how to speak “Texan” and we plan to do more
of the same here. So let’s get this rodeo started and let ‘r rip with good meetin’s, good mixin’,
good times and good fun. And if there’s anythin’ you need to make this here conference bigger
‘n better, just holler at Dusty (aka Louis) or Big Tex (aka Jon) or any of those wonderful folks
wearin’ a white hospitality ribbon and we’ll fix you right up.
Our hats are off to you.
Louis A. Gamino, PhD FT
Jon K. Reid, PhD FT
About ADEC
In 1976, an interdisciplinary group of educators and clinicians organized the Forum for Death
Education and Counseling. Over the years, the organization grew to become the internationally
respected Association for Death Education and Counseling® (ADEC) the Thanatology Association®.
ADEC is one of the oldest organizations in the field of dying, death and bereavement. ADEC’s
membership consists of educators, psychologists, counselors, nurses, physicians, hospital and hospice personnel, mental health professionals, clergy, funeral directors, social workers, philosophers,
sociologists, health and well-being specialists and volunteers. Everyone is welcome to join and
participate regardless of color, national origin, creed, sex or sexual orientations. ADEC promotes
and facilitates sharing of research, theories and practice in dying, death and bereavement.
ADEC’s Role
and Mission
Vision Statement
The Association for Death Education
and Counseling envisions a world
in which dying, death and bereavement are recognized as fundamental and significant aspects of the
human experience. Therefore, the
Association, ever committed to being on the forefront of thanatology
(the study of death and dying), will
provide a home for professionals
from diverse backgrounds to advance the body of knowledge and
to promote practical applications of
research and theory.
Mission Statement
The Association for Death Education
and Counseling is a professional
organization dedicated to promoting excellence and recognizing
diversity in death education, care
of the dying, grief counseling and
research in thanatology. Based on
quality research and theory, the
association provides information,
support and resources to its international, multicultural, multidisciplinary
membership and through it, to the
public.
Goals:
1. To provide quality education,
training and certification opportunities for professionals working
with dying, death, end-of-life
issues, grief and bereavement.
2. To continue to increase the
membership while improving the
quality of the individual membership experience.
3. To promote awareness of ADEC
as an authoritative voice in
the field of dying, death and
bereavement. Audiences to be
reached include the general
public, public and private corporations, the national media,
governmental bodies and other
professional organizations.
ADEC’s primary goal is to help professionals and let people meet the needs of those with whom
they work in death education and grief counseling.
Membership benefits include the ADEC Forum, the quarterly ADEC newsletter, ADEC Connects, a
monthly update on all things ADEC, complimentary subscriptions to Omega: The Journal of Death
and Dying and Death Studies as well as the lowest discounted subscription rates for several journals: Journal of Trauma and Loss, Mortality Journal and Living with Loss, significantly discounted
fees for conference registration, certification and recertification and opportunities to network with
leaders of the diverse thanatolological professions by participating on committees, Task Forces and
Networking Groups and inclusion in the Find-a-Thanatologist directory. ADEC offers value!
www.adec.org
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Board of Directors and Past Presidents
President
Heather Servaty-Seib, PhD (2008-09)
First Vice President
Howard Winokuer, PhD, FT (2008-09)
Second Vice President
Kathleen R. Gilbert, PhD, FT (2008-09)
Secretary
Jane Moore, EdD, FT (2007-10)
Treasurer
Stephen R. Connor, PhD (2008-2010)
Immediate Past President
Helen S. Chapple, PhD, RN, MA, CT, CCRN (2008-2009)
Board Members
David E. Balk, PhD, FT (2008-10)
Jane V. Bissler, PhD, FT (2007-10)
Kim Mooney, BA, CT (2008)
Darryl I. Owens, MDiv, BCC, CT (2008-10)
Jon K. Reid, PhD, FT (2008-09)
Irwin Sandler, PhD (2008-09)
Salva C. Sedlak, MSSA, LISW, DCSW, FT (2008-10)
Carla Sofka, MSW, PhD (2008-2009)
Carol A. Wogrin, RN, PsyD, FT (2006-09)
Forum Editor
Kathleen L. Fowler, PhD, FT
Web Site Editor
Kathleen Gilbert, PhD, FT
Credentialing Council
Richard Gilbert, PhD, DMin, CT
ADEC Past Presidents
1976 – 1978
Dan Leviton, PhD
1978 – 1980
J. Eugene Knott, PhD
1980 – 1982
David L. Fredrick, PhD
1982
Bruce Bowman, AB
1982 – 1984
Joan N. McNeil, PhD
1984 – 1987
John S. Stephenson, PhD
1987 – 1990
Judith M. Stillion, PhD
1990 – 1991
Vanderlyn R. Pine, PhD
1991 – 1992
Ellen S. Zinner, PsyD, CT
1992 – 1993
David Meagher, EdD, CT
1993 – 1994
Kenneth J. Doka, PhD, CT
1994 – 1995
Ben Wolfe, MEd, LICSW, CT
1995 – 1996
Thomas Attig, PhD, CT
1996 – 1997
Robert A. Neimeyer, PhD
1997 – 1998
Lu M. Redmond, RN, MS, LMFT, CT
1998 – 1999
Sally Featherstone, RN, MN, CS, CT
1999 – 2000
Delpha J. Camp, MS, LPC, CT
2000 – 2001
Ron Wilder, BA
2001 – 2002
Donna L. Schuurman, EdD, CT
2002 – 2003
Gordon Thornton, PhD, CT
2003 – 2004
Kathleen G. Moore, PhD, CT
2004 – 2005
Madeline E. Lambrecht, EdD, RN, FT
2005 – 2006
Sherry R. Schachter, PhD, FT
2006 – 2007
Jack P. LoCicero, PhD, FT
2007 – 2008
Helen S. Chapple, PhD, RN, CCRN, CT
Hospitality Committee
2009 Conference Committee Chairs
Greg Adams, LCSW, CT
Book Room
Susan Roos, PhD, LCSW, BCD, FT
(as of March 3, 2009)
Larry M. Barber, MA, CT
Nancy R. Bollman, BBA
Sarah Brabant, PhD, FT
Barbara Cheatham, CT, LPC Int, MS, RN
Mary B. Finnin, BS, MSR
Fay H. Green, MEd, MA, CT
Carol Anne Gordon
Lisa D. Hensley
William G. Hoy, DMin, FT
Mary K. Hughes, BS, MS, RN, CT, CNS
Concurrent Session and
Poster Review
Helen S. Chapple, RN, PhD, CT, CCRN
Conference Co-Chairs
Louis A. Gamino, PhD, FT
Jon K. Reid, PhD, FT
Contemplation Reflection Room
Debi Jobin, MEd, CT, GC-C
Spiritual Services
Mary Finnin
Deb Jobin, MEd, CT, GC-C
Rodney B. Kruse, Rev DMin, BCC, CT
Karen L. Lindwall-Bourg, LPC, CT
Meridith Lohse, CT
Christine G. Saari
Becky Watkins, MPS, CT
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Meet the Authors Reception
Kaori Wada, MS, MA
Service of Remembrance
David Meagher, EdD, CT
Benjamin Wolfe, MEd, LICSW, FT
People of Color/Multicultural Forum
Tashel C. Bordere, PhD
Diane Y. Swift, MA
Professional Development Courses
Vincent Wayne Leaver, PhD, FT
Session Convening
Lisa D. Hensley
Silent Auction
Heather K. Whittington
Networking Groups
Jennifer R. Stevens, MA, CT
Specialty Workshops
Nancy Ann Carst, LISW, ACSW, CT
Christine L. Scott, MSSA, LISW, FT
Student Initiative
Kaori Wada, MA
Student Scholarship
Sheri L. Goldstrohm, PhD
New Members
Becky B. Watkins, MPS, CT
www.adec.org
Meet the Authors Reception Participants, Volunteers and Staff
Meet the Authors Reception Participants
Headquarters Staff
(as of March 3, 2009)
ADEC Headquarters
111 Deer Lake Road, Suite 100
Deerfield, IL 60015 USA
Phone +1-847-509-0403
Fax: +1-847-480-9282
Deborah Antinori, MA, LPC, CT
Sandra L. Bertman, PhD, FT
Cecilia Chan, BsocSc, MSocSc, PhD,
RSW, JP
Stephen R. Connor, PhD
Charles A. Corr, PhD
Lynne Ann DeSpelder, MA, FT
Kenneth J. Doka, PhD, FT
Louis A. Gamino, PhD, FT
Linda E. Goldman, MS, LCPC, NBCC, FT
Kathleen J. Gray
Janice Holden, EdD
Ligia M. Houben, MA, CT, CGC
William G. Hoy, DMin, FT
Nancy B. Irland, MS, RN, CNM
John Shep Jeffreys, EdD, FT
Beryl Kaminsky, IMBA, MEd, LPC, CT
Jeffrey Kauffman, MA, MSS, CT
Liana Lowenstein, MSW
Kathryn A. Markell, PhD
Marc A. Markell, PhD, CT
David K. Meagher, EdD, CT
Emilio Bo Parga, MA
Lyn Prashant, CT, MA, CMT/Instructor
Cheri B. Ross, Ms, CT, MA
Robert G. Stevenson, EdD
Albert Lee Strickland, CT
Nancy Boyd Webb, Dr, DSW, RPT-S
J. William Worden, PhD
Administrative Manager
Emily Burch
Membership Coordinator
Marti Buckely
Conference Director
Liz Freyn
Conference Administrator
Christine Meehan
Marketing Communications Manager
Deanna Marchetti
Session Conveners
Joan E. Abess, RN, BSN, CT
Joan Bard, RN, DEd
Tashel Bordere, PhD, CT
Trish Benton, LCSW, CT
Brian Chartier, PhD
Gerri Cummings
Horace Derr, PhD, FT, GGC
Kay Fowler, PhD, FT
Chief Staff Officer
Rick Koepke
Kathleen Frisna, MA, NBCC, LPC, CT
Doug Harvey
Kimberly Hieftje
Catherine Johnson, MA, FT
Lianna Lowenstein, MSW
Shirley Scott, RN, MS, CT
Rob Stevenson, EdD
Sandi Straub, BS, MS, EdD, FT
Laura Wheat, MEd, NCC
Howard Winokuer, PhD, FT
Education Manager
Kismet Saglam
Education Administrator
Paula Borman
Call for Proposals
ADEC 32nd Annual Conference and Pre-Conference Program
Death, Dying and Bereavement: It’s All About the Story
April 7 – 10, 2010
Hyatt Regency Crown Center
Kansas City, Missouri USA
Specialty Workshops
April 7, 2010
Submissions Site Opens: May 5, 2009
Submission Site Closes: June 10, 2009 at Noon EDT, US
ADEC’s Specialty Workshop Committee will be accepting proposals for Specialty Workshops to be held on
Wednesday, April 7, 2010. The Committee is particularly interested in topics that represent cutting-edge knowledge
and skills in the field of Thanatology. ADEC’s Core Body of Knowledge should be a guideline for topic areas.
Proposals that address issues of cultural and ethnic diversity in illness, dying, death and bereavement are also welcome. All proposals must be submitted in electronic format. Information about the submission process will be available
at www.adec.org beginning May 5, 2009.
Concurrent and Poster Sessions
April 8 – 10, 2010
Submissions Site Opens: May 5, 2009
Submission Site Closes: July 22, 2009 at Noon EDT, US
ADEC’s Program Committee will be accepting proposal for Concurrent Sessions and Posters sessions. Both will be
scheduled to present during the conference dates of April 7–10, 2010. Details about the submission process will be
available at www.adec.org beginning May 5, 2009. All proposals must be submitted online.
www.adec.org
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ADEC 2009 Award Recipients
He is an accomplished author. His books have been published in
Spanish, Korean, Africans, Mandarin Chinese and Indonesian.
His articles have appeared in Illness, Crisis, and Loss, The Director,
The American Funeral Director, The Forum, and Journeys.
Death Educator Award
George E. Dickinson, PhD
Presentation of Award: Friday, April 16
2:00 p.m.
Landmark A
George E. Dickinson, professor of sociology at the College of
Charleston, received his PhD in sociology from LSU in Baton Rouge
and his MA in sociology and BA in biology from Baylor University.
He came to the College of Charleston in 1985, having previously
taught in Kentucky (7 years) and Minnesota (9 years). The recipient of both NSF and NEH grants, Dickinson has been the author/
co-author of over 70 articles in peer-reviewed journals, 10 invited
papers/editorials in journals and 19 books/anthologies, primarily
on end-of-life issues.
He is on the editorial boards of Mortality (UK), the American Journal of Hospice & Palliative Medicine (US), and The Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare (New Zealand). Recent awards include
the 2002 Distinguished Teacher/Scholar Award and the 2008
Distinguished Research Award at the College of Charleston and
South Carolina Governor’s Distinguished Professor Awards in 2003
and 2008. In 1999 he was a visiting research fellow in palliative
medicine at the University of Sheffield’s School of Medicine (UK)
and in 2006 at Lancaster University’s Institute for Health Research
in the International Observatory on End-of-Life Issues (UK).
Service Award
Harold Ivan Smith, DMin FT
Presentation of Award: Friday, April 16
2:00 p.m.
Landmark A
As a grief educator, Harold Ivan Smith is a wordsmith and storyteller, whether through his speaking, teaching, writing, or counseling.
Through his word pictures and stories, listeners and readers say, “I
never quite thought of it that way before.”
Clinical Practice Award
Presentation of Award: Saturday, April 17
3:45 p.m.
Landmark A
Robert A. Neimeyer, PhD, is a professor in the Psychotherapy
Research Area of the Department of Psychology, University of Memphis, where he also maintains an active clinical practice.
Neimeyer has published 20 books, including Meaning Reconstruction and the Experience of Loss, Lessons of Loss: A Guide to Coping, and Rainbow in the Stone, a book of contemporary poetry. He
is author of over 300 articles and book chapters.
Neimeyer is the editor of two respected international journals,
Death Studies and the Journal of Constructivist Psychology, and
served as president of the Association for Death Education and
Counseling. In recognition of his scholarly contributions, he has
been granted the Distinguished Research Award, the Distinguished
Teaching Award, and the Eminent Faculty Award by the University
of Memphis, elected chair of the International Work Group on
Death, Dying, and Bereavement, designated Psychologist of the
Year by the Tennessee Psychological Association, made a Fellow
of the Clinical Psychology Division of the American Psychological
Association, and given the Research Recognition Award by the
Association for Death Education and Counseling. Most recently, he
has received the Robert Fulton Founder’s Award for Outstanding
Teaching, Research and Service by the Center for Death Education
and Bioethics.
Smith is a graduate of The Mid-America College of Funeral Service, Scarritt College (MA), George Peabody College of Vanderbilt
University (EdS), and has the doctorate from Asbury Theological
Seminary. His doctoral research examined the grief following the
death of a friend.
Smith is a fellow in thanatology, recognized by the Association for
Death Education and Counseling. He has been a member of the
faculty of the American Academy of Grief Counseling and had
taught hundreds of continuing education courses for psychologists,
social workers, nurses, and pastoral care counselors across the
United States. He has served on the Board of the Association for
Death Education and Counseling. He currently serves on the board
of the Grief Support Network in Kansas City.
He has pioneered in the use of children’s books with adult grievers.
He leads Grief Gatherings--innovative storytelling groups at Saint
Luke’s Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri, where he is a member of
the teaching faculty.
His primary research is on the grief of the U.S. Presidents and First
Ladies, particularly during their White House Years. He writes on
this subject periodically for the National Funeral Directors Association’s The Director and for Living with Loss.
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www.adec.org
ADEC 2009 Award Recipients
Special Contributions to the Field
Herman Feifel, PhD
Presentation of Award: Saturday, April 17
3:45 p.m.
Landmark A
American psychologist Herman Feifel is internationally recognized
as a pioneering figure in the modern death movement. His personal
and research efforts helped break the prevailing taboo that discouraged scientific study of death and dying. His work transformed the
way people think about death, treat the dying and bereaved, and
view their own lives.
Feifel was educated in the New York City school system. World
War II became a reality before Feifel could finish his doctorate. He
enlisted in the Army Air Corps (now, the Air Force) in 1942, where
he worked first as an aviation psychologist and later as a clinical
psychologist treating combat soldiers overseas.
Feifel’s empirical contributions are most influential in the areas of
death attitudes, death anxiety, and coping with life-threatening
illness. By the late 1990s scholars identified over 1,000 published
studies in these areas, and recognized Feifel as being the only
person to contribute seminal papers in five consecutive decades.
For his work in thanatology, Feifel received numerous accolades,
including an honorary doctorate from the University of Judaism (1984), a Distinguished Death Educator Award (1990), the
Distinguished Professional Contributions to Knowledge Award by
the American Psychological Association (1988) and a Gold Medal
for Life Achievement in the Practice of Psychology by the American
Psychological Foundation (2001).
When the war ended Feifel resumed his studies at Columbia University, and finished his doctorate in 1948.
www.adec.org
9
Schedule at a Glance
Tuesday, April 14
7:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Wednesday, April 15
7:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
5:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Registration Open
Registration Open
Specialty Workshops
New Member/First-Time Attendee
Gathering
Welcome Reception
Thursday, April 16
7:30 a.m. – 8:15 a.m.
Meeting
7:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Registration Open
8:15 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.
President’s Welcome
8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
Keynote Session:
Monica McGoldrick, LCSW, PhD
9:00 a.m. – Noon
Exhibits/Bookstore/Posters Open
9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Contemplation Reflection Room Open
9:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Poster Session I Presentations/
Refreshment Break
10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Concurrent Session I
11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Concurrent Session II
12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Networking Groups
Friday, April 17
7:00 a.m. – 7:30 a.m.
7:30 a.m. – 8:15 a.m.
7:30 a.m. – 8:15 a.m.
Joy Through Movement Class
Certification Information Meeting
Meeting
7:30 a.m. – 8:15 a.m.
Student Meeting
7:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Registration Open
8:30 a.m. – 9:45 a.m.
Featured Speakers Presentations
9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
9:45 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. Poster Session II Presentations/
Refreshment Break
10:15 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. Concurrent Sessions VI
11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Concurrent Session VII
12:45 p.m. – 1:45 p.m. Networking Groups
(Box lunches for ticketed registrants)
2:00 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.
3:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
3:15 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.
3:45
5:30
6:00
6:00
p.m.
p.m.
p.m.
p.m.
–
–
–
–
5:15
6:00
6:30
7:00
p.m.
p.m.
p.m.
p.m.
(Box lunches for ticketed registrants)
1:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
1:45 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.
2:45 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.
3:15 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.
5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
6:15 p.m. – 7:15 p.m.
7:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Concurrent Sessions III
Poster Session I Continued/
Refreshment Break
Concurrent Session IV
Concurrent Session V
Reception
Sixth Floor Museum at
Dealey Plaza Event
(For ticketed registrants)
Saturday, April 18
7:00 a.m. – 7:30 a.m.
7:00 a.m. – 7:30 a.m.
7:30 a.m. – 8:15 a.m.
8:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
9:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
9:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
12:30 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.
Awards I/Keynote Session:
Cecilia L.W. Chan,
BSocSC, MSocSC, PhD, RSW, JP
Poster Session II Continued/
Refreshment Break
Concurrent Sessions VIII
Pet Remembrance Service
Meet the Authors and Book Signing
Reception
Joy Through Movement Class
Spiritual Services
ADEC Business Meeting
Registration Open
Concurrent Session IX
Exhibits/Bookstore Open
Concurrent Session X
Concurrent Session XI
Presidential Luncheon
(For ticketed registrants)
2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
3:45 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
6:00 p.m.
10
Concurrent Session XII
Awards II/Closing Keynote Session:
Ira Byock, MD
Farewell Gathering and Book Signing
Conference Adjourns
www.adec.org
Continuing Education Information
The conference is co-sponsored by the Association for Death Education Counseling and The Institute for Continuing Education. Continuing education is offered as listed below. The Conference
offers 31 contact hours, with total hours subject to change. Credit
is awarded on a session-by-session basis, with full attendance required at the sessions attended. Application forms will be available
on site. If you have questions regarding continuing education, or
for a listing of learning objectives, please contact The Institute at:
+1-251-990-5030; FAX: +1-251-990-2665.
Additional Accreditations:
Psychology: The Institute for Continuing Education is an organization approved by the American Psychological Association (APA)
to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The Institute for
Continuing Education maintains responsibility for this program and
its content.
Continuing Education Registration Requirements
Counseling: The Institute for Continuing Education is an NBCC
approved continuing education provider and a co-sponsor of this
event. The Institute for Continuing Education may award NBCCapproved clock hours for programs that meet NBCC requirements.
The Institute for Continuing Education maintains responsibility for
the content of this program. NBCC Provider No. 5643.
Social Work: The Institute for Continuing Education is approved as
a provider for social work continuing education by the Association
of Social Work Boards (ASWB), though the Approved Continuing
Education (ACE) program. The Institute for Continuing Education
maintains responsibility for the program. ASWB Provider No.
1007. Licensed social workers should contact their individual state
jurisdiction to review current continuing education requirements for
license renewal.
California Board of Behavioral Sciences – Provider No. PCE 636.
Illinois Dept. Professional Regulation – Provider No. 159-000606.
Ohio Counselor and Social Work – Provider No. RCS 030001.
Florida Dept. Health, Div. SW, MFT, Counseling – Provider BAP 255.
Marriage-Family Therapy: The Institute for Continuing Education is
recognized as a provider of continuing education by the California
Board of Behavioral Sciences, Provider No. PCE 636.
Funeral Directors: ADEC is approved by the Academy of Professional Funeral Service Practice, Provider No.1025.
Chaplains: The Continuing Education program offered
by the Association of Professional Chaplains has been
discontinued until further notice.
Visit http://www.professionalchaplains.org/index.aspx?id+124
for additional information.
There is a certificate fee of $50 USD for members (including active senior, student and institutional members) and $70 USD for
nonmembers. You may either register for CE onsite or as part of the
registration process. However, you may not register for credits after
April 18, 2009. Credit will be awarded on a session-by-session
basis, with full attendance required for session attended. One
certificate will be issued for all activities attended.
To receive continuing education credit, attendees must:
• Register for CE ($50 members, $70 nonmembers)
•
Sign in/sign out at designated locations
•
Complete the CE evaluation packet
(available at registration desk)
NOTE: It is the responsibility of the attendee to check with their state
licensing/certification board to determine if continuing education
credit offered by The Institute for Continuing Education will meet
their state’s regulations.
Breakdown of credit hours available:
Full-Day Specialty Workshops
Half-Day Specialty Workshops
Thursday Conference (all sessions)
Friday Conference (all sessions)
Saturday Conference (all sessions)
Total Credits
13.0 (Tue. & Wed.)
6.50 (Wed. only)
3.25 (Wed. only)
6.50
6.00
5.50
31.00
Drug-Alcohol: The Institute for Continuing Education is approved by
the National Association of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors
(NAADAC) to provide continuing education for alcohol and drug
abuse counselors, Provider No. 00243.
Nursing: The Institute for Continuing Education is accredited as
a provider of continuing education in nursing by the Alabama
Board of Nursing, Provider No. 1124; and the California Board
of Nursing, Provider No. CEP 12646. Nurses should contact their
state board to determine if approval of this program through the
Alabama or California Board of Nursing is acceptable for continuing education in their state.
www.adec.org
11
Certification for Thanatology Professionals
Certified in Thanatology:
Death, Dying and Bereavement (CT)
Fellow in Thanatology:
Death, Dying and Bereavement (FT)
Join your colleagues who work in the field of dying, death and
bereavement and become Certified in Thanatology: Death, Dying
and Bereavement (CT).
ADEC’s advanced certification in thanatology recognizes professionals who have:
• Five years of experience in the field of thanatology
• An advanced degree (master’s level or higher) in a related field
• Foundation-level ADEC certification, CT or passing score on the
certification exam
• Two letters of reference from a supervisor or colleague familiar
with the candidate’s work
• Advanced certification portfolio that demonstrates competence
in teaching, research and/or clinical practice
What is the CT?
Certified in Thanatology (CT) is a professional certification for
healthcare and social service professionals. It is an ADEC initiative to recognize, through a standardized measurement process,
practitioners and educators in the disciple of thanatology. The CT
represents an understanding of the ADEC Body of Knowledge in
Dying, Death and Bereavement developed by experts in the field. It
is a foundation certification.
How will you benefit from certification?
•
•
•
•
Through the personal challenge of continued
professional development
Elevated professional standards
Enhanced career opportunities for those who meet
certification standards
Enabling the public to indentify qualified practitioners/
educators
For more information, access the ADEC Web site at www.adec.org,
or contact adec@adec.org, +1-847-509-0403. The next examination is scheduled for November 7, 2009. Applications must be
received by September 24, 2009.
Scott & White welcomes the Association for Death Education and Counseling
to Dallas, TX for the 31st Annual ADEC Conference,
and is proud to sponsor the keynote speaker:
Monica McGoldrick
Living Beyond Loss: Family Responses to Grief
Thursday, April 16
Caring for over 4 million Central Texans, Scott & White – since 1897 – has provided personalized,
comprehensive, high-quality healthcare, enhanced by medical education and research.
Your choice. The trusted choice.
www.sw.org
12
www.adec.org
Certification for Thanatology Professionals
Congratulations to the individuals who earned ADEC CT or FT in 2008 for the first time:
Certified in Thanatology
Patricia A. Abbott, CT
Rev. Linda M. Amador, CT
Becky P. Andrews, CT
Tracey L. Apgar, CT
Wendy L. Barker, CT
Evelyn J. Bata, CT
Danielle Beard, CT
Claudia, Betancur, CT
Rachelle Edith Blum, CT
Patricia Boies, CT
Janice R. Brinker, CT
Judith C. Bulliner, CT
Erin E. Callaway, CT
Heather Renee Campagna, CT
Kathleen Carpentier, CT
Elizabeth M. Collier, CT
Pamela Keele Cress, CT
Madonna Denise Daley, CT
Amy Daly, CT
Carrol K. Davenport, CT
Teresa B. Dellar, CT
Claire S. Drexler, CT
Share DuRocher, CT
Joan E. Engelbart, CT
Regina J. Franklin Basye, CT
Mina M. Gates, CT
Elisa Gaudiosi-Lloyd, CT
Roy Gesley, CT
Galen Goben, Rev CT
Yolanda Gorick, CT
Britt-Marie Saga Graham, CT
Cara L. Grosset, CT
Justina M. Hale, CT
Jeffrey S. Hale, CT
Kerry Halligan, CT
Lois T. Harris, CT
Lucia Hartman, CT
M. Douglas Harvey, CT
Kimberly L. Higgins, CT
Andy Hau Yan Ho, CT
Kathryn W. Holl, CT
Ellie Isaacson, CT
Diana L. Jacoby, CT
Taube D. Jenkins, CT
Karen Kangas, CT
Amy C. Katcher, CT
Betsy A. Kelly, CT
Barbara N. Kimball, CT
Marcia A. Koelndorfer, CT
Betsy Lang, CT
Angela Lavery Benson, CT
Joyce A. Law, CT
John Lem Lemasters, CT
Lynne Lessard, CT
Cheryl Denise Link, CT
Meridith Lohse, CT
Nancy L. Ludwick, CT
Gail Barrick Lutin, CT
Cara Magrogan, CT
Julie McLellan-Mariano, CT
Cynthia Meilicke, CT
Judith Mendiola, CT
Kelly Ann Michael, CT
Rob Mifflin, CT
Jessica Miller, CT
Cheri Milton, CT
Randolph Hideo Miota, CT
J. Steven Moore, CT
Lara S. Moretti, CT
Ebony Muhammad, CT
Jane B. Ogden, CT
Leigh Ojeda, CT
Lorraine Optiz, CT
Ann Taylor Owen, CT
Sandra L. Owen, CT
Laura Paine, CT
Alicia E. Parker, CT
Sally A. Paumier, CT
Nicole E. Pettersen, CT
Cheryl M. Pharr, CT
Janice R. Purdy, CT
Nancy J. Renner, CT
Sara T. Roby, CT
Denise M. Rose, CT
Ann H. Ross, CT
Janice J. Rybar, CT
Valerie L. Sanchez, CT
Gail L. Sasseville, CT
Michelle Diane Schery-Simpson, CT
Stephanie Taylor Schultheis, CT
Cynthia L. Seaward-Salvati, CT
Joan M. Sharas, CT
Cynthia L. Seaward-Salvati, CT
Joan M. Sharas, CT
Jodi Anne Shaw, CT
Cathy Shelton, CT
Pam Short, CT
Jamie A. Siela, CT
Donna Sikorski, CT
Kristine J. Simon, CT
Julie C. Smith, CT
Lynn M. Snyder, CT
David L. Solem, CT
Sandra J. Somohano-Arbide, CT
Carrie A. Stenseth, CT
Jami L Stephens, CT
Barbara A. Sweeney, CT
Kelsea Thayne, CT
Shirley Yvonne Thomas, CT
Courtney N. Tillotta, CT
Pamela Tobin-Sachs, CT
Erin Troup, CT
Mari M. Uutala, CT
Paul Veliyathil, CT
Serena Visser, CT
Jerry Allen Waddell, CT
Jamie L. Yetter, CT
Christina Zampitella, CT
Tom F. Zercher, CT
Fellow in Thanatology
Geraldine A. Abbatiello, FT
Robbin A. Clarke, FT
Dona Marie Flanagan-Kaminsky, FT
Kathleen Fowler, FT
Donna George, FT
Mary Georgopoulos, FT
Justina Hale, FT
Stephanie A. Hand-Kaochak, FT
Jennifer Kaplan Schreiber, FT
Judith A. Pedersen, FT
Elizabeth Keene Reder, FT
Linda Silver-Gorowitz, MA, FT
Itetta Smith, FT
www.adec.org
13
Keynote Speakers
Thursday, April 16, 8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
Landmark A Room
Sponsored by Scott & White Clinic and Hospital
Monica McGoldrick, LCSW, PhD
Coming to terms with death is the most difficult
challenge a family must confront. From a systems
perspective, loss is a transactional process involving the dying and deceased with the survivors in a
shared life cycle that acknowledges both the finality of death and the continuity of life. This presentation will outline a cultural perspective for assessing
and intervening with families across the life cycle in coming to
terms with loss.
Monica McGoldrick, MA, LCSW, PhD (hc), director of the Multicultural Family Institute in Highland Park, New Jersey, and on the
psychiatry faculty of the RWJ Medical School.
Books include: The Changing Family Life Cycle, 3rd ed; Ethnicity
and Family Therapy, 3rd ed; Genograms: Assessment and
Intervention, 3rd ed. Living Beyond Loss: 2nd ed; Revisioning
Family Therapy: Race, Culture, and Gender inClinical Practice,
2nd ed; and You Can Go Home Again: Understanding Family
Relationships.
Friday, April 17, 2:00 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.
Landmark A Room
Get SET and GO: Mending Body, Mind and Spirit for Bereaved Persons
Ira Nerken Speaker: Cecilia Chan,
BSocSc, MSocSc, PhD, RSW, JP
Death of a spouse is one of life’s most devastating events. People commit to marriages without
knowing much about what to expect and how
to respond when their spouses are confronted
by a deadly disease or died. Many widows and
widowers find it difficult to move on with their lives
after spousal loss. Using depression as a measure in a longitudinal
study, Bonanno et al. (2002) identified five trajectories of grief
responses amongst elderly bereaved spouses, namely, Chronic
Grief (15.6%), Chronic Depressed (7.8%), Recovery (10.7%),
Depressed-Improved (10.2%), and most markedly, the Resilient
(45.9%). Two-thirds of the bereaved spouses either did not manifest
symptoms of depression at all or steadily improve and recover over
time. It is certainly worthwhile to explore how resilient individuals
are empowered to survive and transform their experiences of spousal loss in order to formulate new goals in life.
Cecilia Chan, BSocSc, MSocSc, PhD, RSW, JP, Si Yuan professor in
health and social work, Department of Social Work and Social
Administration, and director of Centre on Behavioral Health, as
well as associate director of the HKJC Centre of Suicide Research
and Prevention, The University of Hong Kong.
Saturday, April 18, 3:45 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Landmark A Room
Dying in America: The Nature of Suffering and the Nature of Opportunity
Through the End of Life
Sponsored by Selected Independent Funeral Homes
Ira Byock, MD
Narratives of people living with life-limiting illness
provide a power, poignant means for understanding the nature of suffering and nature of human
development through the end of life. We will
examine qualities of personal experience with life’s
end and reveal ways in which clinicians can foster
human development during this inherently difficult
time of life. Therapeutic and research implications of this developmental framework will be identified. Developmental landmarks
suggested by this conceptual framework and will be delineated and
implications for improving specificity of psycho-social and spiritual
interventions, as well as evaluation of therapeutic outcomes,
will be explored.
14
Ira Byock, MD, has been involved in hospice and palliative care
since 1978, during his residency. At that time he helped found a
hospice home care program for the indigent population served by
the university hospital and county clinics of Fresno, California. He
is a past president (1997) of the American Academy of Hospice
and Palliative Medicine. During the 1990s he was a co-founder
and principal investigator for the Missoula Demonstration Project,
a community- based organization in Montana dedicated to the
research and transformation of end-of-life experience locally, as a
demonstration of what is possible nationally. From 1996 through
2006, he served as director for Promoting Excellence in End-of-Life
Care, a national grant program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Dr. Byock has authored numerous articles on the ethics and
practice of hospice, palliative and end-of-life care. His first book,
Dying Well, (1997) has become a standard in the field. He has
been an advocate for the voice and rights of dying patients and
their families. His most recent book, The Four Things That Matter
Most, (2004) is published by the Free Press.
www.adec.org
Featured Speakers
Friday, April 17
8:30 a.m. – 9:45 a.m
Cumberland J Room
Using Ethical Standards to Recover From
Compassion Fatigue
Paula Loring, LCSW, LMFT, NCBF
Ethical practice in the medical and mental health profession is
paramount and should be reviewed on a regular basis. The reality
is that often ethical decisions, while usually made based on professional principles, are subject to interpretation. There are rarely right
or wrong answers, or black and white solutions to the complicated
care of patients and their families. Decisions can be strongly affected by the professional’s values, periodic personal challenges
and level of involvement in his/her work. Burnout and excessive
stress can further confuse an ethical judgment and distort ethical
interpretations.
This workshop will provide the professional with an opportunity to
personally explore how values, stresses, burnout and personal challenges effect their decision making process and demonstrate how
ethical principles can support sound professional judgment during
times of burnout or high stress.
Paula Loring, LCSW, LMFT, is the director of Porter Loring Family
Care Services of Porter Loring Mortuaries in San Antonio, Texas.
This is a community-based program offering support groups, and
individual and family counseling to bereaved families. Prior to her
work here in San Antonio, she was in private practice in Austin for
20 years working with adults, adolescents and children.
Landmark A Room
Working With Children and Families After a
Traumatic Death Loss: Community Strategies
Khris Ford, LPC
Vicki Johnson, MS – Moderator
Laura Olague, MEd, CT
Kathy Telger, MEd, LPC-S
Michelli Gomez, LMSW
Panel organized by The WARM Place for Grieving Children and
Families, Fort Worth, Texas
This panel will address approaches used by children’s grief support
programs in several cities across Texas that assist children who are
affected by a traumatic death loss. Topics will include the use of
separate groups for trauma deaths vs. inclusion with non-trauma
deaths. Different approaches for addressing individual counseling services, outreach and crisis intervention will be covered. In
addition, the panel will discuss ways to educate and support the
parent/guardian in their efforts to help their child. Issues related to
cultural differences as well as the concern of retraumatization will
be addressed.
Khris Ford, LPC, is an adjunct instructor at the University of Texas
at Austin School of Social Work, where she teaches graduate level
courses in grief and loss counseling. She is also a bereaved parent.
In the past 15 years, Khris has counseled with hundreds of grieving
children and adults, trained over 500 school counselors, social
workers, and other mental health professionals and led dozens of
weekend retreats for bereaved parents.
Vicki Johnson, MS, associate executive director, joined The WARM
Place staff in 2002 as director of development and was named
associate executive director in 2004. She received her bachelor
of arts and master of science degrees in counseling and student
services degrees from the University of North Texas. Prior to that,
she was a WARM Place volunteer and part-time counselor for eight
years. Her responsibilities include organizing and supervising an
effective development program.
Laura Olague, MEd, CT, is the executive director and co-founder
of the Children’s Grief Center of El Paso. She holds a bachelor’s
degree in social work from Texas Tech and a master’s degree in
guidance & counseling from University of Texas at El Paso. She has
been a member of ADEC since 1992 and is certified in thanatology. She has been working with grieving children and families for
18 years and co-founded the Children’s Grief Center in 1995.
Kathy Telger, MEd, LPC-S, program director, has been with The
WARM Place since 1994. She is a licensed professional counselor
and approved supervisor for the Texas State Board of Examiners
of Professional Counselors. She graduated from the University of
North Texas with a master of education degree in counseling and
student services. Her WARM Place responsibilities include conducting family intake interviews, supervising graduate counseling
interns, and educating the public on children’s grief issues.
Michelli Gomez, LMSW, received her bachelor of Arts degree in
biology from St. Mary’s University, a master of science degree in
environmental science from the University of Texas at San Antonio,
www.adec.org
15
Featured Speakers
and her master of social work degree from Our Lady of the Lake
University. She serves as the program services coordinator. In this
capacity, Michelli assists in the coordination of the various support
groups provided by the Children’s Bereavement Center of South
Texas (CBCST) In addition, she provides individual and family
counseling to CBCST clients.
Cumberland L Room
Decision-Making Near the End of Life: Issues,
Developments, and Future Directions
James L. Werth, Jr., PhD
This presentation will review recent developments that have
affected decision-making within the field of end-of-life care. A variety of issues will be reviewed including ethical and legal issues and
concerns, diversity considerations, biopsychosociospiritual matters
and controversial developments.
James L. Werth, Jr., PhD, is currently professor of psychology and
director of the PsyD program in counseling psychology at Radford
University and is a licensed psychologist in Virginia. His primary
areas of research and practice are end-of-life issues, HIV disease,
ethical and legal issues and rural issues. He has written/edited/
co-edited 6 books, 7 special journal issues, and nearly 100
articles/book chapters on these topics. He served on the American
Psychological Association’s Ad Hoc Committee on Legal Issues and
Ad Hoc Committee on End-of-Life Issues. He coordinated amicus
curiae briefs for the U.S. Supreme Court on end-of-life issues that
were signed onto by the American Counseling Association and National Association of Social Workers. He received his doctorate in
counseling psychology from Auburn University in 1995, a master’s
of legal studies degree from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln in
1999, and served as the American Psychological Association’s HIV
Policy congressional fellow in the office of Senator Ron Wyden (D
– OR) from 1999-2000 where he worked on aging and end-of-life
issues in addition to HIV.
Cumberland K Room
Therapeutic Implications of Research in
Trauma and Bereavement:
Practicing What We Preach Without
Pretending to Divine the Truth
Kenneth W. Sewell, PhD
A disconnect often exists between researchers who study human suffering and the clinicians, counselors, and therapists who work with
individual human beings in the aftermath of trauma and loss.
The theoretical assumptions that underlie much of the empirical
research are arguably derived from clinical wisdom. Nonetheless,
the findings from such research often seem removed from the needs
of therapy clients and those who serve them. Therapists often see limited benefit from utilizing the research literature, sometimes equating
a science-driven practice with the use of manualized treatments.
This presentation will provide an overview of some of the major
research findings in the fields of trauma and loss, and link them
to therapeutic strategies...many of which are already in common
use by clinicians. Then, a systematic method of reviewing research
literature for use in practice will be described that leaves flexibility
for the clinician and client to exercise their own preferences and
unique strengths. The described method allows therapists to adopt
an evidence-based approach without resorting to manualized
orscripted treatments. Clinical examples will be offered, both to
illustrate the approach and to emphasize the importance of maintaining flexibility in service of the client.
Kenneth W. Sewell, PhD, is associate vice president for research
and professor of psychology at University of North Texas in Denton. Formerly, he was director of clinical training for the doctoral
program in clinical psychology at the University of North Texas.
Dr. Sewell’s career in psychology typifies the scientist-practitioner
model by combining teaching, training and research with clinical
practice. His research interests include the application of personal
construct theory to the outcomes of trauma and bereavement. In
his research, Dr. Sewell uses both quantitative methods based on
statistical analysis and qualitative methods based on narrative, and
works to integrate them. Personally, he is a gifted poet, musician
and actor who brings the creativity of the arts to his professional
work with trainees and clients and is interested in promoting
“science-driven practice” of psychotherapy by incorporating ideas
generated by theory and lessons learned from research without
resorting to reductionistic treatments or manualized therapies.
Special Tracks
The 2009 ADEC program presents a diversity of concurrent sessions across the spectrum of our association’s Body of
Knowledge. In addition, however, this year we have identified two learning tracks of special interest to some of our members.
V
F
16
For members with an interest in victim advocacy issues, you will find concurrent sessions marked in the program with a “V.”
Some of the issues addressed in these concurrent sessions are the interplay between trauma and grief, homicide survivors,
suicide and the grief care of donor families after organ transplant.
For attendees with an interest in funeral service, memorialization options, and the aftercare of families, we have indicated
concurrent sessions in our funeral track with an “F.” Here you will find sessions addressing issues ranging from creative funeral
options to the practical issues of transporting remains internationally. In addition, representatives of funeral homes involved in
two mass tragedies - Hurricane Katrina and the Columbine shootings - present ideas about what they learned that will be useful to all ADEC conference attendees.
www.adec.org
Daily Schedule – Tuesday, April 14 and Wednesday, April 15
Tuesday, April 14
Room
7:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Registration Open
Reunion Foyer
8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Category
Indicator
Page
Introduction to Thanatology: Dying, Death and Bereavement
Lambrecht, Madeline E., EdD, RN, FT and Schachter, Sherry R., PhD, FT
Reunion A
Death ed
Prof issues
28
Intermediate Course: Grief Counseling
Molaison, Valarie A., PhD, FT
Reunion B
Loss grief mourn
Prof issues
28
Advanced Course: Complicated Bereavement and Grief Therapy
Knott, J. Eugene, PhD, ABPP
Reunion C
Loss grief mourn
Prof issues
29
Wednesday, April 15
Room
Category
Indicator
Page
7:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Reunion Foyer
8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Registration Open
Introduction to Thanatology: Dying, Death and Bereavement
Lambrecht, Madeline E., EdD, RN, FT and Schachter, Sherry R., PhD, FT
Reunion A
Death ed
Prof issues
28
Molaison, Valarie A., PhD, FT
Reunion B
Loss grief mourn
Prof issues
28
Advanced Course: Complicated Bereavement and Grief Therapy
Knott, J. Eugene, PhD, ABPP
Reunion C
Loss grief mourn
29
Catching Your Breath in Grief: A Workshop for Caregivers
Attig, Thomas, PhD
Cumberland L
Loss grief mourn
Rel/spirit
30
Using Drawings in Working With Children and Adults
DeSpelder, Lynne, MA, FT; Barrett, Ronald Keith, PhD, FT
Cumberland K
Assess interv
Prof issues
30
Beyond Gender: Understanding the Ways Men and Women Grieve
Doka, Kenneth, PhD; Martin, Terry, PhD
Cumberland E/F
Loss grief mourn
Prof issues
31
Mindful Mortality – Exploring the Spiritual Dimensions
of Death Awareness
Ford, Tim, MA, MS
Cumberland J
Dying process
Rel/spirit
32
The Veteran’s Last Skirmish: Encountering Dying and Death
Flanagan-Kaminsky, Donnamarie, MA, CT
Cumberland C
Loss grief mourn
Large
32
Appreciating Research That Matters:
Foundations of Bereavement Research Literacy
Shapiro, Ester, PhD; Hogan, Nancy, PhD; Andrea, Walker, PhD
Cumberland C
Assess interv
Resources research
33
Living Near Death
Childs, Annette, PhD
Cumberland J
Dying process
Rel/spirit
34
5:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
New Member/First-Time Attendee Gathering
Pegasus B
6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Welcome Reception
Grand Hall/Union Station Building
8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
8:30 a.m. – Noon
1:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Specialty Workshops – Full Day
Specialty Workshops – Morning
Specialty Workshops – Afternoon
Categories: Each presentation specifies the category that is most
appropriate for the content of the presentation.
Indicators: Each presentation specifies the indicator that is most
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•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Assessment and Intervention (Assess interv)
Death Education (Death ed)
Dying Process (Dying process)
End-of-Life Decision-Making (End life dec make)
Loss, Grief and Mourning (Loss grief mourn)
Traumatic Death (Traum death)
www.adec.org
Contemporary Perspectives (Contemp perspect)
Cultural/Socialization (Cult/soc)
Ethical/Legal (Ethical/legal)
Family Individual (Fam indiv)
Historical Perspectives (Hist perspect)
Larger Systems (Large)
Life Span (Life span)
Professional Issues (Prof issues)
Religious/Spiritual (Rel/spirit)
Resources and Research (Resources research)
17
Daily Schedule – Thursday, April 16
18
Thursday, April 16
Room
7:30 a.m. – 8:15 a.m.
People of Color/Multicultural Forum Meeting
Windsor
7:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Registration Open
Reunion Foyer
8:15 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
President’s Welcome/Keynote Speaker:
McGoldrick, Monica
Sponsored by Scott & White Clinic and Hospital
Landmark A
9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Contemplation/Reflection Room Open
Shawnee Trail #362
9:00 a.m. – Noon
Exhibit Hall/Bookstore/Posters Open
Reunion E-H
9:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Poster Session I/Presentations/Refreshment Break
Reunion E-H
Category
Indicator
Page
Poster #1
Gender Differences in Drug Responses to
End-of-Life Medications
Krau, Stephen, PhD
Assess interv
Prof issues
35
Poster #2
Ancient Egyptian, Modern Egyptian, and Current
American Views on Death and Bereavement
McCune, Susana, BA
Loss grief mourn
Cult/soc
35
Poster #3
Footprints Family Support Group:
A Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Family Bereavement Program
Ludwick, Nancy, RN, BSN
Loss grief mourn
Fam indiv
35
Poster #4
Developing a Hospital Bereavement Program – From Start to Success
NCELLED
CAMSW
Ruffin, Diana,
Loss grief mourn
Resources research
35
Poster #5
Healing a 40+ Year-Old Father-Loss Through Art Making
Baratta, Jill, MFA
Loss grief mourn
Fam indiv
36
Poster #6
And We Talk to the Animals: The Gift of Pets and the Pain of Loss
Gilbert, Richard, PhD
Loss grief mourn
Fam indiv
36
Poster #7
Doggone Grief
Brown, Brenda, BA, CT, GC-C
Loss grief mourn
Cult/soc
36
Poster #8
Testing a Model of Prolonged/Complicated Grief
Wilkins, Michael, BS
Loss grief mourn
Resources research
36
Poster #9
Exploring the Impact on Individuals who Have Experienced
CELLED
Multiple Losses
Through
Death Over Time
CAN
Elmslie, Pamela, MA
Loss grief mourn
Life Span
37
Poster #10
Techniques for Helping Overwhelmed Bereaved
Leaver, Wayne, PhD; Mondell, Amber, MA
Assess interv
Contemp perspect
37
Poster #11
Cultural Diversity in Hospice Care: Utilization, Barriers, and Clinical Implications
Andrea R. Croom, BS
End life dec make
Cult/Soc
37
Poster #12
Lost in Translation: Developing Meaningful & Transformational
LED
Relationships
Grievers
NCEL
CAWith
Konrad, Shelley, PhD, MSW
Loss grief mourn
Prof issues
37
Poster #13
Robin Bush: A Political Family’s Lasting Grief for a Child
Smith, Harold Ivan, DMin
Loss grief mourn
Rel/spirit
38
Poster #14
Meet Me on Saturn: Working With Non-Ordinary States
Joy, Barbara, MC, FT
Loss grief mourn
Contemp perspect
38
Poster #15
How to Communicate at Difficult Times Across the Cancer Continuum
Hughes, Mary, MS, RN
Assess interv
Prof issues
38
Poster #16
Joy Through Movement:
Using Yoga and Tai Chi Chih to Work Through Grief
Watkins, Becky, MPS, CT
Loss grief mourn
38
Poster #17
Perspectives on Recovery From Parental Suicide in Childhood:
Insights and Preliminary Findings
Loy, Martin, PhD; Boelk, Amy, ABD, MSW;
Smith, Jennifer L., BS; Irwin, Amy, BS
Traum death
Prof issues
39
Poster #18
Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy Bereavement Support Group
Whittington, Heather, BA
Loss grief mourn
Contemp perspect
39
Poster #19
Adolescents and Technology: Coping With Loss in the Digital World
Sofka, Carla, PhD, MSW
Loss grief mourn
Contemp perspect
39
Poster #20
Mythology and the Grief Healing Process
Barsano, Terry, MA
Loss grief mourn
Cult/soc
39
Life Span
www.adec.org
Thursday, April 16 (continued)
Room
9:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Reumion E-H
Poster Session I/Presentations/Refreshment Break (continued)
Category
Indicator
Page
Poster #21
Partnering for Children’s Grief Support: A Highmark Caring Place Initiative
Vorsheck, Terese, MA; Miller, Jessica, MA;
Thornton, Gordon, PhD; Finton, Leslie, MSW; Brucker, Nancy, MPH
Assess interv
Large
40
Poster #22
The Moral Experiences of Bereaved Fathers
Affleck, William, MA; Cadell, Susan, PhD; Macdonald, Mary Ellen, PhD
Loss grief mourn
Cult/soc
40
10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Concurrent Session I
Invited
Creating Meaningful Memorials: Six Elements of
Effective Bereavement Rituals
Hoy, William G., DMin, FT
Cumberland J
Assess interv
Cult/soc
41
Personal Exp./Reflection
All I Need to Know About Grief I Learned While I Was Born
Beck Irland, Nancy, MS
Cumberland A
Loss grief mourn
Fam indiv
41
‘No Mother-of-the-Bride?’:
Cumberland B
Differences in Developmental Milestones for Parentally Bereaved Children
Rapke, Jennifer, MA
Loss grief mourn
Life Span
42
Scholarly Paper
Poetic Elegy, Loss, and the Art of Grieving
Scarpino, Andrea, MFA; Shipers, Carrie, MFA
Cumberland C
Loss grief mourn
Contemp perspect
42
GriefWork Network: Providing Support and Education for
Providers of Bereavement Services
Borgman, C. Jan, MSW
Cumberland E/F
Loss grief mourn
Prof issues
43
Resiliency in the Aftermath of Homicide, Suicide, and Multiple Fatalities:
A Client Centered Focus
Caramela-Miller, Sandra, PhD
Landmark A
Traum death
Fam indiv
43
Practice Report
Counseling Bereaved Families During the Identification Process
Coleman, Mirean, MSW
Cumberland H
Assess interv
Prof issues
44
Companioning Model* of End of Life Care
on an Adult Bone Marrow Transplant Unit
Lang, Betsy, MMus, BM, MSW
Cumberland I
Dying process
Fam indiv
44
The Spiritual Ramifications of Grief
Thompson, Debra, MTP
Cumberland L
Loss grief mourn
Rel/spirit
45
Cumberland G
Assess interv
Cult/soc
45
F
V
11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
Concurrent Session II
Invited
Does Embalming Heal?
Jacqueline, Taylor, MBA, FT
F
Eastern Body-Mind-Spirit Model for Accomplishment of
Cumberland A
William Worden’s Four ‘Tasks of Mourning’
Woo, Ivan BSocSci (Social Work), MPhil; Chan, Cecilia, BSocSci, MSocSci, PhD, JP
Loss grief mourn
Prof issues
45
Research and the Baby Boomers Life Experience Demand Changes in
Grief Support - How Do We Do That?
Chappelear, Ginny, MEd, FT
Landmark A
Loss grief mourn
Cult/soc
46
Pastoral Care in Bereavement and Loss: A Guide for Helping
Hevelone, Jon Dale, DMin
Cumberland C
Death ed
Rel/spirit
46
How Will I Die? Understanding the Process and the Mystery
Bahti, Tani, RN, CT, CHPN
Cumberland E/F
Dying process
Prof issues
47
Research Report
A Natural Resource: Religious Coping in Bereaved Adolescents
Wright, J. Brooke, MA, PsyD; Jansen, Lorna; Bock, Sara Beth
Cumberland H
Loss grief mourn
Rel/spirit
47
Bangladesh Project: Grief Born of Injustice; and Tools of Faith, Hope, and Joy
Nicholson, Joyce, MS, LMHC
Cumberland I
Loss grief mourn
Cult/soc
48
Sudden Death, Grief and Counselors in the Hispanic Community
Stevenson, Robert, EdD; Cabrera, Fernando, PhD
Cumberland J
Loss grief mourn
Cult/soc
48
Research Report
When Safety Nets Fail: Social Support in Homicide Bereavement
Cumberland L
Burke, Laurie A., BA; van Dyke, Jessica G., BA; Neimeyer, Robert A., PhD;
McDevitt-Murphy, Meghan, PhD; Lawson, Katherine E., EdD
Traum death
Resources research
49
The Fall and Rise of a Palliative Care Consultation Team
Moore, Clint, III, MDiv, MA, FT
Assess interv
Prof issues
49
V
Practice Report
www.adec.org
Cumberland K
19
12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Category
Indicator
Page
Networking Groups (Box lunches for ticketed registrants)
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered
Cumberland B
Grief at Work
Cumberland C
Grief Camp
Cumberland E/F
Chaplaincy/Spiritual Care
Cumberland G
Military
Cumberland H
Pet Loss
Cumberland J
Buddhism and Thanatology
Cumberland K
Bereavement Support Group
Cumberland L
1:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Exhibit Hall/Bookstore/Posters Open
Reunion E-H
1:45 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.
Concurrent Session III
Fostering Multiple Losses in the Child Welfare System
Troup, Erin, MScP; Rapke, Jennifer, MA, LPA
Cumberland H
Loss grief mourn
Large
50
The Palm Still Waves: A Mother/Daughter Reunion
Boies, Patricia, JD, CT
Cumberland I
Loss grief mourn
Fam indiv
50
Practice Report
Cyber-Savvy Grief Interventions in a Youth’s World of Social Networking
Edwards, Cheryl, MS; Edwards, Daxon, MS, MSci
Cumberland C
Loss grief mourn
Cult/soc
50
Practice Report
Funeral Home Aftercare: Helping Clients Live Beyond Loss
Johnson, Catherine, MA, FT
Cumberland G
Assess interv
Large
51
Research Report
Pricey or Priceless?: Hospital Care of the Dying Patient
Chapple, Helen, PhD, RN, MA
Cumberland A
Dying process
Large
51
Research Report
After-Death Communications in Popular Bereavement Narratives:
How Ghosts Heal
Kwilecki, Susan, PhD
Cumberland L
Loss grief mourn
Rel/spirit
52
Scholarly Paper
A Training Course for “Exquisite Witness” Grief Care Providers
Jeffreys, J. Shep, EdD, FT
Landmark A
Death ed
Prof issues
52
2:45 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.
Poster Session I Continued/Refreshment Break
Reunion E-H
F
3:15 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.
Invited
Grief, Loss and Healing in the Age of the Internet
Horsley, Gloria C., CNS, MFC, PhD; Horsley, Heidi, PsyD, MSW, MS
Cumberland K
Death ed
Contemp perspect
53
Experiential Workshop
The Gifts of Grief - Life Beyond Loss
Sobonya, Nancee, MA
Cumberland A
Loss grief mourn
Rel/spirit
53
Whose Grief?
Manzella, Christiane, PhD
Cumberland B
Assess interv
Prof issues
53
Moral Distress: The Elephant in the Room
Barton, Jane, MTS, MASM
Cumberland C
End life dec maker
Prof issues
54
Scholarly Paper
Dallas, November 22, 1963: A Death That Changed the World Forever!
Smith, Harold Ivan, DMin, FT
Cumberland G
Loss grief mourn
Hist perspect
54
The Struggle for Grace – Opportunities for
Transformation of the Dying and Ourselves
Cumberland H
Dying process
Fam indiv
54
Cut it Out! This is Serious!: Laughter in Bereaved Families
Molaison, Valarie, PhD
Cumberland L
Loss grief mourn
Fam indiv
55
Symposium/
Panel Discussion
Research That Matters – 2009: Childhood Traumatic Grief
Lessons Learned from Research and Practice
Goodman, Robin, PhD; Sandler, Irwin, PhD; Jordan, John, PhD
Cumberland E/F
Traumatic death
Prof issues
55
F
V
20
Room
www.adec.org
Daily Schedule – Thursday, April 16 and Friday, April 17
Room
Category
Indicator
Page
3:15 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.
Concurrent Session IV (continued)
Symposium/
Panel Discussion
Life and Death Education in Japan
Kondo, Taku, PhD; Yoneda, Asaka, MA; Matamura, Misato, BA;
Sagara-Rosemeyer, Miharu, PhD, RN; Wada, Kaori, MA
Cumberland I
Death ed
Cult/soc
56
Symposium/
Panel Discussion
Death Education Online: Lessons Learned
Moore, Jane, EdD. FT; Gilbert, Kathleen, PhD; Attig, Thomas, PhD;
Gorman, Eunice, RN, BSW, MSW, RSw, PhD
Landmark A
Death ed
Prof issues
56
5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
The Colorful Faces of Grief
DeAngelis, Rose, BSN, MSc, RN; Lybert, Maxine, RN;
Smith, Ian, BA, STM; Dellar, Teresa, MSW
Cumberland C
Loss grief mourn
Fam indiv
57
My Phantom Father: The Special Bereavement
Experience of War-Related Loss
Taylor, Sharon R., PhD
Cumberland H
Loss grief mourn
Fam indiv
57
Living Beyond Loss for People With Intellectual Disabilities
Gilbride, Margaret, JD
Cumberland K
Loss grief mourn
Cult/soc
58
Practice Report
“I Can’t Imagine…”: Art for Teaching and Practice
Carlson, Susan, MSW; Van Loon, Ruth Anne, PhD
Cumberland A
Death ed
Fam indiv
58
Scholarly Paper
Bereavement Support Group? No Thanks. I’m Dating.
Gorman, Eunice, RN, BSW, MSW, RSW; Lewis, Laura, MSW, PhD
Cumberland B
Loss grief mourn
Prof issues
58
Scholarly Paper
Funeral Homes Bereavement Services and Interventions for
Young Children
Guy, Thurman, EdD
Landmark A
Assess interv
Resources research
59
Scholarly Paper
Living Beyond Loss: Themes of Dying, Death, and
Bereavement in Gospel and Blues Music
Strickland, Albert, CT
Cumberland L
Loss grief mourn
Cult/soc
60
6:15 p.m. – 7:15 p.m.
People of Color/Multicultural Forum Reception
Pegasus A
7:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Sixth Floor Museum Tour at Dealey Plaza Event (for ticketed registrants)
Dealey Plaza
Category
Indicator
Page
F
Friday, April 17
Room
7:00 a.m. – 7:30 a.m.
Joy Through Movement: 30 Minutes of Kirpalu Yoga and
Tai Chi to Start Your Day Right
Cockrell
7:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Registration Open
Reunion E-H
7:30 a.m. – 8:15 a.m.
People of Color/Multicultural Forum Meeting
Windsor
7:30 a.m. – 8:15 a.m.
Certification Meeting
Cumberland L
7:30 a.m. – 8:15 a.m.
Student Meeting
Cumberland B
8:30 a.m. – 9:45 a.m.
Featured Speakers
Using Ethical Standards to Recover From Compassion Fatigue
Loring, Paula, LCSW, LMFT, NCBF
Cumberland E/F
61
Working With Children and Families After a Trauma Death Loss:
Landmark A
Community Strategies
Ford, Khris, LPC; Johnson, Vicki, MS – Moderator;
Olague, Laura, MEd, CT; Telger, Kathy, MEd, LPC-S; Gomez, Michelli, LMSW
61
Decision Making Near the End of Life
Werth, Jr., James L., PhD
Cumberland L
61
Therapeutic Implications of Research in Trauma and Bereavement:
Practicing What We Preach Without Pretending to Divine the Truth
Sewell, Kenneth W., PhD
Cumberland K
61
9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Reunion E-H
9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Shawnee Trail #362
www.adec.org
21
Daily Schedule – Friday, April 17
22
Friday, April 17 (continued)
Room
9:45 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.
Reunion E-H
Poster Session II Presentations/Refreshment Break
Category
Indicator
Page
Poster #1
Determinants of Conscious and Unconscious Death
Anxiety Among Bereaved Adults
Hayslip Jr., Bert, PhD
Loss grief mourn
Life Span
62
Poster #2
Treasured Moments in Time
Carst, Nancy, MSW
Loss grief mourn
Fam indiv
62
Poster #3
Integrating Adlerian Theory and Techniques With Crisis Intervention
Tedrick, Sara, BA; Wachter, Carrie, PhD
Assess interv
Contemp perspect
63
Poster #4
Public Health Team and the Experience of the Very Ill at Home
Bousso, Regina, PhD; Silva, Lucía, MS
Assess interv
Prof issues
63
Poster #5
Giving Information: Latino and Chinese Families in Pediatric Palliative Care
Davies, Betty, RN, PhD
Dying process
Cult/soc
63
Poster #6
Death Attitudes and Anxiety Across Cultures
Moretta Guerrero, Brenda, PhD, LPC, FT
Dying process
Cult/soc
63
Poster #7
Religion, Life History, Illness and Death: Experience of Brazilians Families
Bousso, Regina, PhD; Serafim, Taís
Dying process
Rel/spirit
64
Poster #8
Death and Dying at a Children’s Mental Health Agency
Graves, Karen, MA
Assess interv
Fam indiv
64
Poster #9
Meaning Making of Family After Long-Term Foster Care
Lawrence, Carrie, BS
Loss grief mourn
Fam indiv
64
Poster #10
Teaching About Near-Death Experiences Using “The Day I Died”
Holden, Janice Miner, EdD, LPC-S, LMFT, NCC; Oden, Kathryn, PhD, LPC
Death ed
Resources research
64
Poster #11
Death and Grief Rituals: A Multicultural, Multispiritual Look
Kramer Almquist, Heather, MA, CT
Death ed
Cult/soc
65
Poster #12
Grief Related to Pregnancy Loss:
Understanding the Experience of Losing a Child before Birth
Fernandez, Ramona, BA, MEd
Loss grief mourn
Life Span
65
Poster #13
Near-Death Experiences: Thirty Years of Scholarly Inquiry
Holden, Janice Miner, EdD, LPC-S, LMFT, NCC
Dying process
Resources research
65
Poster #14
What About Me? Young People Grieve Too: An In-School Grief Support Program Loss grief mourn
McCune, Susana, BA
Life Span
65
Poster #15
Using Fiction And Memoir To Help Children and Adults Who Are Grieving
Markell, Kathryn, PhD; Markell, Marc, PhD, CT
Loss grief mourn
Fam indiv
65
Poster #16
A Life Giving Memorial
Rillstone, Pam, PhD
Loss grief mourn
Fam indiv
66
Poster #17
When Adults Grieve a Parent, A Second Look: “I’m Glad the Bastard’s Dead”
Assess interv
Fam indiv
66
Poster #18
Healing From Loss With Scents
McGoldrick, Irene, BS, MSW
Loss grief mourn
Fam indiv
66
Poster #19
This Place: A Documentary About Memorial Places
Kilcrease, J. Worth, MA, LPC, FT
Loss grief mourn
Fam indiv
66
Poster #20
An After School Program Grief Group With Middle Schoolers
Using the Expressive Arts: What Worked and What Didn’t
Wortham, Jennifer, LCSW, MSW
Loss grief mourn
Large
66
Poster #21
Understanding Bereavement Resilience:
Integrating Family and Cultural Perspectives
Ho, Andy, BA (UBC), GradDipEd (UBC), MSocSc (HKU);
Wang, Clarissa, BA (Wellesley)
Loss grief mourn
Cult/soc
67
Poster #22
Exploring the Various Aspects of Disenfranchisement
Reisen, Dyana
Loss grief mourn
Cult/soc
67
www.adec.org
Room
Category
Indicator
Page
10:15 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.
Concurrent Session VI
Invited
When They Die Here but Need to Go There: Shipping the Deceased Home Cumberland J
Piet, William E., LFD
Death ed
Prof issues
68
Practice Report
Importance of Whole System Support for the Grieving Family
Haggard, Geraldine, EdD; Lindwall-Bourg, Karne, MA
Cumberland B
Loss grief mourn
Fam indiv
68
Practice Report
When Death Darkens the Door: Supporting Children and
Families Facing the Death of a Parent
Warnick, Andrea, BScN, RN, MA; Toye, Lysa, MSW, Dip EXAT
Cumberland G
Death ed
Life Span
69
Practice Report
Living, Lost and Losses: The Flight of Shelter Dwellers in the Florida Keys
Meris, Doneley, MSW, MA, CT
Cumberland I
Assess interv
Life Span
69
Practice Report
Working With Children Who Have Lost a Loved One in the Military – TAPS
Campagna, Heather, EdS, MA; Sarri, Tina, BS
Cumberland K
Loss grief mourn
Fam indiv
70
Research Report
The Toll of Violence: African American Adjustment to Homicide Loss
Landmark A
Neimeyer, Robert A.; PhD, McDevitt-Murphy, Meghan, PhD;
Burke, Laurie A., BA; van Dyke, Jessica G., BA, Lawson, Katherine E., EdD
Traum death
Resources research
70
Research Report
The Role of After-Death Communication Experiences in
Bereavement Resolution
Frogge, Stephanie, MTS; Steward, Alan, PhD
Cumberland H
Loss grief mourn
Fam indiv
71
Research Report
Identity and Meaning Construction in Multiple Widowhood
Miles, Rosemary, PhD
Cumberland L
Loss grief mourn
Prof issues
71
Scholarly Paper
“Fragmented Answers”: Recounting Lucy Grealy’s Story
Fowler, Kathleen, PhD
Cumberland A
Loss grief mourn
Contemp perspect
72
F
V
I11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Concurrent Session VII
Invited
When a Person Dies at Home
Loring, Paula, LCSW, LMFT; Piet, William, LFD
Cumberland C
Dying process
Cult/soc
72
A Sacred Trust - Returning the Wartime Fallen
Giles, Karen, BS, MS
Cumberland L
Loss grief mourn
Contemp perspect
72
Practice Report
The Trauma Dialogues: Facilitating an Empowered Voice for
Homicide-Loss Survivors
Blakley, Theresa, PhD; Mehr, Nita, MSW
Cumberland A
Loss grief mourn
Fam indiv
73
Practice Report
Comforting Terminally Ill Chinese:
Cultural Understanding of the Family’s Bereavement Process
Shen, Yih-Jiun, DED
Cumberland G
Loss grief mourn
Cult/soc
73
Practice Report
Developing a Clinical Advancement Program for Bereavement
Cumberland H
Death ed
Prof issues
74
Research Report
Psychometric Evidence for the Continuing Bonds Inventory
Hogan, Nancy, PhD, RN, FAAN; Schmidt, Lee, PhD, RN
Cumberland E/F
Loss grief mourn
74
Research Report
Long Term Care Facilities: Are They Meeting the Needs of the Elderly
With Cancer and Their Families?
Gorman, Eunice, RN, BSW, MSW, RSW; Gibson, Maggie, PhD
Cumberland I
Assess interv
Large
75
Research Report
Couple Relationships Following the Loss of a Child
Gudmundsdottir, Maria, RN, PhD; Davies, Betty, RN, PhD
Cumberland J
Loss grief mourn
Fam indiv
75
Scholarly Paper
How African American Novelists Have Depicted Racism-Caused Grief in
African American Families
Rosenblatt, Paul PhD
Cumberland B
Loss grief mourn
Fam indiv
76
Balancing on a Shifting Rug – Facilitating End of Life Decision-Making
Landmark A
End of life dec make
Prof issues
76
F
V
www.adec.org
23
12:45 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.
Category
Indicator
Page
Networking Groups (Box lunches for ticketed registrants)
Bridging Research and Practice
Cumberland L
Children’s Program
Cumberland K
Funeral Home and After Care
Cumberland J
Gerontology
Cumberland B
Grief and Death Education
Cumberland E/F
Grief and Families
Cumberland C
Hospice
Cumberland H
Hospital-Based Bereavement Programs
Cumberland G
School Crisis Intervention Programs
Cumberland I
Suicide Prevention
Cumberland A
2:00 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.
Awards I/Keynote Speaker
Get Set and Go: Mending Body, Mind and Spirit for Bereaved Persons
Cecilia Chan, BSocSc, MSocSc, PhD, RSW, JP
Landmark A
3:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Reunion E-H
3:15 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.
Poster Session II Continued/Refreshment Break
3:45 p.m. – 5:15 p.m.
Concurrent Session VIII
Invited
Death Notification: I’ll Never Forget Those Words
Harris Lord, Janice, ACSW-LMSW/LPC, MSW
Cumberland J
Traum death
Prof issues
77
Symposium/
Panel Discussion
Grief in Workplace: Mending Body, Mind & Spirit of Your Employees –
Knowing Boundaries/Ethics
Harper, Jeanne, MPS, FT, BCETS, DAPA; Mooney, Kim, BA, CT;
Friedichs, Judy, MS, RN, CT
Cumberland I
Loss grief mourn
Large
77
Metaphors as Meaning-Makers in Grief Therapy
Winchester Nadeau, Janice, PhD
Cumberland B
Assess interv
78
Pet Loss as a Portal to Significant Life Traumas and Losses
Antinori, Deborah, MA; Barton Ross, Cheri, MS
Cumberland C
Loss grief mourn
Fam indiv
78
Hearing the Patient’s Voice Through a Values History
Lewis, Mileva, EdD; Wagner, Robert, MDiv
Cumberland G
End life dec make
Prof issues
79
Creative Healing: Using Integrative Therapies to Help Grieving Families
Merriman, Christine, MSW, LCSW
Cumberland H
Assess interv
Contemp perspect
79
End of Life Care From Four Faith Traditions:
Jewish, Hindu, Muslim, Tibetan Buddhism
Lunsford, Beverly, PhD
Cumberland K
Death ed
Rel/spirit
80
Symposium/
Panel Discussion
The Legacy of Dr. Edwin Shneidman:
DVD of a Thanatologist at 90 Years Old
Fajardo, Angelica, MA, CT; Barrett, Ronald Keith, PhD, FT;
DeSpelder, Lynne, MA, FT; Gabby, Pamela, MA, FT;
Shurman, Donna, EdD, FT; Striekland, Albert, CT
Cumberland L
Death ed
Hist perspect
80
Continuing Bonds Through Myspace: A New Venue for Grief Explored
Hieftje, Kimberly, MS
Landmark A
Loss grief mourn
Cult/soc
81
V
24
Room
5:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Cumberland E/F
6:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Pet Remembrance Service
Cumberland L
6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Meet the Authors and Book Signing Reception
Reunion Foyer
www.adec.org
Daily Schedule – Saturday, April 18
Saturday, April 18
Room
7:00 a.m. – 7:30 a.m.
Spiritual Services
Cumberland J
7:00 a.m. – 7:30 a.m.
Joy Through Movement: 30 Minutes of Kirpalu Yoga and
Tai Chi Chilh to Start Your Day Right
Windsor
7:30 a.m. – 8:15 a.m.
ADEC Business Meeting
Landmark A
8:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Registration Open
Reunion Foyer
9:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Contemplation/Reflection Room Open
Shawnee Trail #362
9:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Exhibit Hall and Bookstore Open
Reunion E-H
8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
Invited
Multiple Fatalities and Grief Support: What We Learned From Columbine
McBride, Jennifer, MA; Horan, John J., MSP, CFSP
Invited
Category
Indicator
Page
Cumberland E/F
Traum death
Large
81
Strategies for Mind-Body Healing
Chan, Cecilia, BSocSc, MSocSc, PhD, RSW, JP
Cumberland I
Death ed
Prof issues
82
Invited
The Last Lecture: Staying Power or a Passing Fad?
Sofka, Carla, MSW, PhD
Cumberland J
Death ed
Contemp perspect
82
Why Would God? Helping Bereaved Parents Process
Hard Spiritual Questions
Glasgow, Bob, DIp Theo
Cumberland L
Loss grief mourn
Rel/spirit
82
A Perspective on the Comprehensive Care of Donor Families
Yetter, Jamie, BA; Post, Michelle, MA, LMFT
Cumberland C
End life dec make
Fam indiv
83
Death and Disenfranchised Grief in Virtual Communities:
Challenges and Opportunities
Hensley, Lisa, PhD
Cumberland H
Loss grief mourn
Large
83
When Hurricane Tragedy Strikes – Crisis and Grief Challenge Resiliency
Adams, Susan, PhD
Cumberland K
Loss grief mourn
Cult/soc
84
Research Report
Meaning-Making in Memories: A Comparison of Death and
Low Point Autobiographical Memories
Mackay, Michael, BA, MSc
Cumberland A
Loss grief mourn
Resources research
84
Research Report
Interface of Posttraumatic Stress and Posttraumatic Growth in
Bereaved Parent Narratives
Larsen, Barbara, MA; Murray, Colleen, PhD
Cumberland B
Loss grief mourn
Fam indiv
85
Research Report
College Psychology Course Offerings on Death and Dying:
A National Survey
Eckerd, Lizabeth, PhD
Cumberland G
Death ed
Resources research
85
F
V
10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Invited
Understanding Today’s Options in Funeral and Memorial Service
Taylor, Glenn, LFP
Cumberland C
Loss grief mourn
Cult/soc
86
Who Let the Dogs Out? Utilizing Therapy Dogs With
Grieving Children and Teens
Gabbay, Pamela, MA, FT
Cumberland A
Loss grief mourn
Fam indiv
86
End of Life on a Bone Marrow Transplant Unit –
Body, Mind, & Transpersonal Experience
Cumming, Tiffany, MA; Lang, Betsy, MSW
Cumberland G
Dying process
Fam indiv
86
Psychosocial Role of the Death Penalty in the Death System
Rushforth, Nancy, MA; McGunigall-Smith, Sandy, PhD
Cumberland H
Traum death
Large
87
Meaning Making and Making Meaning:
Moving Outside the Circle of Grief
Kosminsky, Phyllis, PhD
Cumberland I
Loss grief mourn
Contemp perspect
87
Practice Report
Using Narrative Therapy Processes With Grieving Families
Lindwall-Bourg, Karen, MA
Cumberland B
Assess interv
Prof issues
88
Practice Report
Incorporating Technology Into Death Education Practice:
Three Formats for Delivery
Wheat, Laura, MEd; Whiting, Peggy EdD; James, Libba, MEd
Cumberland K
Death ed
Prof issues
88
Research Report
Finding Sense and Significance in the Loss of One’s Child:
A Mixed Methods Study of Meaning-Making
Neimeyer, Robert, PhD; Currier, Joseph, MA; Lichtenthal, Wendy, PhD
Cumberland L
Loss grief mourn
Resources research
88
F
www.adec.org
25
Saturday, April 18
10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Concurrent Session X (continued)
Research Report
Silent Grief: A Narrative Inquiry Into the Meaning Making Processes of
Bereaved Adult Siblings
Marshall, Brenda, MEd
Room
Category
Indicator
Page
Cumberland J
Loss grief mourn
Fam indiv
89
11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
Invited
Mass Tragedy Funeral Challenges: What We Learned From Katrina
Schoen III, Gerard L., LFD
Cumberland E/F
Traum death
Contemp perspect
90
Research Report
Predictors of Grief Reactions Among Dementia Caregivers
Ott, Carol PhD
Cumberland G
Loss grief mourn
Prof issues
90
Art Beyond Sight: Embodied Healing by Adults Living With Vision Loss
Jaworek, Joseph, MA, CT, ATR-BC
Cumberland B
Loss grief mourn
Cult/soc
91
The Use of Biblical and Rabbinic Texts as Tools for Healing
in a Bereavement Support Group
Arshinoff, Rabbi Rena, RN, BA, MHSc, MAHL
Cumberland C
Loss grief mourn
Rel/spirit
91
Practice Reports
Same Time Next Year: Ritualized Remembrances of World AIDS Day
Cumberland H
Loss grief mourn
Cult/soc
91
Practice Reports
End-of-Life Care: Recognizing and Resolving Ethical Conflicts
Cumberland I
End life dec make
Prof issues
92
Practice Report
Past and Present: The History of Death as Death Education
Cruz, Laura, PhD
Cumberland K
Death ed
Hist perspect
92
Research Report
Africanisms: Death and Mourning Rituals of the Gullahs of the Sea Islands
Swift, Diane, MA
Cumberland A
Death ed
Cult/soc
93
Research Report
A Preliminary Study of Hospital-Based Bereavement Care in
American Hospitals
Rapke, Jennifer, MA
Cumberland J
Assess interv
Large
93
Practice Report
Creative Interventions for Children Experiencing Traumatic Grief
Lowenstein, Liana, MSW
Cumberland L
Traum death
Fam indiv
94
Presidential Lunch (for ticketed registrants)
Landmark A
F
V
12:30 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.
26
(continued)
www.adec.org
Saturday, April 18
(continued)
Room
Category
Indicator
Page
2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Invited
The Role of Funerals in Healing Grief Symposium
Worden, J. William; Sofka, Carla, MA, PhD, BS; Doka, Kenneth;
Weeks, O. Duane; Hoy, William
Cumberland K
Loss grief mourn
Contemp perspect
94
The Creative Use of Therapeutic Games With Bereaved Children
Cumberland B
Assess interv
Fam indiv
95
Visions, Dreams, and Metaphors of the Dying:
What They Mean and How We Can Help
Atkins, Martha, MA, LPC-S
Cumberland C
Assess interv
Rel/spirit
95
The Wisdom and Comfort of a Suicide Bereavement Group
Kosoy, Marjorie, EdD; Levin, Sheryl, MEd, RSW
Cumberland G
Loss grief mourn
Prof issues
96
The Gift of Presence in Helping Bereaved Individuals
Cumberland H
Harris, Darcy, MEd, RSW; Hunter, Brad A.; Kauffman, Jeffrey, MA, LCSW
Loss grief mourn
Prof issues
96
Meet God the Bully: When Values and Beliefs Hurt
Cumberland I
Dying process
Rel/spirit
96
Symposia/
Panel Discussion
Teaching That Matters:
On Texts and Teaching in Death Education
Noppe, Illene, PhD; Corr, Charles, PhD; DeSpelder, Lynne, MA;
Dickinson, George, PhD
Cumberland J
Death ed
Prof issues
97
Symposia/
Panel Discussion
How Did I Get Into and Become a Expert in Thanatology:
Thanatologists’ Narratives
De Rossiter, Cher, MBA; Wada, Kaori, MA
Cumberland E/F
Death ed
Prof issues
97
Symposium/
Panel Discussion
Bereavement After Suicide and Homicide:
A Conversation About Differences and Similarities
Jordan, John, PhD; Rynearson, Edward, MD
Cumberland L
Traum death
Prof issue
98
3:45 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Awards II/ Keynote Speaker –
Dying in America: The Nature of Suffering and
the Nature of Opportunity Through the End of Life
Ira Byock, MD
Sponsorsed by Selected Independent Funeral Homes
Landmark A
5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Farewell Reception and Book Signing
Landmark Circle
F
V
9th International Conference on Grief and
Bereavement in Contemporary Society
and
ADEC 33rd Annual Conference
June 21 – 25, 2011
InterContinental Miami ❂ Miami, FL USA
®
ADEC 34th Annual Conference
March 27 – 31, 2012
Hilton Atlanta ❖ Atlanta, GA USA
www.adec.org
27
Tuesday, April 14
Wednesday, April 15
8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Reunion A Room
Introduction to Thanatology:
Dying, Death and Bereavement
Faculty: Madeline E. Lambrecht, EdD, RN, FT and
Sherry R Schachter, PhD, FT
Intended Audience:
The Introduction to Thanatology Course is intended for those new to
the field of thanatology and individuals who are working as volunteers and support staff with critically ill, dying or bereaved individuals. This course will also be helpful for professionals (nurses, physicians, psychologists, social workers, chaplains, funeral directors,
police, EMTs, etc.) who may have little formal education in thanatology and are working with the critically ill, dying or bereaved.
Course Description:
This course gives an overview and summary of the field of thanatology based upon the Body of Knowledge published by ADEC. It
explores the social, cultural, psychological, legal/ethical and spiritual issues raised by illness, dying, death and bereavement. All information is relevant to everyday life and most specifically to those
practitioners providing support to the dying and bereaved. The
course will explore the meaning of death and examine personal
attitudes and fears, in order to understand the grieving process and
basic grief support throughout the life span.
New! Password-protected course Web site. Easy access for novice
Web users. Meet course faculty and other participants online before coming to Dallas! Access pre-conference reading assignments
and other course materials at your convenience. Print materials will
be available for those without Web access.
Recommended Text:
Balk, D. (Ed.). Handbook of thanatology: The essential body of
knowledge for the study of death, dying and bereavement.
Northbrook, IL: Association for Death Education and Counseling,
The Thanatology Association. ISBN: 978-0-415-98945-9
Faculty:
Sherry Schachter PhD, FT, the director of bereavement services for
Calvary Hospital/Hospice where she develops, coordinates and
facilitates educational services for staff and families. Schachter is
a recipient of the prestigious Lane Adam’s Award for Excellence in
Cancer Nursing from the American Cancer Society and for more
than 27 years has worked with dying patients and their family
caregivers. She previously worked at Memorial Sloan Kettering
Cancer in New York City for 23 years where she was an attending
grief therapist and the coordinator of the hospital’s bereavement
program. She has a private practice in New York City and
Pennsylvania and also publishes and lectures on issues related to
dying, death and loss. She is a past president of the Association for
Death Education and Counseling, and a member of the
International Work Group on Death, Dying and Bereavement.
practicing healthcare professionals, teachers, counselors and others
providing care and support to the terminally ill and bereaved. Lambrecht has been an educator, counselor and consultant on loss-related issues for more than 30 years. She had a private practice, Life
Stress Consultants, for 15 years and has published journal articles
and created computer and videodisc software focused on providing compassionate care to the dying and bereaved. Her videodisc,
Bereavement Counseling: Bereavement Support Strategies received
several national awards including a bronze medal at the International Film and TV Festival of New York.
Reunion B Room
Faculty: Valarie A. Molaison, PhD, FT
Intended Audience:
This course is designed for all professionals who have at least two
years of experience working with the bereaved.
Course Description:
This course examines key concepts related to the human response
to loss and the facilitation of healthy bereavement. Topics include
theoretical models of the grief experience, risk and resilience,
developmental, cultural, family and other mediating factors in normal, uncomplicated bereavement using the most current research
and theoretical perspectives in the field. The course will explore
specific strategies and counseling tools to effectively companion
with individuals, couples, families or groups coping with loss.
Recommended Text:
Worden, W.J. (2009). Grief counseling and grief therapy: A
handbook for the mental health practitioner (4th Ed.). New York:
Springer. ISBN: 08261-01208
Faculty:
Valarie Molaison, PhD, FT, is a licensed psychologist and clinical
director of Supporting Kidds: The Center for Grieving Children
and Their Families in Hockessin, Delaware, which provides
consultation, support groups, counseling and educational programs
for bereaved families, as well as community education and
consultation to professionals who work with bereaved families.
Molaison is adjunct clinical associate professor at Widener University
and a Fellow in Thanatology, certified by ADEC. She speaks regionally and nationally on topics related to dying and bereavement
and is known for her practical and humorous style and ability to
actively engage participants from a wide range of disciplines. She
has written three resource books:
School Survival Kit: Helping Students Cope with Grief in the
School Setting
Survival Kit for Families: Tools for Healthy Grieving
Survival Kit for a Caring Community: Supporting Bereaved Families
Madeline Lambrecht, EdD, is a past president of ADEC and currently serves as president of the Delaware End-of-Life Coalition. She
is the director of the Division of Special Programs and professor of
nursing in the College of Health Sciences at the University of
Delaware. She teaches an online death education course for
28
www.adec.org
Reunion C Room
Advanced Course:
Complicated Bereavement and Grief Therapy
Faculty: J. Eugene Knott, PhD, ABPP
Intended Audience:
Psychologists, social workers, marriage and family therapists,
licensed professional counselors, nurses, physicians, pastoral counselors or anyone with professional training seeking advanced skill
development in bereavement intervention with challenging cases.
Course Description:
A significant percentage of individuals who lose a loved one
struggle with prolonged and debilitating grief that merits professional intervention. The goal of this course is to draw on contemporary
models and research findings that help distinguish between benign
(or resilient patterns of grieving) and those that are more complicated, traumatic or entail greater risk to the bereaved person’s
psychosocial adaptation, health and interpersonal relationships.
The course will acquaint participants with specific conceptual and
practical tools for evaluating and intervening in such complications.
Recommended Text:
PDFs and Word documents will be sent to registrants before the
conference.
Faculty:
J. Eugene Knott, PhD, ABPP, is a psychologist and associate professor of human development and family studies at the University of
Rhode Island. He is a former ADEC president. He is published in
the areas of death education and grief counseling and a frequent
presenter to clinician groups on matters of bereavement and mourning, especially following traumatic and complex deaths. He is a
member of the Thanatology Minor and Certificate Committee at the
University of Rhode Island. A knowledgeable and award-winning
presenter, Knott was the 2005 recipient of the ADEC Contribution
to the Field Award.
Courses, workshops and presentations thoughout the
ADEC conference will cover the following categories:
Dying Process: The physical, psychosocial
and spiritual experience of facing death, living with terminal illness, the dying process
and caring for the terminally ill.
End-of-Life Decision-Making: The aspects of
life-threatening illness and terminal illness
that involve choices and decisions about
actions to be taken, for individuals, families
and professional caregivers.
Loss, Grief and Mourning: The physical,
behavioral, cognitive and social experience
of and reactions to loss, the grief process
and practices surrounding grief and commemoration.
Assessment and Intervention: Includes information gathered, decisions that are made
and actions that are taken by professional
caregivers to determine and/or provide for
the needs of the dying, their loved ones and
the bereaved.
Traumatic Death: Sudden, violent, inflicted
and/or intentional death, shocking encounters with death.
Death Education: Formal and informal methods for acquiring and disseminating knowledge about dying, death and bereavement.
Presentation Level
Each presentation identifies the knowledge/
skill level required of the participant. The
level is indicated after the title in parenthesis.
Introductory: Presentations that all participants (including undergraduate students)
with any appropriate background will be
able to fully comprehend and/or appreciate. Presentations will discuss concepts that
are considered basic skills/knowledge for
those working in the field of thanatology.
Intermediate: Presentations that participants
may more fully comprehend/appreciate if
they have at least some work experience in
the topic to be discussed.
Advanced: Presentations that present concepts that require a high-level of previous
knowledge or work experience in the particular area/topic to be discussed as well
as being most geared for specialists and
those in advanced stages of their career.
www.adec.org
29
Specialty Workshops
Full-Day Workshop
Full-Day Workshop
Wednesday, April 15,
8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Cumberland L
Cumberland K
Catching Your Breath in Grief:
A Workshop for Caregivers
Using Drawings in Working With Children
and Adults
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Loss, Grief and Mourning
Religious/Spiritual
Intermediate
Assessment and Intervention
Professional Issues
Intermediate
Attig, Thomas, PhD
DeSpelder, Lynne Ann, MA, FT1; Barrett, Ronald Keith, PhD, FT2
Bowling Green State University, Fairfield, CA, United States
1
Cabrillo College, Capitola, CA, United States; 2Loyola Marymount University, Los
Angeles, CA, United States
This workshop presents whatever wisdom the presenter has acquired in
thirty-five years of reflection about the meanings of life, death, and grieving. It unfolds around a universal human story that resonates with experiences of wonder about life; longing for self-understanding; connection,
care, and love; loss and suffering; hope that reaches through brokenness
and sorrow; and searching for meaning in encounters with mystery themes that thread through the world’s great spiritual traditions.
The opening session tells the story of the coming and going of the
breath of life: the grace that gives it, its animating power, the life support it provides, and the good reasons why traditions identify it with
soul and spirit and of how, as brokenness and sorrow (grief reaction)
come over us, loss takes our breath away.
The remaining sessions tell of how, through active engagement with
what has happened to us (grieving response), we catch our breath.
Sorrow-friendly practices enable us to breathe into our suffering and
learn from it, and we draw upon hope and the resilience of soul and
spirit. We learn to carry sorrow. We relearn the worlds of our experience (our surroundings, our selves, and our place in the great scheme
of things). And we learn to love in separation through memory and
embracing legacies.
Workshop sessions are filled with discussion of how caregivers can
support the breath of life in grievers as they experience brokenness,
sorrow, and crisis; actively engage with what has happened; and learn
to live in a world changed profoundly by loss.
Thomas Attig, PhD, an applied philosopher is a past president of ADEC
and the author of How We Grieve: Relearning the World and The
Heart of Grief: Death and the Search for Lasting Love.Catching Your
Breath in Grief, the basis for this workshop, has yet to be published.
Objectives:
At the conclusion of this presentation, participants will be able to:
1. Distinguish soulful and spiritual dimensions of the breath of life
2. Describe how the bereaved gasp for breath in the brokenness, sorrow, and crisis of grief reaction
3. Describe how the bereaved catch their breath through the active
reengagement with life in grieving response
References:
Attig, T. (1996). How we grieve: Relearning the world. Oxford University Press.
Attig, T. (2000). The heart of grief: Death and the search for lasting
love. Oxford University Press.
Attig, T. (2004). Disenfranchised grief revisited: Discounting hope and
love. Omega.
Attig, T. (2004). Meanings of death seen through the lens of grieving.
Death Studies.
30
Wednesday, April 15
8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Would you like to develop and expand your resources for working with
individuals and groups? Laying aside projective analyses, this workshop guides participants in exploring the use of drawings to enhance
communication with children and adults in educational or therapeutic
situations. Replacing analysis with curiosity, you will learn how to use
drawings to facilitate your understanding of you own and another’s
thoughts, feelings, and concepts in death-related situations. Investigate
the impact of important factors in death experiences including culture
through the use of drawings. Participants will prepare at least one
drawing and practice using it to communicate, if they choose, with
others in the workshop. This experiential learning will be enhanced by
viewing drawings obtained in various circumstances by the presenters.
Lynne Ann DeSpelder, MA, FT, counselor and a professor of psychology
co-authored The Last Dance: Encountering Death and Dying, 8th ed.
(2008.) An ADEC member, she conducts workshops about thanatology
both nationally and internationally.
Dr. Ronald Barrett, FT, is internationally recognized as a specialist in
the study of cultural differences in thanatology. He and Lynne initiated
a cross-national study of children’s conceptions of death through draw-
ings and have taught together in many settings including ADEC’s
Foundations Course for CT units from 2003-2005.
Objectives:
1. Identify the situations whereby drawings enhance understanding
and communication
2. Describe the techniques for extracting information communicated
via a drawing
3. Develop skills in the use of drawings in therapeutic and educational
settings
References:
Bolton, G. (2007). Dying, bereavement and the healing Arts. London,
Jessica Kingsley Publishers, Inc.
DeSpelder, L. A., & Strickland, A.L. (2008). The last dance: Encountering death and dying, 8th edition. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Hieb. M. (2005). Inner journeying through art-journaling: Learning to
see and record your life as a work of art. London, Jessica Kingsley
Publishers, Inc.
Hinz, L. ( 2008). Walking the line between passion and caution in art
therapy: Using the expressive therapies continuum to avoid therapist
errors. Art Therapy: Journal of the American Art Therapy Association,
Milwaukee, WI.
Massimo, L. & Zarri, D. (2006). In tribute to Luigi Castagnetta--drawings. A narrative approach for children with cancer. Annals of the
New York Academy of Sciences 1089 (1), xvi-xxii.
Seftel, L. (2006). Grief unseen: Healing pregnancy loss through the
arts. London, Jessica Kingley Publishers, Inc., 95-100.
www.adec.org
Specialty Workshops
Full-Day Workshop
Wednesday, April 15
8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Cumberland E/F
Beyond Gender: Understanding the Ways
Men and Women Grieve
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Professional Issues
Intermediate
Doka, Kenneth, PhD1; Martin, Terry, PhD2
1
2
The College of New Rochelle, New Rochelle, NY, United States;
Hood College, Frederick, MD, United States
Many individuals believe that if an individual does not show or share
sadness or express other emotions, that individual is not in touch with
or is suppressing grief. In fact, grief reactions are highly individual and
varied. Many men, and women, may express their grief in more instrumental ways, showing grief in more cognitive or active manifestations.
This session explores the different patterns or styles of grief, emphasizing that each of these pattern has their own distinct advantages and
disadvantages.
Objectives:
1. Describe institutional, intuitive, blended and dissonant patterns of
grief
2. Discuss the ways that each pattern can facilitate or complicate the
grieving process
3. Describe interventive techniques suitable for each pattern
References:
Doka, K. J. & Martin, T. (2009) Mourning beyond gender: Understanding the ways men and women grieve. Philadelphia, PA: BrunnerMazel.
Martin, T. & Doka, K.J. (1999). Men don’t cry, women do: Transcending gender stereotypes of grief. Philadelphia, PA: Taylor and Francis.
Martin, T. & Wang, W. (2006). A pilot study of the development of a
test to measure instrumental and intuitive styles of grieving. Omega:
Journal of Death and Dying, 53, 263-276.
Worden, J.W. (2008) Grief counseling and grief therapy: A handbook
for the mental health practitioner. (4th Edition). New York: Springer.
Counselors would benefit from this session in two major ways. First it
challenges counselors to move beyond affect to explore the many ways
that individuals cope with loss. Second, the workshop offers specific
interventive strategies that are effective with different patterns.
Learning Objectives:
1. Describe institutional, intuitive, blended and dissonant patterns of
grief
2. Describe the theoretical and research basis for a continuum of
grieving styles
3. Discuss the ways that each pattern can facilitate or complicate the
grieving process
4. Identify and discuss pathways to grieving patterns including, gender, culture, cohort, and temperament
5. Discuss the effect of development on grieving patterns
6. Describe interventive techniques suitable for each pattern
Faculty:
Kenneth J. Doka, PhD, is a professor of gerontology at the graduate
school of The College of New Rochelle and Senior Consultant to the
Hospice Foundation of America. Dr. Doka is editor of both Omega:
The Journal of Death and Dying and Journeys: A Newsletter for the
Bereaved.
Dr. Doka was elected President of the Association for Death Education
and Counseling in 1993. and received the Award for Outstanding
Contributions in the Field of Death Education in 1998. Dr. Doka is an
ordained Lutheran minister.
Terry Martin, PhD, is an associate professor of psychology and thanatology at Hood College. He is the co-author of Men don’t cry, women
do: Challenging Gender Stereotypes of Grief and the Forthcoming
Mourning Bheyond Gender.
www.adec.org
31
Specialty Workshops
Morning Half-Day Workshop
Wednesday, April 15
8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Morning Half-Day Workshop
Cumberland J
Cumberland C
Mindful Mortality - Exploring the Spiritual
Dimensions of Death Awareness
The Veteran’s Last Skirmish:
Encountering Dying and Death
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Dying Process
Religious/Spiritual
Intermediate
Larger Systems
Introductory
Ford, Tim, MA, MS
Flanagan-Kaminsky, Donnamarie, MA, CT
Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States
Department of Veterans Affairs, Brecksville, OH, United States
There is a depth of understanding mortality that goes beyond the
simple fact that what was born must one day die. Professionals and
caregivers often speak of a profound depth of acceptance they have
encountered in dying patients that leads to spiritual growth and radical
change in the lives they live before they die. Efforts to theorize or systematically explore this concept of spiritual surrender at the deathbed
often run afoul of differing definitions, cultural beliefs, and experiential
integration of spirituality. How then can we invite this level of healing
in our clients and ourselves in a professional, multi-cultural manner? By
The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) operates the nation’s largest
integrated health care system providing care to nearly 6 million unique
patients and over 54 million outpatient visits annually. Nationally, there
are 23, 976, 991 veterans. Over 1800 veterans die every day. Onefourth of all Americans who die this year will be veterans. Veterans
ages 85+ will triple from 2000 to 2010. Only 4% of veterans die in
VA facilities. The remaining 96% die in community settings. Therefore,
it is important to educate the community about the unique needs of
veterans at end-of-life.
combining modern developmental approaches to death awareness
with traditional contemplative and meditative practices, this workshop will invite participants to deepen their own sense of mortality.
Experiencing the emotions of death awareness with controlled
and disciplined techniques allows professionals to heighten their
empathetic vocabulary and address their personal obstacles in a
systematic and supportive way. In addition to personal development, this workshop is designed to assist professionals in creating
with their clients unique and appropriate disciplines to integrate the
client’s own spiritual resources as they attend to their death.
There is a growing awareness that military experience, particularly
serving in a combat arena, has definite effects on the women and men
who serve. Are there specific identifiable characteristics that veterans
exhibit as they face the dying process? Are spouses and families also
affected, and if so, how? This presentation will explain how service
during a particular era has affected the veteran’s sense of self and his/
her dying process. It will discuss how families may also be affected by
the veteran’s military experience using anecdotal data.
Faculty:
Tim Ford, MA, MS, is the palliative care chaplain for the Thomas Palliative Care Unit at the VCU Health System. He is a trained chaplain,
counselor and a certified thanatologist who specializes in end-of-life
spiritual. Tim is also a lay-ordained Buddhist and as such is often called
upon to be an interfaith voice in community discussions of spirituality, healthcare, and multiculturalism. Tim was recently featured in the
Richmond Times Dispatch for his work on the unit.
Objectives:
1. Articulate psychological and spiritual obstacles to death awareness
2. Integrate mindfulness practices into their professional development
3. Assist others in integrating unique spiritual practices as they attend
to their death
References:
Kastenbaum, R. (2004). On our way: The final passage through life
and death. Berkeley, Calif.: University of California Press.
Kabat-Zinn, J. (2005). Wherever you go, there you are : Mindfulness
meditation in everyday life. New York: Hyperion.
Dzogchen Ponlop. (2007). Mind beyond death. Ithaca, N.Y.: Snow
Lion Publications.
Sogyal, Gaffney, P., & Harvey, A. (2002). The Tibetan book of living
and dying (Rev. and updated.). San Francisco, Calif.: Harper
San Francisco.
32
Wednesday, April 15
8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Because of the staggering number of veterans approaching end-of-life
care, VHA has implemented a National Hospice and Palliative Care
Program (HPC). The mission of the VA Hospice and Palliative Care
Program (HPC) is to honor veterans’ preferences for care at the end of
life. This presentation will describe the key elements of the program as
well as to illustrate a VISN specific plan to enhance end-of-life care for
veterans through increased access, improved quality and enhanced
expertise or more effective use of resources.
Donna Marie Flanagan-Kaminsky, MA, CT, grief counselor for the Louis
Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center works with veterans & veteran
families on VA Hospice. DonnaMarie provides anticipatory grief counseling for the family unit and offers bereavement counseling post death.
She conducts education seminars on these issues to VA staff, community
hospice agencies and to the community.
Objectives:
1. Discuss the various groups of veterans that are requiring end-of-life
care presently
2. Describe some unique experiences of veterans that affect their dying process
3. Explain the Dept. of Veterans Affairs End-of Life benefits and programs for veterans
References:
Beresford, L.(2007). VA transforms end-of-life care for veterans. Department of Veterans Affairs and National Hospice and Palliative Care
Organization.
Jennings, B., Kaebnick, G. E, and Murray, T. H., (Eds).(2005). Improving end-of-life-care: Why has it been so difficult? Hastings Center
Special Report 35, no.6.
www.adec.org
Specialty Workshops
Feldman, D. B. & Periyakoil, MD, Vyjeyanthi S. Posttraumatic stress
disorder at the end of life.(2006) Journal of Palliative Medicine, 9,
213-218.
Hoge, M.D., Charles W. et al.(2004). Combat duty in Iraq and
Afghanistan, mental health problems, and barriers to care. The New
England Journal of Medicine, 351, 1, 13-22.
Tick, E. (2008). War and the soul: Healing our nation’s veterans from
posttraumatic stress disorder. Wheaton, Ill: Quest Books
Afternoon Half-Day Workshop
Wednesday, April 15
1:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Cumberland C
Appreciating Research That Matters: Foundations of Bereavement Research Literacy
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Resources and Research
Introductory
Shapiro, Ester, PhD1; Hogan, Nancy, PhD2; Andrea, Walker, PhD3
1
University of Massachusetts at Boston, Newton Highlands, MA, United States; 2Loyola
University Chicago, Maywood, IL, United States; 3Oral Roberts University, Behavioral
Science Faculty, Tulsa, OK, United States
The bereavement field is increasingly emphasizing the importance of
research supported, knowledge-based or evidence based practice,
yet many practitioners in the bereavement field lack the skills to be
informed consumers and critical readers of the relevant research literatures.Bereavement research is especially challenging because it must
bridge multi-disciplinary clinical and research worlds while keeping
them accountable to the bereaved’s diversity and unique experiences.
In this workshop, three clinician researchers who both conduct and
teach multi-method quantitative and qualitative research will present
foundational concepts and methods required for basic bereavement research literacy. The first part of the workshop (morning session) will begin with an overview of research concepts and methods most relevant
to the bereavement practitioner, including Evidence Based Practice,
basic survey methods, concepts and psychometric issues in measuring
grief, traumatic or complicated grief, and growth; qualitative methods
especially thematic narrative analysis relevant to research on grief and
meaning-making; and program evaluation. This session will use both
lecture and discussion to present research vignettes from the published
literature, and resources for locating research relevant to practice. In
the second part of the workshop (afternoon session), presenters will
select 3 research articles illustrating the research concepts and methods
in the first part of the session. Each presenter will work from their own
research specialty area, using these articles to review in detail the
assumptions made by the researchers, the assets and limitations of
research design and methods used, and the implications for practice.
www.adec.org
Faculty:
Ester R. Shapiro, PhD, (aka Ester Rebecca Shapiro Rook) is associate professor of psychology at University of Massachusetts at Boston,
practicum coordinator for the Clinical Psychology PhD Program, and
research associate at the Mauricio Gaston Institute for Latino Research
and Public Policy. A Cuban Jewish Eastern European immigrant, she is
committed to helping all families make the most of their opportunities
for improving life chances even when facing adversity and loss She
directs the Health Promotion Research Group at the University of Massachusetts, Boston, and is a Co-Principal Investigator for the Community
Engagement Core of the NIH funded HORIZON Center, a new partnership between UMB & Harvard School of Public Health to reduce health
disparities through community participation in public health research.
Nancy Hogan, PhD, RN, FAAN, is distinguished professor and associate
dean for research at Loyola University ,Chicago. Dr. Hogan’s research
and scholarship has been devoted to generating and testing adolescent
and adult theories of grief and loss and the dissemination of those
findings. Dr. Hogan has published over 50 peer-reviewed bereavement
and end-of-life works nationally and internationally. She was awarded
the Association of Death, Dying and Counseling 2007 Research
Award.
Andrea Walker, PhD, is associate professor in family studies at Oral
Roberts University. She is a licensed and internationally certified alcohol and drug counselor and clinician who specializes in grief and loss.
Her research uses both quantitative and qualitative methods to explore
clinically meaningful and under-researched areas, including work on
college-student bereavement and on grief in the Muscogee Creek tribe.
Objectives:
1. Define terminology relevant to interdisciplinary approaches in
research-supported or evidence-based practice in the bereavement
field
2. Discuss three different kinds of research designs supporting
evidence-based practice in bereavement
3. Read a research article and understand how it presents theoretical
assumptions, research design and procedures, results and discussion
References:
Bridging Work Group (2005). Bridging the gap between research and
practice in bereavement: Report from the Center for the Advancement of Health. Death Studies, 29: 93-122.
Hogan, N. S., & Schmidt, L. A. (2002). Testing grief to personal
growth model using structural equation modeling. Death Studies, pp.
615-635.
Shapiro, E.R. (2008). Whose recovery of what? Relationships and environments promoting grief and growth. Death Studies, 32:1, 40-58.
Stroebe, M. S., Hansson, R. O., Schut, H., & Stroebe, W. (Eds.).
(2008) Handbook of bereavement research and practice: Advances
in theory and intervention. Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association.
33
Specialty Workshops
This specialty workshop will explore life near death. Based on the
author’s nearly twenty years of work companioning the dying, topics to
be explored include:
Faculty:
Annette Childs, PhD, is a licensed clinical social worker who has dedicated the bulk of her twenty year practice to assisting those facing hard
transitions. As a therapist she has specialized in work with the dying
and their caregivers and has assisted many to find peace and meaning at the end of life. In 1997 she received her PhD in psychology. Her
doctoral research explored the after effects of the near death experience and other altered states of consciousness. This work contributed
original research to the field of near death studies. Her passion and
insight into this subject has warranted the attention of many in her
field, including the world renown near death researcher Dr. Raymond
Moody, who wrote the afterword to her first book. She is the award
winning author of two books, Will You Dance? and Halfway Across the
River: Messages of Hope from the Other Side, both of which are highly
sought resources in the fields of death, grief and transition.
Nearing death awareness: Nearing death awareness is a very subtle
psycho-spiritual realm the dying often move toward as death becomes
imminent. This highly subjective and fragile world is one that clinicians
and lay people alike can learn to be sensitive and attuned to. This in
turn provides comfort to the dying and new understanding to those
near them.
Objectives:
1. Identify 3 common themes of Nearing Death Awareness
2. Identify two of the traits described in a Core Near Death Experience
3. List three common after effects to the Near Death Experience
The near death experience: the most up to date scientific and anecdotal
evidence regarding this phenomenon which has now been reported by
millions.
References:
Childs, A. (2007). Halfway across the river: Messages of hope from
the other side. The Wandering Feather Press.
Augustine, K. (2008). Near death experiences with hallucinatory
features. The Journal of Near Death Studies 26, 3-33.
Shwartz, G. E. ( 2002). The afterlife experiments. Atria Books
Wooten-Green, R. (2001). When the dying speak. Loyola Press.
Afternoon Half-Day Workshop
Wednesday, April 15
1:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Cumberland J
Living Near Death
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Dying Process
Religious/Spiritual
Intermediate
Childs, Annette, PhD
One Candle, LLC, Reno, NV, United States
How the near death experience can be used as a teaching tool with
the terminally ill and their caregivers.
Exploration of the psycho-spiritual milestones that occur for the dying
and their caregivers as death becomes imminent.
The Concurrent Sessions are comprised of the following presentation types:
Experiential Workshops: Interactive
presnentation allowing significiant
participation by attendees through the
use of strucutured activities, small or large
group processes, simulation activities, or
other training design components.
Personal Experience and Reflection: Presentation of a personal or professional experience, or case study, is used as the basis for
a broader understanding of the dynamics in
loss and recovery experiences.
34
Practice Reports: Presentations that describe
analytically new or innovative practices in
counseling or instructional settings. Emphasis should be on practices or program’s
considered to be significant for future work
in the field of death education and counseling.
Research Reports: Original research (may
or may not be the presenter’s study) is the
basis for the presentation that will review,
synthsize and/or critique the research.
Scholarly Paper: Presentation should
bebased on insightful analysis of theories,
trends, perspectives and new models for
exploring and understanding related to the
field of death education and counseling.
Symposia/Panel Discussions: Roundtable
symposia provide an opprotunity for a
group of presenters to share research and
practice concepts related to a single theme.
www.adec.org
Poster Session 1 – Thursday, April 16, 9:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Thursday, April 16
9:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Reunion E-H
Poster #1
Gender Differences in Drug Responses to Endof-life Medications
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Professional Issues
Intermediate
Poster #3
Footprints Family Support Group:
A Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Family
Bereavement Program
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Family and Individual
Introductory
Ludwick, Nancy, RN, BSN
Krau, Stephen, PhD
Association for Death Education and Counseling, Ravenna, OH, United States
Vanderbilt University, School of Nursing, Nashville, TN, United States
The Footprints Family Support Group is a core group of NICU staff
who have received specialized bereavement training in perinatal loss.
Services to our families include: Indiviual counseling, identification of
support and information resources, bereavement scrapbooking sessions, hand painted Memory boxes, professional photos of the family
and baby,autopsy meetings with neonatologist and bereavement nurse,
written materials on loss and available resources,one month home
visit and follow-up phone calls after the baby’s death, and handmade
sympathy cards at the one, six, and twelve month anniversary of the
loss. Footprints encourages staff education and support, and is an active participant in the orientation of new nurses in the NICU. We also
take part in community education and have organized and hosted a
Resolve Through Sharing seminar for area healthcare professionals and
bereaved parents. Precious Parents, a support group for parents who
have suffered a perinatal loss, meets once a month for education and
support and offers a quarterly newsletter, family activities, one-on-one
support, a web page and on-line group, and is active in community
education.
Prescription medications and administration of medications is an
integral part of end-of-life care. Medications are given not only to
persons for symptom management at end of life, but are also often
given to persons as adjunctive therapy for coping with the loss of a
loved one. The purpose of this presentation is to illuminate the impact
that gender has on the major determinants of variability in the dynamic
interaction between drugs and humans. Gender differences that impact
bioavailability, distribution, metabolism and elimination of mainstream
pharmacologic interventions will be examined. As most clinical drug
trials involve men, the effect of the drug is theorized to have the same
impact on women. Recent research evidence indicates have shown this
assumption to be erroneous. Numerous physiological gender variations
impact the body’s utilization of medications and are identified through
recent research. Some of these factors include: body weight, gastric
emptying time, plasma proteins, and CYP activity. The impact of these
influences can make the difference between effective drug management
and adverse drug reactions. In order to improve drug safety and effectiveness, and to achieve better pharmacological outcomes at end of
life, a clearer understanding of the impact of gender on the dynamics
of medications is essential.
Developing a Hospital Bereavement Program
— From Start to Success
Poster #2
Ancient Egyptian, Modern Egyptian, and
Current American Views on Death and
Bereavement
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Poster #4
Cultural/Socialization
Introductory
McCune, Susana, BA
Hospice of Kitsap County/ Antioch University Seattle, Suquamish, WA, United States
This preliminary exploration draws upon methods of narrative inquiry
and phenomenology to identify, compare, and contrast encounters with
death and bereavement in ancient Egyptian, modern-day Egyptian,
and current American societies.
Exploratory field study and in-depth interviews were conducted in Egypt
during 2007. A survey of ancient Egyptian texts conveyed through
ancient monumental art, plus interviews with modern-day Egyptian and
American citizens, and a review of current literature delineate cultural,
ethnic and religious, attitudes, beliefs, behaviors, traditions, and practices relating to death and bereavement.
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Intermediate
Ruffin, Diana, MSW
St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital, Tomball, TX, United States
St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital and the Palliative Care Service commitment to the hospital’s threefold mission of treating the mind, body, and
spirit provided us with the opportunity to develop a hospital based
bereavement program.
CANCELLED
What began as simply mailing out sympathy cards to the bereaved
families in 1999 turned into an annual Memorial Service with over
500 in attendance in 2007. In the last 2 years, 1277 sympathy cards
have been sent to families. Since the Prayer Shawl Ministry began in
2005, over 529 prayer shawls have been donated to those who are
dying. Sandwiched in-between these services was the development of
a database to track bereaved families for counseling and support; development of a monthly phone support program; and the development
of a Family Care Bereavement Volunteer Program to assist with phone
support to bereaved families.
In the last 2 years, over 1500 calls have been made to bereaved
families. We currently have 14 volunteers who are active in providing
phone support to these bereaved families. In June of 2008, we began
holding grief support groups for hospital staff. We continue to strive to
reach out to bereaved families and hospital staff in any way we can. A
current project we are working on is a proposal for funding for an annual bereavement newsletter. A future goal is to begin community grief
support groups for bereaved families. We would like to educate others
to begin programs such as ours to reach out to many more of the often
forgotten bereaved.
www.adec.org
35
Poster #5
Poster # 7
Healing a 40+ Year-Old Father-Loss Through
Art Making
Doggone Grief
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Introductory
Introductory
Brown, Brenda, BA, CT, GC-C
Baratta, Jill, MFA
Aultman Health Foundation, Canton, OH, United States
Self-employed, Tenafly, NJ, United States
Aultman Grief Service counselors have learned from working with
elementary children who are grieving a death loss that children need
a game to play to help them communicate in a safe, non-threathening
way. Since the grief game market was limited, Aultman decided to create a new game called Doggone Grief.
This poster will show visual reflections in 5 pieces, exploring and
manipulating photographic images using the medium of printmaking
combined with text, watercolor, and stitchery. The subject is examined
in the heuristic methodology to understand the loss of a 12 year-old
girl (the artist/presenter)’s father who died of leukemia in 1964, before
Kubler-Ross, etc., before formal social systems were in place to help
with bereavement. After studying art therapy and facilitating transformations through art with others, the artist began this process by contacting her preteen feeling that “everyone” else had a dad except her.
When her daughter became a teenager, she took photos of teenaged
girls and their dads. The curiosity of what their relationships looked like
became a place to facilitate healing. The process allowed the artist to
normalize feelings associated with grief, such as those expressed in
You Are Not Alone (Hughes), where teens’ feelings of loss are clearly
universal. The visual format and focus of the work shown in the poster
allowed the artist to unfold years of denial and detachment that went
with the pain caused by the death and the “protective” cover-ups that
were used surrounding the leukemia. The final piece is a montage
representing the complex nature of the relationships sought and realized in light of the past loss and present situation- using the father, the
self, the daughter and the husband of the artist, in one grouping. This
project had similarities to the one documented in Tripp (2007), though
it was a self-administered process, and didn’t use bilateral stimulation.
It facilitated a transformation from unidentified and unresolved feelings,
to feelings of liberation, normalcy and resolution.
And We Talk to the Animals:
The Gift of Pets and the Pain of Loss
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Introductory
Gilbert, Richard, PhD, DMin, CT
Benedictine University, Chicago, Elgin, IL, United States
Let’s be honest. Most of us stand in line with Francis (the saint) and
Doolittle (the doctor) and talk to the animals. In living and dying with
five dogs, and living with our sixth dog, we talk to the animals. They
listen. We listen. It is about unconditional love. Warmth. Affection. We
will display pictures and stories of the six dogs. Anecdotes. The insights
of pets. Their sense of presence.
From this limited relationship (one-on-one) we will move into a discussion of Pet Therapy, and the program developed at Sherman Hospital.
We will have “souvenirs” from the dogs, stories and testimonies, all
posted for you to read.
We also will provide an extensive bibliography on pets, pet therapy
and pet loss.
I’m so glad “It’s a dog’s life.”
This game gives elementary age children a tool to help them talk about
their wide range of feelings: sad, mad, scared and happy. Doggone
Grief helps children to associate their grief with dogs who also display
grief emotions. Kids laugh and maybe even cry as they see the various
dog pictures and answer questions on the backs of the cards. Funny
wild cards give kids a chance to take a break from all these emotions
and move around the board.
Presently, the game is only available in English; however, Spanish may
be coming soon. Aultman is hoping that the Doggone Grief game will
help thousands of grieving children around the world!
Poster # 8
Testing a Model of Prolonged/
Complicated Grief
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
IntroductoryIntermediate
Wilkins, Michael, BS
Poster # 6
36
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Purdue University, Springville, UT, United States
The purpose of the present study was to investigate a theoretical model
of Prolonged Grief (PG) (i.e., complicated grief; a more severe form of
grief) developed by Prigerson et al. (1997). The study focused on three
predictors in the model: (a) attachment disturbances, (b) self-regulatory
deficits, and (c) the stabilizing influence of the spouse. Prigerson et al.
asserted that attachment disturbances (e.g., insecure attachment) and
self-regulatory deficits (e.g., affect modulation) were correlated and
concomitantly led to PG. Also, Prigerson et al. further asserted that the
deceased spouse previously served as an emotionally stabilizing influence for the surviving spouse. The model developed by Prigerson et al.
has not been directly tested using structural equation modeling (SEM).
Therefore, portions of the model were tested using SEM. Over 300 participants completed a survey online. The survey included demographic
variables (e.g., age, sex, SES) as well as questions that measured
dimensions of attachment, level of neuroticism, affect regulation tendencies, the degree of emotional dependence on their spouse, and level
of PG. Participants were recruited using several different methods such
as flyers at retirement community or senior centers, an email to online
bereavement support group members, postings on bereavement related
discussion boards as well as on newsletters (e.g., ADEC e-zine) given
the permission of the administrator of each support group or organization. The data is currently being analyzed and the results will be
verbally discussed and visually displayed and outlined on the poster. A
discussion of the results as well as directions for future research will be
given.
www.adec.org
Poster # 9
Poster # 11
Exploring the Impact on Individuals Who
Have Experienced Multiple Losses Through
Death Over Time
Cultural Diversity in Hospice Care:
Utilization, Barriers, and Clinical Implications
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Life Span
Intermediate
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
End-of-Life Decision-Making
Introductory
Andrea R. Croom, BS
Elmslie, Pamela, MA
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Clinical Psychology PhD Program
University of Toronto, Caledon, Ontario, Canada
Ever since its inception in the 1970s, institutionalized hospice care
has been a growing form of medical service for the terminally ill in the
United States. Unfortunately, these services continue to be underutilized by ethnic and religious minorities when compared to European
Americans. This paper reviews the literature on the impact that cultural
differences can have on end-of-life decision making and hospice utilization. Research has shown that many barriers exist for minority populations to utilize hospice services, for example: knowledge of hospice,
family-oriented caregiving, language differences, and cultural mistrust.
Literature on several distinct religious and ethnic groups was reviewed
including: African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans,
Indians, Native Americans, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, and Hinduism.
Clinical implications will be discussed.
This qualitative study explores the impact on individuals of having experienced multiple losses from death over the course of one’s
adult lifetime. Exploring this within the context of a meaning-making
framework of post-loss change and post-loss growth the study seeks to
understand the meaning that is ascribed to the multiple loss experience.
The doctoral dissertation research comprises a phenomenological exploration that uses in-depth, semi-structured, open-ended interviews with
approximately 15 adult individuals. Current literature does not specifically address the post-bereavement changes, that is, the outcomes, for
those who have lost a number of significant others at separate times
throughout the course of their adult lifespan. The literature speaks to
the possibility of growth following adversity but as of yet little is known
about post-loss growth for those who have experienced more than
two significant losses throughout their adult lifespan. Exploring how
repeated losses through death affect people can serve to augment the
current theories of post-loss change and help discover what is unique
about experiencing more than one devastating loss. Preliminary findings will be presented.
CANCELLED
Poster # 10
Techniques for Helping Overwhelmed
Bereaved
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Contemporary Perspectives
Introductory
Leaver, Wayne, PhD1; Mondell, Amber, MA2
Walden University, Ft. Myers, FL, United States; 2Hope Hospice & Community Services, Fort Myers, FL, United States
1
This presentation addresses understanding and helping bereaved who
have become overwhelmed by events, circumstances and emotions.
Identification and assessment of the components of being overwhelmed
are necessary for appropriate intervention. Emphasis is placed on
interventions that fit the nature of the experience of being overwhelmed
as well as consideration of whom the client is in terms of coping and
personality style. Simple and direct self help interventions receive
special emphasis.
The presentation is based on 18 years of bereavement work within a
hospice context.
www.adec.org
Poster # 12
Lost in Translation: Developing Meaningful &
Transformational Relationships With Grievers
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Professional Issues
Introductory
Konrad, Shelley, PhD, MSW
University of New England, Portland, ME, United States
Grief work begins by listening to stories people tell, being attentive to
and bilingual in the languages of loss, and engaging in translational
relationships that pave the way for people to find meaningfulness in
situations that may be senseless, unfair, or simply very, very sad. Even
when little can be done to change circumstances that have already occurred, much can be done to comfort, reconfigure hope, and reaffirm
the humanity of the sufferer. This workshop examines a model for working with individuals grieving death and non-death losses that views
stories of loss as courageous, understands listening as an interactive
process, and appreciates that transformation can take place within the
context of authentic relationship. Developed in collaboration with students enrolled in a course on grief, loss & death, strategies for teaching
this model in schools, colleges and workplace settings will be examined. An underlying assumption of the model contends that knowledge
reduces fear of speaking about death thereby nurturing appreciation
for the complexity, intricacy, and diversity of human responses to loss.
When caring professionals can name grief and engage in difficult conversations the burdens placed on grievers to protect others from their
pain is reduced creating a springboard for reentering a changed world
with renewed prospects for healing.
CANCELLED
37
Poster #13
Poster # 15
Robin Bush:
A Political Family’s Lasting Grief for a Child
How to Communicate at Difficult Times Across
the Cancer Continuum
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Religious/Spiritual
Introductory
Professional Issues
Intermediate
Smith, Harold Ivan, DMin
Hughes, Mary, MS, RN
American Academy of Bereavement, Kansas City, 64131, United States
University of Texas, Houston, TX, United States
The death of four-year-old Pauline Robin Bush in 1954 rocked the
assumptive worlds of a family in Midland, Texas, and, indirectly,
contributed to the establishment of a political dynasty. Decades after
her death, Robin remains an active component in her parents’ and her
brother George’s religious and political narratives.
Bad news has been described as any information that produces a
negative alteration to a person’s expectations about their present and
future. Practitioners are involved in giving and sharing bad news in
a variety of healthcare settings and need strong communication skills
to do this. Being able to deliver difficult news with compassion and
empathy will be stressed as well as ways to manage the patient’s reactions. This lecture will focus on those difficult times across the cancer
continuum and will give suggestions to help the practitioner meet the
needs of the patients and the family members. Often the patient is
overlooked as having difficult times communicating with not only family,
but with practitioners. This lecture will describe those difficult times for
the patient and how the practitioner can help the patient through those
times.
The death of a young child is a significant hurdle for a family to navigate— particularly a political family. In an era when “inquiring minds
want to know”—demand to know--every facet of a candidate’s personal life, how does the candidate’s family disclose the lasting impact
of a child’s untimely death and their decisions to live “beyond” that
death? The intrusion is complicated by the media’s zest to sift through
every crook and cranny of the family narrative and to submit assumed
facts to a “talking head” or expert for interpretation and analysis.
What place have the Bush families given Robin in their continuing narratives? How might their grief and remembrance decisions be adaptable to families grieving today for a child?
Poster # 14
Meet Me on Saturn: Working With
Non-Ordinary States
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Intermediate
Joy, Barbara, MC, FT
VistaCare, Scottsdale, AZ, United States
Two major insights lay the foundation for this workshop: 1) Meaningful
loss can trigger a person into non-ordinary states of consciousness and
2) As facilitators, we can do profound work with these states.
Poster # 16
Joy Through Movement: Using Yoga and
Tai Chi Chih to Work Through Grief
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Life Span
Introductory
Watkins, Becky, MPS, CT
Christus St. Frances Cabrini Hospital, Alexandria, LA, United States
Joy is our true nature and in order to reclaim that joy in emotionally
stressful times, this presentation offers a look at the combination of
talk therapy, intentional breath work, yoga postures and tai chi chih
movements. The benefits of each will be outlined and will be of interest
to helping professionals working with the grieving population and to
grievers. Handouts will be available.
First, as a result of a meaningful loss, grievers are literally pulled out of
their ordinary, every day reality. They encounter a multitude of powerful emotions, as well as physical, behavioral, and spiritual changes.
Most people are socialized to avoid consciously experiencing or
expressing these intense feelings. Western culture emphasizes rationality and logic, putting great value on the everyday, states of mind.
Grievers not only feel alien to their inner process, they actually feel like
they have landed on an alien planet. When they give voice to these
strange, “other world” experiences, the descriptions perfectly illustrate
scholars’ depictions of non-ordinary states.
Secondly, to facilitate these non-ordinary states, we have to leave
behind our neatly organized, preconceived notions about grieving. All
ancient and pre-industrial cultures held non-ordinary states of consciousness in high esteem. Today, through cutting edge science combined
with this ancient wisdom, a new image of the psyche has emerged.
Now we have to learn to be present in different ways so these states
can reveal their true nature.
This presentation will focus on grieving as a non-ordinary state of consciousness and how to meet our grieving clients on that alien planet,
facilitating any emotionally charged material that reveals itself.
38
www.adec.org
Poster # 17
Poster # 19
Perspectives on Recovery From Parental
Suicide in Childhood:
Insights and Preliminary Findings
Adolescents and Technology:
Coping With Loss in the Digital World
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Traumatic Death
Professional Issues
Intermediate
Loy, Martin, PhD1; Boelk, Amy, ABD, MSW1; Smith, Jennifer L., BS2;
Irwin, Amy, BS3
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, Stevens Point, WI, United States; 2University of
Wisconsin-Stevens Point, Wisconsin Rapids, WI, United States; 3University of
Wisconsin-Madison, Nekoosa, WI, United States
1
This presentation will discuss insights gained and discuss preliminary
findings of a study titled: “Autobiographical Perspectives on Recovery
from Parental Suicide in Childhood.”
The study presented asked participants to share stories and experiences
dealing with the suicide of a parent in childhood. Participants were
questioned about factors that helped or hindered their recovery, about
the effectiveness of interventions on their recovery; and they were
asked to give advice to others who may have experienced a similar
loss. Interviews were conducted using a qualitative semi-structured
format.
The research team, which included graduate and undergraduate students, were trained to conduct audio taped interviews and to transcribe
them word-for-word for analysis. Researchers also initiated the writing
of autobiographical stories by re-writing each interview in a first-person
story format and returning the story to participants for editing and accuracy. Initially the interview data were analyzed by looking for common
themes from the responses to each question.
This presentation will present themes which have emerged from the
study that may have implications for work with children who have experienced the death of a family member by suicide.
Poster #18
Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy Bereavement
Support Group
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Introductory
Whittington, Heather, BA
Hood College, Frederick, MD, United States
This workshop will detail Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy practitioner
Heather Whittington’s observations of the effects of yoga, meditation
and journaling on a group of bereaved persons enrolled in an 8-week
long Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy Support Group. Components of the
group include a 2.5 hour weekly practice/meeting, one all-day silent
retreat, and development of a daily practice. The group modality was
developed by Michael Lee, author of Turn Stress Into Bliss and Phoenix
Rising Yoga Therapy: A Bridge from Body to Soul, and is based on the
principles of client-centered therapy and mindfulness practices.
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Introductory
Sofka, Carla, PhD, MSW
Siena College, Albany, NY, United States
Technology is pervasive within teen culture. In light of the fact that
individuals under the age of 30 have never known a world where the
Internet did not exist in some form, parents whose children have experienced loss, as well as professionals providing services to bereaved
adolescents, would be wise to recognize the roles that the Internet and
other forms of technology may have in their process of coping with
loss. In what ways are adolescents using this “thanatechnology” - the
Internet and other resources in the digital world that are available to
help them deal with death and grief? This presentation will describe the
appeal of digital technology among teenagers, summarize the technology that is available for use by adolescents and how it may be used to
cope with thanatology-related issues, identify the potential benefits and
risks of these resources, and discuss implications for parents, clinicians,
death educators, and researchers.
Poster # 20
Mythology and the Grief Healing Process
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Introductory
Barsano, Terry, MA
Golden Willow Retreat, Arroyo Hondo, NM, United States
In Greek Mythology, the journey of loss, grief and mourning were
woven into stories that added mystery and meaning to the process.
When we experience trauma and loss, we become disconnected from
our soul. Searching for the meaning in the pain of loss and the means
by which to heal has all but dissappeared in the busy, day to day
world we live in. This dynamic has created the inability to reconnect
with our soul, pathologizing the grieving process. This presentation will
address from a mental health clinician’s perspective the disconnection
from soul in the grief process and the professional’s role in the journey
to the underworld and back. Two Greek myths will be used to demonstrate the healing power of myth; the Demeter-Persephone myth and the
Orpheus-Eurydice myth which will then be integrated into information
from more contemporary story telling as well as research on bereavement and grief.
Ms. Whittington will include a review of available literature and books
on mindfulness practices as they relate to grief and bereavement, as
well as presenting her own conclusions on the efficacy of this practice
in aiding the bereaved move through the tasks of grief for individuals
and the group as a whole.
www.adec.org
39
Poster # 21
Poster #22
Partnering for Children’s Grief Support:
A Highmark Caring Place Initiative
The Moral Experiences of Bereaved Fathers
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Larger Systems
Intermediate
Vorsheck, Terese, MA ; Miller, Jessica, MA ; Brucker, Nancy, MPH ;
Thornton, Gordon, PhD2; Finton, Leslie, MSW3
1
2
1
Highmark Caring Place, Pittsburgh, PA, United States; Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Indiana, PA, United States; 3Tides, Inc., State College, PA, United States
1
2
The Highmark Caring Place, a center for grieving children, adolescents
and their families, has been committed to providing children’s grief
support services since 1997. The program provides family based peer
support programs, community education and referral services in the
Pennsylvania cities of Pittsburgh, Erie and Harrisburg.
In an effort to support grieving children residing outside of the reach
of the three Caring Place facilities, a new initiative was undertaken in
2006. Through the newly developed Community Services component,
the Caring Place has reached out to communities beyond its service
area to assist communities interested in building or strengthening services for grieving children. Through training, consultation and ongoing
non-financial support, the Caring Place has partnered with eight community organizations to increase access to support services for grieving
children.
Two of these groups, Tides and Hopeful Hearts, along with the Caring
Place will discuss partnering and issues involved in creating and maintaining a successful program. They will discuss how they have adapted
the Caring Place model to meet the individual needs of their unique
communities and how they have been able to utilize the support from
the Caring Place staff.
40
Introductory
Affleck, William, MA1; Cadell, Susan, PhD2; Macdonald, Mary Ellen,
PhD3
Montréal Children’s Hospital, Montréal, Québec, Canada; 2Sir Wilfred Laurier
University, Department of Social Work, Waterloo, AR, Canada; 3McGill University,
Montréal, Québec, Canada
1
It has been recognized that Western bereavement programs, and the
research on which they are based, rely primarily on models of female
grief and fail to adequately take into account gender differences,
especially men’s experiences of bereavement. As a result, in contemporary research, fathers’ grief has been studied primarily in comparison
to mothers’ grief. This distortion has lead to the misleading perception,
in some bereavement studies, that fathers’ experience of grief is less
intense and debilitating than that of mothers’. This has been reported in
studies of infant death , catastrophic accident death , and death from
childhood cancer .
The study to be discussed examines fathers’ experience of bereavement, using phenomenological and ethical analysis. The findings
from a series of interviews conducted with 6 bereaved fathers will be
presented. The emergent themes will be discussed, specifically: 1) Bereaved fathers’ experiences of social expectation and regulation; 2) bereaved fathers’ challenges with issues of morality (e.g., what it means
to be a good father, a good spouse, a good mourner); 3) bereaved
fathers’ experiences with bereavement support services.
By focusing on the lived experience of bereavement fathers’, the common
practice of comparing fathers’ grief to that of mothers’ will be avoided.
This study is designed to show how the experience of bereaved fathers’
is gendered, and must be examined in relation to social and familial expectations, and internalized standards of proper behavior. This study will
contribute to building both a theoretical and clinical evidence base for
the field of bereavement studies and provide a substantial contribution to
the interdisciplinary world of grief counseling.
www.adec.org
Concurrent Session I – Thursday, April 16, 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Concurrent Session I
Thursday, April 16, 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Invited
Cumberland J
Creating Meaningful Memorials:
Six Elements of Effective Bereavement
Rituals
F
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Intermediate
Hoy, William G., DMIN, FT
Crawford, TX, United States
Death educators and counselors understand the role of rituals in healing
bereavement, but we are often hard-pressed to explain exactly what it is
that makes them so invaluable. Is an effective ritual simply an extended
eulogy or “celebration of life” for a person who has died or is dying?
Does a ritual need to be highly personalized in order to be effective or is
it possible that this “do-it-your-way” approach undermines the effectiveness of the ritual? Are there common, near-universal elements to healing
rituals that predict greater effectiveness? Drawing on his extensive
research and practice into the use of rituals-in the closing moments of
life (bedside rituals), in early grief (funerals and memorial services) and
at significant occasions in the grief process (holiday and anniversary
rituals)-Bill Hoy will offer clinicians and educators alike a framework for
understanding why rituals work and how to creatively weave these elements into the rituals created by our clients and patients.
Objectives:
1. Explain six key elements to increase ritual effectiveness
2. Describe creative options families utilize to create meaning in
death-related rituals
References:
Castle, J. & W.L. Phillips. (2003). Grief rituals: Aspects that facilitate
adjustment to bereavement. Journal of Loss and Trauma 8, 41-71.
Grof, C. (1996). Rites of passage: A necessary step toward wholeness. In L. C. Mahdi, N. G. Christopher, & M. Meade. Crossroads:
The quest for contemporary rites of passage (pp. 3-15). Chicago:
Open Court Press.
Hoy, W. G. (2008). Road to Emmaus: Pastoral care with the dying and
bereaved. Dallas: Compass Press
Kastenbaum, R. (2004). Why funerals? Generations, 28, 5-10.
Personal Experience and Reflection
Cumberland A
All I Need to Know About Grief I Learned
While I Was Born
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Introductory
Beck Irland, Nancy, MS
Providence St. Vincent Medical Center, Hillsboro, OR, United States
This metaphor for grief has been described by grief researcher, Robert
Neimeyer, as “intriguing and satisfying” (used by permission). It is a
fresh and fascinating metaphor that uses the language of labor and
birth to describe grief, beginning with descent, continuing through engagement, internal rotation, and restitution, finally culminating in birth-the end of isolation. This allows the listener to visualize the process of
grief assimilation. It explains ongoing waves of grief as analogous to
contractions, in that their recurrence is evidence of a natural, forward
movement rather than a step backward, so they are not to be feared.
Previous audiences have given this presentation consistently high
marks, stating that they understand the experience of grief for the very
first time, whether it is their own experience or that of a family member
or friend.
Objectives:
1. Describe similarities between birth and grief
2. Draw the trajectory of grief as a mirror image to labor and birth
3. Compare grief theories with the cardinal movements of labor
References:
Irland, N. (2007). Using birth to understand grief. Nursing for
Women’s Health, 11(5), p 524-522.
Klass, D., Silverman, P., & Nickman, S. (Eds.). (1996). Continuing
bonds; New understandings of grief. Washington, DC: Taylor and
Francis.
Meert, K. L., Thurston, C. S., & Briller, S. H. (2005). The Spiritual
needs of parents at the time of their child’s death in the pediatric
intensive care unit and during bereavement: A qualitative study.
Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, 6(4), p 420-427.
Neimeyer, R., Baldwin, S., & Gillies, J. (2006). Continuing bonds and
reconstructing meaning: Mitigating complications in bereavement.
Death Studies, 30, 715-738.
Worden, J. W. (2001). Grief counseling and grief therapy: A handbook for the mental health professional (3rd Edition). New York:
Springer Publishing Company, Inc.
Special Tracks
The 2009 ADEC program presents a diversity of concurrent sessions across the spectrum of our association’s Body of
Knowledge. In addition, however, this year we have identified two learning tracks of special interest to some of our members.
V
F
For members with an interest in victim advocacy issues, you will find concurrent sessions marked in the program with a “V.”
Some of the issues addressed in these concurrent sessions are the interplay between trauma and grief, homicide survivors,
suicide and the grief care of donor families after organ transplant.
For attendees with an interest in funeral service, memorialization options, and the aftercare of families, we have indicated
concurrent sessions in our funeral track with an “F.” Here you will find sessions addressing issues ranging from creative funeral
options to the practical issues of transporting remains internationally. In addition, representatives of funeral homes involved in
two mass tragedies - Hurricane Katrina and the Columbine shootings - present ideas about what they learned that will be useful to all ADEC conference attendees.
www.adec.org
41
Cumberland B
”No Mother-of-The-Bride?”: Differences in
Developmental Milestones for Parentally
Bereaved Children
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Life Span
Intermediate
Rapke, Jennifer, MA
Advocacy & Support Center, Shepherdsville, KY, United States
Fortunately, since the time of Freud and Bowlby, much attention has
been paid to the significance of the parent-child relationship and its
impact on healthy development. In addition, as a field, researchers and
clinicians alike have done excellent work to begin to gain a greater
understanding of the impact of parental loss on children, especially
in terms of their mourning experience, what others can do to assist
them, and the factors that influence these processes. On the other
hand, the research and literature often fails to recognize non-traditional
developmental milestones that are greatly impacted by a parental
absence, many of which could be considered of greater significance
to the individual. Furthermore, many authors make efforts to describe
the qualitative experience of going through this process, but have difficulty capturing the real, raw experience a bereaved child lives. This
presenter will review current literature on the developmental process
of parentally bereaved children, adolescents, and emerging adults,
and will attempt to describe her personal experience of these events in
order to provide the audience with further insight into the qualitative
experience of a parentally bereaved individual.
Objectives:
1. Review typical developmental milestones and factors involved in
the experience of parental death or separation
2. Reflect on personal loss experiences and the influence of those
experiences on major life events
3. Discuss qualitative and quantitative differences in the experience of
developmental milestones for parentally bereaved individuals
References:
Edelman, H. (1994). Motherless daughters: The legacy of loss. New
York: Addison-Wesley.
Edelman, H. (2006). Motherless mothers: How mother loss shapes the
parent we become. New York: Harper Collins.
Schultz, L.E. (2007). The influence of maternal loss on young women’s
experience of identity development in emerging adulthood. Death
Studies, 31, 17-43.
Weaver, R. & Festa, D.K. (2003). Developmental effects on children
suffering disruption from paternal loss in infancy. Illness, Crisis, &
Loss, 11, 271-280.
Worden, J.W. (2001). Children and grief: When a parent dies. New
York: Guilford Press.
42
Scholarly Paper
Cumberland C
Poetic Elegy, Loss, and the Art of Grieving
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Intermediate
Scarpino, Andrea, MFA1; Shipers, Carrie, MFA2
1
California State University, Dominguez Hills, Santa Monica, CA, United States; 2University of Lincoln-Nebraska, Lincoln, United States
Elegy is a poetic form dating back to the Ancient Greeks that takes as
its subject matter the ways we remember those who have died. As an
art form, it is dependent on our cultural understandings of death and
the grieving process, and has thus changed in content from the time of
the Greeks, through Milton and Shelley’s famous elegies, into the last
century’s elegies for soldiers (Wilson, Lowell), to those who died from
AIDS (Monette, Doty), breast cancer (Hacker) and other contemporary
diseases (Olds, Paley). Because art is often so beneficial for people
who are grieving, understanding elegy, and being able to use it as part
of the grieving process, is absolutely essential. Conversely, reading
and evaluating contemporary elegies sheds light on our current cultural
understanding of dying and grief. As our culture informs the ways in
which poets write elegies, elegies also inform the ways in which their
readers understand dying and grief, thus shaping our culture. A close
and careful analysis of contemporary poetry of loss informs not just the
grieving process, but also how Americans view death at this moment in
our history.
Objectives:
1. Discuss the history of elegy as a poetic form having to do with loss
and grieving
2. Recognize the importance of art in the grieving process
3. Utilize concrete examples of elegy and poetry of loss and understand their overarching cultural and artistic importance
References:
Zeiger, Melissa F. (1997). Beyond consolation: Death, sexuality and
the changing shapes of elegy. Ithaca: Cornell University Press.
Schenck, C. M. (1986). Feminism and deconstruction: Re-constructing
the elegy. Tulsa Studies in Women’s Literature 5, 13-27.
Gilbert, Sandra M. (2006). Death’s door: Modern dying and the ways
we grieve. New York: W.W. Norton and Company.
Doty, Mark. (2008). Fire to fire: New and selected poems. New York:
Harper.
Euripides, C., A. (tr). (2006). Grief lessons: Four plays by Euripides.
New York: New York Review Books.
www.adec.org
Cumberland E/F
GriefWork Network: Providing Support and
Education for Providers of Bereavement
Services
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Professional Issues
Introductory
V
Landmark A
Resiliency in the Aftermath of Homicide,
Suicide, and Multiple Fatalities:
A Client Centered Focus
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Traumatic Death
Introductory
Caramela-Miller, Sandra, PhD
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
Cuyahoga County Coroner’s Office, Cleveland, Ohio, Sagamore Hills, OH, United
States
Due to the ever-changing health care environment, most professionals
who work in the field of bereavement are “one person departments.”
Where does a bereavement professional find the support and encouragement needed to remain healthy in this emotionally charged
profession? Developing a support system is crucial to your survival as a
bereavement professional.
In 1997, an informal conversation took place among several bereavement professionals from a local community who wanted to find
a way to meet in order to share information and resources, provide
opportunities for education and networking and to offer peer support.
An outcome of that meeting was the establishment of the GriefWork
Network, a group of bereavement professionals who meet monthly to
share information and educational opportunites. Members includes
bereavement specialists from local hospices, hospitals, funeral homes,
schools, counseling agencies, community groups, churches and other
interested individuals.
This workshop will discuss the establishment of a GriefWork Network
in your local community. Success stories as well the challenges of bringing colleagues together in a supportive environment will be shared.
Recruitment, membership, educational opportunities, and how to keep
the group together are just few of the topics that will be addressed.
Membership in this type of peer group can be one way to take care of
yourself and to mend your body, mind and spirit in order to survive and
grow as a bereavement specialist in your local community.
Objectives:
1. Identify the need for support and education among providers of
bereavement services
2. Relate the benefits of networking with area providers
3. Provide resources to establish a GriefWork network
References:
GriefWork: Guidelines for survival and growth (1996). University of
Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service: Lexington, KY
Miller, J.E., (1999). Living with grief At work, at school, at worship,
16, pp. 213-223. Hospice Foundation of America; Washington,
D.C.
Groves, R.,& Klouser, H. (2005). The American book of dying: Lessons
in healing spiritual pain.
Balk, D.,Wogrin, C., Thornton, G., & Meagher, D. (2007). Handbook
of thanatology.
www.adec.org
Children, adolescent, adult, and older adult witnesses or surviving
loved ones of homicide, suicide, and other sudden/traumatic deaths
display resilient recovery patterns. These patterns will be discussed
through a simple presentation of sample case progressions in a
psychological, free counseling program at a Coroner’s Office serving
to assist the recovery of these witnesses and surviving loved ones of
unexpected death. With 8 years and nearly 11,000 counseling sessions, this program presents immeasurable community gains, serving
to strengthen the coping mechanisms and partition the residue these
deaths leave on the surviving loved ones. Trauma and loss counseling
presents unique opportunities to potentially bolster an environment
allowing these survivors to recrudesce, to resume an acceptable quality
of life, and to attain improved psychological well-being. In the solved
cases of homicide, survivors may have the unique and especially
important opportunity to move toward the service of justice, although
the investigative and adjudicative processes are often unfamiliar and
may serve to “retraumatize” their progress. Paradoxically, those who
make this journey proceed with increased resiliency. There are other
surviving loved ones who will not proceed through the investigative
and adjudicative processes toward a just end as there may not be an
apprehended suspect or where there is a lack of significant evidence
to withstand prosecution. When experiencing sudden, traumatic death,
other previous deaths tend to resurface and counseling can assist as the
survivors find better balance with those memories as they move toward
peace with their current loss of homicide, suicide, or other sudden
death.
Objectives:
1. Recognize surviving loved one(s) paths and progressions toward
peace
2. Discuss personal, occupational, educational, social, behavioral,
and other issues raised in counseling
3. Acknowledge the similarities and differences in progress of the
survivors across the lifespan and by manner of death
References:
Kastenbaum, R. (2006). Psychology of death. New York, NY: Springer
Publishing, 318 pp.
Steele, W. & Kuban, C. (2008). One minute trauma interventions.
Grosse Pointe Woods, MI: TLC.
Parkes, M. C. (2001). Bereavement: Studies of grief in adult life (3rd
Edition). New York, NY: Routledge Publishing 271 pp.
Lowenstein, L. (2006). Creative interventions for bereaved children.
Canada: Hicknell Book Printing, 205 pp.
43
Practice Report
Cumberland H
Cumberland I
Counseling Bereaved Families During the
Identification Process
Companioning Model* of End-of-Life Care on
an Adult Bone Marrow Transplant Unit
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Professional Issues
Introductory
Dying Process
Introductory
Coleman, Mirean, MSW
Lang, Betsy, MMus, BM, MSW
National Association of Social Workers, Herndon, VA, United States
Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
Death can be a traumatic experience for any family member especially
in situations such as sudden death. Compounding the traumatic experience is the additional stress of identifying the family member at the
Medical Examiner’s office for sudden deaths due to situations such as
violence, motor vehicle crashes, drownings, suicides, or suspicious circumstances. Medical Examiner’s offices should be prepared to care for
the emotional needs of families who arrive to identify their loved ones.
Preparation, training, and assignment of a family care provider are key
factors discussed in this workshop for successfully working with families
who identify a family member who has died. As the family enters the
Medical Examiner’s office it is important for procedures and policies
to already be in place to help the family to feel safe and comfortable
with their experience at the office. This workshop discusses effective
identification guidelines and supportive tools used to assist families. An
established, model identification program is provided as an example.
Bone Marrow Transplant has a mortality rate that varies as much as
45% to 75%, depending on the type of transplant**. This high and
varying mortality rate necessitates frequent end of life discussions between the patient and medical staff. Transitioning the focus of treatment
toward end of life care is counter intuitive to most healthcare professionals who feel ill equipped at handling the emotional and spiritual
pain the patient experiences. The medical model views these distresses
as pathological, maladaptive coping to be treated as a psychiatric
issue. End of life existential dilemmas require specialized skill and
sensitivity.
Objectives:
1. List several grief reactions experienced by families who identify a
family member
2. Identify appropriate resources for family members identifying a
loved one
3. Utilize guidelines for the identification process of a loved one
References:
Lipton, H., & Coleman, M. (2000). Bereavement practice guidelines
for health care professionals in the emergency department. International Journal of Emergency Mental Health, 2(1), 19-31.
Seidel, J., & Knapp, J. (Eds.) 2000. Childhood emergencies in the
office, hospital, and community. Elk Grove Village, IL: American
Academy of Pediatrics.
Wendt Center for Loss and Healing. (2008). Common grief reactions
during the loss of a family member. Washington, DC: Wendt Center
Press.
Wendt Center for Loss and Healing. (2007). Recovery staff identification guidelines. Washington, DC: Wendt Center Press.
This presentation will discuss the effectiveness of using a Companioning
Model* of care with end of life patients facing emotional and spiritual
distress on a BMT unit in a large teaching hospital. The Companioning
Model* differs from traditional psychotherapy formulas and prescriptions. This model honors the patient’s need to experience emotional
and spiritual suffering and the clinicans art of listening and being
present (Companioning) to the struggles of the dying without assuming
the burden of fixing them. The concept of reconciliation replaces the
term recovery, which suggests that grief should be resolved at some
point. Reconciliation suggests with healing distress may be redefined
and integrated into a new reality. This clinician will focus on both 1) the
challenges in implementing this model within a medical setting, and 2)
the process and evaluation of “companioning” patients in the medical
setting.
*Companioning Model: Alan Wolfelt, Center for Loss and Life Transition
**CIBMTR, 2007
Objectives:
1. Define Treatment vs. Companioning for spiritual, emotional and
existential issus on a BMT unit.
2. Define 8 Tenets of Companioning; Define 6 Reconciling Needs of
EOL
3. Discuss the process and challenges in implementing this model on
the BMT unit in a large teaching hospital; Program Evlaution
References:
Wolfelt, Alan D., PhD. (2006). Companioning the bereaved: A soulful
guide for caregivers. Companion Press, Fort Collins, CO.
Adler, N.E. & Page, A.E, (Eds.), IOM, (2008). Cancer care for the
whole patient. National Academies Press, Washington, D.C.
Stanworth, R. (2004). Recognizing spiritual needs in people who are
dying. Oxford University Press.
Berzoff, J. and Silverman, Phyllis R. (2004). Living with dying: A handbook for end-of-life health care practitioners. Columbia University
Press, NY.
Walsh-Burke, K. (2006). Grief and loss: Theories and skills for helping
professionals. Pearson Education, Inc.
Katz, R.S. and Johnson, T.A. (2006). When professionals weep:
Emotional and countertransference responses in end-of-life care.
Routledge, NY.
Yoder, Greg (2005). Companioning the dying: A soulful guide for caregivers. Companion Press, Ft. Collins, CO.
44
www.adec.org
Concurrent Session II – Thursday, April 16, 11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
Cumberland L
The Spiritual Ramifications of Grief
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Religious/Spiritual
Introductory
Concurrent Session II
Thursday, April 16, 11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
Invited
F
Thompson, Debra, MTP
Kennedy Donovan Center, Cumberland, RI, United States
Profound loss can catapult the bereaved into a dimension of life not
previously, consciously known. The grief literature unjustly gives scant
attention to extraordinary experiences that many bereaved experience.
Deep grief appears to shove the ego aside opening the bereaved to
experience phenomena such as sudden “knowing” and a deeper level
of understanding of life, feelings of euphoria and/or bliss amidst devastation, heightened senses, communication from beyond oneself, synchronicity, etc. These experiences often force the bereaved to seriously
question their own sanity. However, the ramifications, or outgrowth, of
these experiences may lead to a deeper level of consciousness resulting
in increased self responsibility, deeper understanding of choice/free
will, new or deepened spiritual or religious belief system, meaning
and purpose of life and death, compassion and above all a greater
understanding of love.
Objectives:
1. Identify extraordinary experiences and the importance of these
experiences to the healing process
2. Implement therapeutic interventions that assist the bereaved integrate extraordinary experiences while simultaneously integrating
the loss
3. Reflect on his/her own loss experiences and acknowledge personal
outgrowth from loss
References:
Atwater, P.M.H. (1994). Beyond the light: What isn’t being said about
near-death experience. New York, N.Y.: Carol Publishing Group.
Bolen, J.S. (1982). The tao of psychology: Synchronicity and the self.
New York, N.Y.: HarperCollins Publishers.
Bowlby, J. (1980). Attachment and loss: Loss, sadness and depression:
Volume III. New York, N.Y.: Basic Books.
Cozolino, L. (2006). The neuroscience of human relationships: Attachment and the developing social brain. New York, N.Y.: W.W.
Norton & Company, Ltd.
Jung, C. (1973). Synchronicity: An acausal connecting priniciple. New
Jersey: Princeton University Press.
Kubler-Ross, E. (1991). On life after death. Berkley, CA.: Celestial
Arts.
Kubler-Ross, E. (1999). The tunnel and the light: Essential insights on
living and dying. New York, N.Y.: Marlowe & Company.
Neimeyer, R. (Ed.) (2005). Meaning reconstruction and the experience of loss. Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association.
Radin, D. (2006). Entangled minds: Extrasensory experiences in a
quantum reality. New York, N.Y.: Paraview.
Cumberland G
Does Embalming Heal?
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Introductory
Jacqueline, Taylor, MBA, FT
New England Institute at Mount Ida College
The importance of viewing the dead is well established in bereavement literature. Various scholars have written about the benefits to
survivors of this difficult but necessary step. But less clear is the efficacy
of embalming as an intervention for helping people adjust following a
death. Funeral service practitioners contend that embalming is the best
way to prepare a body for viewing. Critics counter that it is unnecessary, if not undesirable. While the majority of North Americans choose
embalming when making funeral arrangements; increasingly, people
are opting out. In short, there is considerable misunderstanding and
confusion about embalming and its role in the provision of care. This
presentation will afford participants a rare opportunity to examine this
mysterious subject and to contemplate whether or not embalming plays
a positive role in healing. It will include a candid description of exactly
what embalming is - and what it is not.
Objectives:
1. Give a lay person’s explanation of the embalming process
2. Discuss potential benefits of embalming for survivors
3. Discuss critiques of embalming
References:
DeSpelder, L. A. (2004). The last dance: Encountering death and dying (7th ed.). Mountain View, CA: Mayfield Publishing Company.
Hyland, L. & Morse, J. M. (1995). Orchestrating comfort: The role of
funeral directors. Death Studies, 19, 453-474.
Kubasak, M. & Lamers, W. M. (2007). Traversing the minefield: Reducing risk in funeral-cremation service. Malibu, CA: LMG Publishing.
Laderman, G. (2003). Rest in peace: A cultural history of death and
the funeral home in twentieth-century America. Oxford, NY. Oxford
University Press.
Mayer, R. (2006). Embalming: History, theory, and practice (4th ed.).
New York: McGraw-Hill.
Takeuchi-Cullen, L. (2006). Remember me. New York: HarperCollins.
Cumberland A
Eastern Body-Mind-Spirit Model for
Accomplishment of William Worden’s Four
“Tasks of Mourning”
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Professional Issues
Intermediate
Woo, Ivan, BSocSci (Social Work), MPhil1; Chan, Cecilia, BSocSci
MSocSci, PhD2
Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School Singapore, Singapore; 2The University of Hong
Kong, Hong Kong, China
1
The Eastern Body-Mind-Spirit Model was developed by Professor
Cecilia Chan based on the valuable lessons that she has learnt from individuals who have encountered challenges in the areas of health and
mental health. The model seeks to provide one with a holistic view of
www.adec.org
45
the body, mind and spirit, three dimensions in a person often perceived
as discrete entities by individuals who subscribe to Western medicine.
Since its birth in Hong Kong in 2001, the Eastern Body-Mind-Spirit
Model has come of age with an increasing number of scholars and
healthcare professionals giving due recognition to its positive impact on
the well-being of individuals and communities. In this paper, the authors
would present their reflection on the role of the Eastern Body-Mind-Spirit
Model in helping Chinese widowers accomplish William Worden’s
four “tasks of mourning” after conjugal loss. The reflection would be
informed by findings from research on the bereavement experience of
Chinese widowers and the authors’ experience in adopting the model
in their clinical practice. In presenting their reflection, the authors
believe that the activities-oriented approach in the Eastern Body-MindSpirit Model has a goodness-of-fit with the tasks concept in William
Worden’s four “tasks of mourning”, a concept that implies a need for
the mourner to take action and do something to manage their grief.
Objectives:
1. List a number of Eastern Body-Mind-Spirit intervention strategies
that have been adopted with Chinese bereaved individuals
2. Describe how the Eastern Body-Mind-Spirit approach fits with the
strategies for adjustment adopted by Chinese widowers after conjugal loss
3. Explain how the Eastern Body-Mind-Spirit approach can help
Chinese widowers accomplish William Worden’s four “tasks of
mourning”
References:
Chan, C. L. W. (2001). An Eastern body-mind-spirit approach: A training manual with one-second techniques. Hong Kong: Department
of Social Work and Social Administration, The University of Hong
Kong.
Chan, C. L. W., Chan, T. H. Y., & Ng, S. M. (2006). The strength-focused and meaning-oriented approach to resilience and transformation (SMART): A body-mind-spirit approach to trauma management.
Social Work in Health Care, 43(2/3), 9-36.
Chan, C. L. W., Ho, P. S. Y., & Chow, E. (2001). A body-mind-spirit
model in health: An Eastern approach. Social Work in Health Care,
34(3/4), 261-282.
Worden, J. W. (2003). Grief counseling and grief therapy: A handbook for the mental health practitioner (3rd ed.). Hove, East Sussex:
Brunner-Routledge.
Woo, I. M. H., Chan, C. L. W., Chow, A. Y. M., & Ho, R. T. H.
(2007). Chinese widowers’ self-perception of growth:
An exploratory study. Journal of Social Work in End-of-Life and Palliative Care, 3(4), 47-67.
Landmark A
Research and the Baby Boomers Life
Experience Demand Changes in
Grief Support — How Do We Do That?
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Intermediate
Chappelear, Ginny, MEd, FT
TideWell Hospice and Palliative Care, Sarasota, FL, United States
The content of this presentation is based on three factors that lead us
to new understanding of grief and changes that can be made in grief
support to better meet the needs of today’s griever. 1. Research in
Thanatology has given grief specialists incentive to see grief from an
adjusted perspective and to develop support sensitive to these findings.
46
2. Baby boomers, primarily those born in the second half of the 20th
century, have been exposed to “in your face” death and violence for
most of their lives. Exposure to all this death of the body demanded
an emotional and cognitive shift from their parents understanding of
“what is gone’ and how to live through a loss. Spirituality has become
an essential change in the grief journey from the generations coming
of age in the 1960’s and forward. 3. Most of today’s population in the
American culture expects Specialists to address their needs, also connected with the Baby Boomer experience. With the death of a loved
one, they look for support and education to be delivered very specifically for the type of death event they are grieving. This presentation will
explore these three factors and conclude with practical application and
concrete suggestions using this knowledge in serving bereaved persons. Video’s of grievers will offer their history, experience, and needs
regarding death events during their lives.
Objectives:
1. Identify three results of research that suggest changes in our understanding of the grief process
2. Discuss the effect of the baby boomer experience on today’s
mourners including spirituality as a focus
3. List five alternative ways to meet the needs and expectation of
many of today’s mourners
References:
Balk, D., Editor-in-chief.(2007). Handbook of thanatology. Association
of Death Education and Counseling, Northbrook,IL.
Calhoun &Tedeschi. (2006). Handbook of posttraumatic growth. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc., New Jersey.
Boomers, Religion and the Meaning of Life 2006. Newsweek,
November p 2.
Wolfelt, A. (2006). Companioning the bereaved. Companion Press
Colorado.
Cumberland C
Pastoral Care in Bereavement and Loss:
A Guide for Helping
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Death Education
Religious/Spiritual
Introductory
Hevelone, Jon Dale, DMin
Arlington, MA, United States
Good pastoral care, whether offered by clergy or laypeople, has the
potential to impact the bereavement journey in a positive way. Pastors
are often involved in a multitude of parish tasks, and have little formal
training in grief and bereavement. With proper teaching, they are able
to increase their effectiveness significantly through competent interventions and the wise use of laypeople.
This presentation will provide a pastoral and spiritual perspective that
will hopefully utilize and enhance the caregiver’s existent skills and
understanding. This is vital because clergy and the church are front line
sources of support to those in life crises. The church has the potential to
be not only the most available bereavement care delivery system that
currently exists in virtually every community, but also one of the more
effective.
At time of bereavement many, even the previously unchurched, look
to the church for strength and hope. A belief system that is conversant
with traditional religious understandings of life and death issues, as
well as open to the spiritual meaning making that occurs in a world
www.adec.org
altered by death, has profound value. Good pastoral care operating
within the context of a supportive and caring community can deliver
this. Unfortunately, many clergy and churches are only minimally
prepared to meet the needs of the bereaved, and this, too has lasting
impact.
While the presenter draws from years of pastoral experience gained
in mainline churches, the principles are highly transferable into other
spiritual traditions. Pastoral insights, strategies for action, funeral planning suggestions, and the teachings of the faith tradition are all offered
to promote the caregiver’s skills and growth.
Objectives:
1. Recognize the value of good pastoral care, whether provided by
clergy and laypeople
2. Visualize and appropriate pastoral awareness and caring skills in
bereavement
3. Identify the spiritual and religious resources pertinent to grief and
loss located within the context of the local congregation
References:
McCall, J.B. (2004). Bereavement counseling: Pastoral care for complicated grieving. The Haworth Pastoral Press.
Oates, W.E. (1997). Grief, transition and loss: A pastor’s practical
guide. Augsburg Fortress Publishers.
VanDuivendyk, T. (2006). The unwanted gift of grief: A ministry approach. Routledge.
Worden, J.W. (2008). Grief counseling and grief therapy: A handbook
for the mental health practitioner. Springer.
Research Report
Cumberland E/F
How Will I Die? Understanding The Process
and the Mystery
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Dying Process
Professional Issues
Intermediate
Passages - Education & Support in End of Life Issues, Tucson, AZ, United States
Fears, myths and misconceptions abound regarding the dying process,
the consequences of which can too often lead to devastating consequences and complicated grief. Dying is a natural part of the life cycle
and should be talked about and prepared for with the same respectful
attention, knowledge and caring as other significant rites of passage.
However, healthcare professionals still receive little to no training
in managing this important conversation. With a demonstration of
compassionate and simple detail, this session will help the professional
de-mystify the dying process and offer guidance in responding to the
question, “How will I die?” Physical changes and their cause, psychosocial issues and the mysteries of dying will be examined in addition to
pointers for managing comfort during this important time.
Objectives:
1. Describe the physiological changes associated with dying and their
causes
2. Discuss the losses and their impact on both the dying patient and
family
3. Explore the meaning of the mysteries of dying for family and the
professional and their impact on the dying experience
www.adec.org
References:
Quill, T. (1996). A midwife through the dying process. Johns Hopkins
University Press.
Stajduhar, K., Martin, L., Barwich, D., Fyles, G., (2008). Factors
influencing family caregiver’s ability to cope with providing end-oflife cancer care at home. Cancer Nursing 31(1) 77-85. Lippincott,
Williams & Wilkins.
End of life care in the setting of cancer: Withdrawing nutrition and
hydration, Clinical Review, Medscape. (This text has been excerpted
and adapted from: Emanuel LL, Ferris FD, von Gunten CF, Von Roenn
J, editors. EPECTM-O: Education in Palliative and End-of-life Care for
Oncology (Module 11: Withdrawing Nutrition, Hydration Copyright
The EPECTM Project, Chicago, Ill, 2005))
Hales, S, Zimmerman, C., Rodin, G. (2008). The quality of dying and
death. Archives of Internal Medicine,168(9):912-918.
Research Report
Cumberland H
A Natural Resource: Religious Coping in
Bereaved Adolescents
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Religious/Spiritual
Intermediate
Wright, J. Brooke, MA
Wheaton College IL; Children’s Memorial Hospital, Wheaton, IL, United States
Research tells us that adults are better able to adjust to difficulties in life
when they use religious coping. What about kids, specifically bereaved
kids? Practitioners and researchers both know that kids are searching
for meaning following the death of a loved one. Are they using religious coping in this search for meaning? If so, is it uniquely contributing, apart from other styles of coping, to their cognitive, emotional, and
behavioral adjustment?
This presentation is based on the results of a quantitative study that
addresses these questions by using both self and parent reports of
coping styles and adjustment in bereaved adolescents. The presentation
addresses an unexplored area of childhood bereavement and coping
literature and proposes suggestions these results may have for clinical
practice.
This presentation will initially summarize the professional literature on
religious coping in children and the literature on general coping in
bereaved children. Then the population, methodology, measures, and
results of the current study will be described, followed by a discussion
of directions for future research and implications for the fields of death
education and counseling.
Objectives:
1. Describe current understandings of religious coping in children
2. Present findings concerning religious coping in adolescent bereavement
3. Explore implications of the significance of religious coping for
interventions/clinical practice with grieving adolescents
References:
Pargament, K. I. (2000). The many methods of religious coping:
Development and initial validation of the RCOPE. Journal of Clinical
Psychology, 56, 4, 519-543.
Compas, B. E., Connor-Smith, J. K., Saltzman, H., Harding Thomsen,
A., & Wadsworth, M. E. (2001). Coping with stress during childhood and adolescence: Problems, progress, and potential in theory
and research. Psychological Bulletin, 127, 1, 87-127.
47
Mahoney, A., Pendleton, S., Ihrke, H. (2006). Religious coping by
children and adolescents: Unexplored territory in the realm of spiritual development. In: Roehlkepartain, E. C., King, P. E., Wagener,
L., Benson, P. L. The handbook of spiritual development in childhood
and adolescence. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.
Stevenson, Robert, EdD1; Cabrera, Fernando, PhD2
Cumberland I
Bangladesh Project: Grief Born of Injustice;
and Tools of Faith, Hope, and Joy
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Intermediate
Nicholson, Joyce, MS, LMHC
The Hospice of the Florida Suncoast, Saint Petersburg, FL, United States
This presentation will demonstrate how connecting with orphaned children in a Bangladesh community, using the traditional tools of teaching
English as a Second Language, and exploring their native symbolic
forms of expressing powerful feelings provided a window of opportunity of hope for the future.
Orphan children grieve! Was a choice given to be born in a Third
World Country shifted by the extremes of elements, to a parent who
died, or ones who could not provided for an offspring. The internalized emotions and nonverbal commands of those left behind can lie
dormant, or be nurtured addressed, and benefit the individual and his
world.
Folk Art, drama, music & singing, native crafts & costumes, and local
customs vividly play and important part of describing this journey into
a culture of contrasts and continued resiliency with eyes on the future.
The presenter will share some very personal and touching first hand
experiences.
Objectives:
1. Identify creative strategies for engaging existential activities and
interactions relating to loss, and living
2. Cite maturational/developmental issues to address factors that can
be reconstructed to enhance resiliency
3. Recognize and use the importance of inclusion and acceptance as
an individual right and therapeutic strategy
References:
Brown, C.D. (2001). Therapeutic play and creative arts: Helping children cope with illness, death, and grief. In A. Armstrong-Dailey & S.
Zarboch (Eds.), Hospice care for children (2nd ed.). New York, NY:
Oxford University Press.
Groberg, E. (1995). A guide to promoting resilience in children:
Strengthening the human spirit. Netherlands: Bernard Van Leer
Foundation.
Doka, K. & Gordon, J.D. (2000). Living with grief: Children, adolescents, and loss. Hospice Foundation of America.
McAdams, M. (2004). Lonely planet. Bangladesh.
Borysenko, J. & Borysenko, M. (1994). The power of the mind to heal.
Hay House, Inc.
48
Cumberland J
Sudden Death, Grief and Counselors in the
Hispanic Community
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Intermediate
Mercy College, Township of Washington, NJ, United States; 2Mercy College, Dobbs
Ferry, NY, United States
1
This presentation is aimed at counselors working with clients after a
sudden death. The presenters will focus on knowledge needed by these
counselors and will offer specific suggestions for work with Hispanic
clients. Some of the points covered will be a need for counselors to:
1. Understand when survivors seek to maintain their bond with the
deceased and the ways in which survivors seek to maintain those
connections
2. Expect to earn respect with Hispanics
3. Help survivors to express grief through rituals
4. Create a sympathetic and culturally sensitive environment for grieving families
Case studies, based on the presenters’ work, will be used to illustrate
these points. The Hispanic concept of “ataque de nervios” and dealing
with negative perceptions of mental health services among Hispanics
will also be explored.
Objectives:
1. List some aspects of the grief experienced by Hispanic families after
a sudden death
2. Identify specific ways in which a counselor can help Hispanic
clients with their grief
3. Define the concepts of Familismo, Respeto, and Simpatico as they
apply to working with Hispanic clients
References:
Stevenson, R. & Cox, G. (2008). Perspectives on violence and violent
death. New York: Baywood Publishing.
Cabrera, F., Richards, B., & Stevenson, R. (2006). Katrina’s aftermath:
The role of the rapid mobilization action plan illness. Crisis and Loss,
14, 4, 373-386.
Stevenson, R. (2009). Children and death around the world, In death
and bereavement around the world, Volume 5. Amityville, NY:
Baywood Press. (in Press)
Cox, G, Bendiksen, R. & Stevenson R. (2003). Making sense of
death: Spiritual, pastoral and personal aspects of death, dying and
bereavement.
www.adec.org
Research Report
V
Cumberland L
When Safety Nets Fail: Social Support
in Homicide Bereavement
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Traumatic Death
Intermediate
Burke, Laurie A., BA1; Van Dyke, Jessica G., BA1; Neimeyer, Robert
A., PhD1; McDevitt-Murphy, Meghan, PhD1; Lawson, Katherine E.,
EdD2
University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, United States; Victims to Victory, Inc., Memphis, TN, United States
1
2
Death of a loved one by homicide challenges not only the psychological adaptation of survivors, but also their ongoing relationships to
others in their social world. In particular, the traumatic loss of a family
member to murder can both intensify the need for social support at
a time of crisis and complicate the satisfaction of this basic need,
as survivors encounter potential stigmatization, revictimization, and
destructive interactions along with positive efforts at support on the part
of a caring community. Research indicates that social processes such
as one’s perception of support, the size and structure of the support
network, the presence or absence of an intimate confidant, and negative or unhelpful social responses all influence bereavement outcomes.
Explored less extensively is the bereaved person’s expressed need for
support and how satisfied the griever is with his or her would-be supporters. Drawing on data collected from a sample of 40 predominantly
low-income, African-American homicide survivors, we explored the
relationship between the size, structure and responsiveness of survivors’
social support networks and the availability of an intimate confidant on
the one hand and outcomes such as depression, PTSD and complicated
grief on the other. Results of both quantitative assessments and in-depth
qualitative interviews clarify the factors that do and do not relate to
adaptation to traumatic loss, and raise troubling concerns about the
role of social intrusion in aggravating the devastation faced by homicide survivors. Implications of these findings for clinical and community
intervention are noted.
Objectives:
1. Identify dimensions of social support that act as predictors of complicated grief
2. Describe how social support network size and structure affect
bereavement outcome
3. Distinguish the difference between positive and negative social
support and its specific role in the establishment and perpetuation
of complicated grief
References:
Thoits, P. A., (1995). Stress, coping, and social support processes:
Where are we? What next? Journal of Health and Social Behavior,
(Extra issue). 53-79.
Cohen, S., & Wills, T.A. (1985). Stress, social support, and the buffering hypothesis. Psychological Bulletin, 98(2). 310-357.
Wilsey, S. & Shear, K. (2007). Description of social support in treatment narratives of complicated grievers. Death Studies, 31, 801819.
Dyregrov, K. (2006). Experiences of SS Networks supporting traumatically bereaved. Omega: Journal of Death and Dying, 52(4),
339-358.
www.adec.org
Practice Report
Cumberland K
The Fall and Rise of a Palliative Care
Consultation Team
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Professional Issues
Intermediate
Advocate Lutheran General Hospital, Des Plaines, IL, United States
”Palliative care may be delivered in concert with curative or life-prolonging medical care and is not prognosis dependent. These features
distinguish it from hospice care.” “Palliative care focuses on symptom
management, communication, and other means to improve quality
of life for patients and their families.” (Bridget M. Kuehn “Hospitals
Embrace Palliative Care” JAMA 2007;298:1263-1265.)
The provision of palliative care has become a significant area of focus
for many hospitals and health care providers. In the rush to establish
palliative care consultation teams, many different forms of teams have
taken shape (e.g., nurse-led teams, APN-led teams, physician-led teams
to name a few). While some of these teams have been successful,
many have failed due to the lack of an understanding of exactly what
is needed for an effective team to be initiated and sustained.
This presentation will discuss the formation of such a palliative care
team focused on provided consultation services in a large community
hospital. The initiation of this team was supported by a great deal of
energy and focus. However, a number of essentials were ignored and
this led to the eventual dissolution of the team. A year later, following
a great deal of homework and consultation with successful teams in
other hospitals, the team was resurrected with a different focus, different team members, and a different support structure. This has led to
the ongoing success of this team which holds promise for the ongoing
provision of palliative care. The presenter will focus on what led to the
“fall” of one team and the “rise” of the new team with a practical assessment of what is needed to begin and sustain a successful palliative
care team.
Objectives:
1. Define palliative care in terms of the patient population served and
distinguish it from hospice care
2. Analyze the initiation of a palliative care team especially in terms
of what issues were ignored and led to the teams “fall”
3. Evaluated how to best consider what is needed to initiate and
sustain a palliative care consultation service
References:
Kuehn, B.M. (2007). Hospitals embrace palliative care. Journal of the
American Medical Association, (298):1263-1265.
Meier. D.E. & Beresford, L. (2008). The palliative care team. Journal of
Palliative Medicine. 11(5):677-81.
Gade, G., Venohr, I., Conner, D., McGrady, K., Beane, J., Richardson,
R.H., Williams, M.P., Liberson, M., Blum. M., Della Penna, R.(2008).
Impact of an inpatient palliative care team: A randomized control
trial. Journal of Palliative Medicine11(2):180-90.
Weissman, D.E., Ambuel, B., von Gunten, C.F., Block, S., Warm, E.,
Hallenbeck, J., Milch, R., Brasel, K., Mullan, P.B. (2007). Outcomes
from a national multispecialty palliative care curriculum development
project. Journal of Palliative Medicine10(2):408-19.
49
Concurrent Session III – Thursday, April 16, 1:45 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.
Concurrent Session III
Thursday, April 16, 1:45 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.
Cumberland H
As I tried to make sense of Gina’s death, and of a life lived without
her, I kept writing, working in my garden, searching for meaning,
spiraling inward and out again. Mostly, I surrendered. I knew I had to
dive down deep. I knew I had to feel whatever I was feeling with utter
abandon. I knew I had to stay fully present, in mind, body, and spirit,
to the agony and the joy - and how amazing to feel joy.
Fostering Multiple Losses in the
Child Welfare System
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Larger Systems
Introductory
Troup, Erin, MSCP1; Rapke, Jennifer, MA, LPA,2
The Alliance for Infants and Toddlers, Pittsburgh, PA, United States; 2Advocacy and
Support Center, Elizabethtown, KY, United States
1
It is estimated that over 3 million children in the United States are
involved in the child welfare system. Many of these children being
served in foster homes or residential housing facilities away from their
birth parents or significant family members. Sometimes these Children
become “difficult” to manage and they are placed multiple times or
moved onto more specialized facilities. This presentation will cover
the multiple losses in the foster care/ placement system and its impact
among children from birth to adolescence. Participants will be able
to identify where the losses occur, including the obvious and not so
obvious, as well as how the losses present as behavior in various ages.
Participants will also know how they can make a difference in practice
to try to help these individuals and those in the child welfare system
understand how multiple losses and moves can impact development,
behavior and attachments.
Objectives:
1. Recognize behaviors associated with multiple placements
2. Discuss needs in the Child welfare system to address grief
3. Utilize child/ adolescent development as an indicator of reactions
to grief/ multiple losses
References:
Goldman, L., (2000). Life & loss, A guide to help grieving children
(2nd Ed.) Philadelphia, PA: Taylor & Francis.
Keck, G., & Kupecky, R. (1995). Adopting the hurt child. Hope for
families with special-needs kids. Colorado Springs, CO: Pinoneer
press.
Oppenheim, D. & Goldsmith, D. F. (2007). Attachment theory in clinical work with children. New York, NY: The Guilford Press.
Rothschild, B. (2000). The body remembers, The psychophysiology of
trauma and trauma treatment. New York, NY: W.W. Norton and
Company.
Cumberland I
The Palm Still Waves:
A Mother/Daughter Reunion
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Introductory
Boies, Patricia, JD, CT
Capital Hospice, Gaithersburg, MD, United States
With no warning, after a lifetime of perfect health, my daughter Gina
collapsed in the hallway outside her fourth grade classroom, from a
massive cerebral hemorrhage. She survived the three-hour surgery
to stop the headbleed only to remain in the deepest coma, with no
responsiveness and no possibility of recovery. After three weeks, my
husband and I let her go, three days after her tenth birthday. She was
our only child.
50
There is no word in English for what I became. If your husband dies,
you are a widow. If your wife dies, you are a widower. If your parents
die, you are an orphan. But what was I now, a mother without my only
child?
My daughter’s death broke my heart wide open. With her as my muse,
poetry poured out of me. I chronicled the first nine months after her
death, in all their grief and glory. Now, nine years later, much of what
came to me then stays true. Except now, I have had more practice
living without the person I most love. It is continued practice, the art of
return, that sustains me now.
This presentation describes my creative and spiritual response to death,
and explores my evolving relationship with my daughter.
Objectives:
1. Recognize how the process of creative expression, including nontraditional forms, can help deal with grief and loss
2. Identify factors that complicate grief for parents whose only child
has died, changing their relationship
3. Understand the value of surrender in allowing one to emerge
renewed in mind, body, and spirit
References:
Judith, A. (2004). Eastern body, Western mind. Berkeley, California:
Ten Speed Press.
Goldman, C. & Mahler, R. (2000). Tending the earth, mending the spirit: The healing gifts of gardening. Center City, Minnesota: Hazelden.
Hillman, J. (1996). The soul’s code: In search of character and calling.
New York: Warner Books.
Rinpoche, S. (1994). The Tibetan book of living and dying. New York:
Harper Collins.
Bourgeault, C. (2001). Mystical hope: Trusting in the mercy of God.
Boston: Cowley Publications.
Bentley, G. E. (Ed.) (2005). William Blake: Selected poems. New York:
Penguin Books.
Corr, C.A., Nabe, C. M., & Corr, D. M. (2006). Death and dying, life
and living (5th ed.). Belmont, California: Thomson Wadsworth.
Practice Report
Cumberland C
Cyber-Savvy Grief Interventions in a Youth’s
World of Social Networking
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Introductory
Edwards, Cheryl, MS1; Edwards, Daxon, MS, MSci2
1
Preferred Counseling, PA, Fort Smith, AR, United States; 2Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville, TN, United States
As Internet and computer technologies evolve, the counseling profession must continue to reflexively evaluate the role and scope of online
grief counseling. Reaching out to youth in their social networking areas
using research evidence and practical experience can offer surprising
therapeutic benefits to grieving youth. Cyber networking invites youth
a freedom to emote, express, and share with the world their feelings
as evidenced by their own use of technology grieving expressions.
Connecting therapy to social networking of the youth of today can be
www.adec.org
done through therapeutic interventions and broaden your therapeutic
practice. Innovative steps will help you begin your scope of online
counseling services. The advent of online counseling services serve
as a creative and innovative therapeutic medium. The presenters will
explore the voice of today’s youth as a key to successful effective
grief therapy through video vignettes/case illustrations of group and
individual therapy.
Objectives:
1. Describe social networking of today’s grieving youth
2. Explore how counselors can use this information as an intervention
for grief counseling
3. Identify the advantages and disadvantages of using technologyassisted counseling to reach bereaved you
References:
Centore, A., J., The psychotherapist’s guide to eCounseling: Exploring
telephone and online clinical practice.
Elleven, R.K. & Allen, J. (2003). Applying technology to online counseling: Suggestions for the beginning e-therapist. Journal of Instructional
Psychology, 31, 223-227.
Leibert, T., Archer Jr., J., Munson, J., York, G. (2006). An exploratory
study of client perceptions of Internet counseling and the therapeutic
alliance. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 28, 69-83.
Kelsey, C. M. (2007). Generation MySpace; Helping your teen survive
online adolescence. Morlowe & Company.
Practice Report
F
Cumberland G
Funeral Home Aftercare:
Helping Clients Live Beyond Loss
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Larger Systems
Introductory
Johnson, Catherine, MA, FT
Weeks’ Funeral Homes, Enumclaw, WA, United States
Many funeral homes provide on-going support beyond the funeral for
their clients. Some aftercare programs are informal, while others are
more structured and comprehensive. This presentation will describe the
various levels of aftercare, as well as things to consider before starting
a new program. The presenter, who has facilitated aftercare programs
in three funeral homes for the last seventeen years, will share details of
the programs that can be modified to suit the needs of those wanting
to start a program. Those who attend this session will receive specific
how-to’s in starting a program, thought-provoking ethical issues to
consider, and practical ideas to apply.
Objectives:
1. Identify four levels of funeral home aftercare
2. Describe the steps in establishing an aftercare program
3. Discuss ethical issues inherent in funeral home aftercare programs
References:
Canine, J. (2006). Understanding grief through bereavement aftercare.
American Funeral Director, May, 63-68.
Mastrogianis, L. & Lumley, M.A. (2002). Aftercare services from
funeral directors to bereaved men: Surveys of both providers and
recipients. Omega, 45, 167-185.
Sandler, I.N., Wolchil, S.A., Ayers, T.S. (2008). Resilience rather than
recovery: A contextual framework on adaptation following bereavement. Death Studies, 32 (1), 59-73.
www.adec.org
Stylianos, S.K. & Vachon, M.S.(2003). The role of social support in
bereavement. In M.S.Stroebe & W. Stroebe (Eds.) Handbook of
bereavement: Theory, research, and intervention. Cambridge, United
Kingdom: Cambridge University Press.
Weeks, O.D. & Johnson, C. (2001). When all the friends have gone:
A guide for aftercare providers. Amityville, NY: Baywood Publishing
Company.
Research Report
Cumberland A
Pricey or Priceless?:
Hospital Care of The Dying Patient
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Dying Process
Larger Systems
Advanced
Chapple, Helen, PhD, RN, MA
Creighton University, Omaha, NE, United States
How does the US hospital ascribe value to the dying patient? Could
reimbursement patterns far from the bedside be influencing the care
that dying patients receive in these settings? Intangible values of altruism and fidelity motivate a wide range of health care services and
relationships. Just how these intangible values translate into numbers
that drive 17% of the US GNP is not well understood. Even less apparent is their influence on the bedside care of dying patients. Reimbursement patterns do not reflect the priceless value of caring well for dying
patients, while they account meticulously for the dominant ideological
value in the US: rescuing the rescuable. According to my retrospective
research, this omission in financial accounting mechanisms became an
unconscious motivator among clinicians in two hospitals, a Catholic
community hospital and a teaching hospital. Even as they strived to do
their best in caring for their dying patients, clinicians in both settings
were unaware of the economic agendas that stood behind their different norms of practice. This presentation will discuss the findings from
this anthropological research in US hospitals and describe the forces
at work that mystify the conflicting values of health care. Cases drawn
from both settings will illustrate the effects on clinicians’ care of dying
patients.
Objectives:
1. Cite one reason that medical care of patients is separated from the
business of healthcare
2. Identify one way in which hospital reimbursement omits care of the
dying
3. Describe how measurement influences the assessment of legitimacy
References:
Bodenheimer, T. (2005). High and rising health care costs. part 2:
Technologic innovation. Annals of Internal Medicine, 142(11), 932937
Kaufman, S. R. (2005). ...and a time to die: How American hospitals
shape the end of life. New York: Scribner.
Lynn, J. (2004). Sick to death and not going to take it anymore! Reforming health care for the last years of life. Berkeley, CA: University
of California Press.
Stein, H. F. (1990). American medicine as culture. Boulder, CO: Westview Press.
51
Research Report
Cumberland L
Landmark A
After-Death Communications in Popular
Bereavement Narratives: How Ghosts Heal
A Training Course for “Exquisite Witness”
Grief Care Providers
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Religious/Spiritual
Introductory
Death Education
Professional Issues
Advanced
Kwilecki, Susan, PhD
Jeffreys, J. Shep, EdD, FT
Radford University, Radford, VA, United States
Loyola College in Maryland, Columbia, MD, United States
After-Death Communications (ADCs) are events-dreams, coincidences,
a sense of presence, visual or auditory hallucinations-interpreted by the
subject as a message from a deceased loved one. Typically, the recipient is assured that physical death is not the end; the decedent is well,
and the exchange of affection continues across the grave. In popular
books published since the 1990s, some by death professionals, ADCs
are presented as therapeutic, as contributing positively to adjustment to
bereavement. Compatible with the “continuing bonds” model of grief,
this view reverses the “grief work” assessment of such experiences
as passing symptoms of mental stress. Existing studies of ADCs tend
to focus on their immediate soothing effects, but their significance in
the larger course of grief has not been fully explored. to that end, this
paper surveys the place of putative post-mortem contact experiences in
twenty book-length self-help autobiographical accounts of bereavement
(usually by parents who have lost a child). In particular, the contribution
of ADCs to the mourner’s effort to find religious or spiritual meaning in
the death is delineated. A core of books is featured in which on-going
and frequent-sometimes obsessive-after-death contact, through psychics
as well as ADCs, takes center stage in the recovery process.
This session presents the rationale, learning objectives and strategies for a course titled “Loss and Bereavement” which is based on
the premise that the standard of care is the grief care provider. Three
course objectives - provider self-awareness, understanding the human
grief response and intervention skills development - are operationalized
by a sequence of training activities designed to begin the preparation
for persons who will be helping grieving people. Such providers are
mental health and non-mental health care professionals, clergy, hospice
and bereavement workers and various trained volunteers in pastoral,
hospital, nursing facilities and home care. The “Loss and Bereavement”
course goal is to provide an educational setting for enabling the development of “Exquisite Witness” grief care providers who have a grasp
of their own unfinished loss material and countertransference responses; technical knowledge of grief, its origin and function as a natural
response to loss or the threat of loss as well as possible complications;
and techniques for facilitating the healing process. “Exquisite Witness”
grief care providers “observe more than they act, listen more than they
talk and follow more than they lead.”
Objectives:
1. Identify the common forms of reported ADCs
2. Explain the changing status in grief therapy of post-mortem visitation experiences
3. Explain how ADCs enable the bereaved to find meaning in the
death
References:
Davis, L. (2004) So young so loved so missed: a true story of blessings
in the midst of grief as seen through a mother’s eyes. Ozark, AL:
ACW Press.
LaGrand, L. (2006). Love lives on: Learning from the extraordinay
encounters of the bereaved. New York: Berkley Books.
Reichert, K. (2006). The best dead husband in the world: A story of
love after death. New York: iUniverse.
Botkin, A.L. (2005). Induced after death communication: A new
therapy for healing grief and trauma. Charlottesville, VA: Hampton
Roads Publishing Company.
52
Scholarly Paper
Objectives:
1. Discuss the Heart, Head and Hands dimensions as outcomes for
the preparation of the Exquisite Witness grief care provider
2. Identify training strategies applied to each of the above three
dimensions
3. Describe the resources available for the training of ‘Exquisite Witness’ care providers
References:
Tobin, D.J., & McCurdy, K. G. (2006). Adlerian-focused supervision for
countertransference work with counselors-in-training. The Journal of
Individual Psychology. 62(2).
Jeffreys, J.S. (2005). Helping grieving people -When tears are not
enough: A handbook for care providers. New York: Routledge/Taylor and Francis.
Katz, R, and Johnson, T. (Eds). (2006). When professionals weep:
Emotional and countertransference responses in end-of-life care.
New York: Routeledge/Taylor and Francis.
Nouwen, H. (1972). The wonded healer: Ministry in contemporary
society. New York: Doubleday & Company.
Donati, M. and Watts, M. (2005). Personal development in counsellor training: Towards a clarification of inter-related concepts. British
Journal of Guidance & Counselling, 33(4).
Breen, L. J. & O’Conner (2007). The fundamental paradox in the grief
literature: A critical reflection. Omega, 55(3),199-218.
www.adec.org
Concurrent Session IV – Thursday, April 16, 3:15 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.
Invited
Cumberland K
Grief, Loss and Healing in The Age of
The Internet
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Death Education
Introductory
Horsley, Gloria C., CNS, MFC, PhD1; Horsley, Heidi, PsyD, MSW,
MS2
VoiceAmerica Radio, San Francisco, CA, United States; 2VoiceAmerica, New York,
NY, United States
1
In this presentation Dr.’s Gloria and Heidi Horsley will discuss the death
of their son and brother, Scott, and how this personal tragedy has lead
them on an incredible healing journey. They will discuss and demonstrate their groundbreaking work in the area of grief and loss, including
their internet radio show, “Healing the Grieving Heart” which is one of
the most listened to shows on www.healthvoiceamerica.com with over
500,000 listeners, They will talk about their Foundation
www.opentohope.com., which is an online resource center for
people who have suffered a loss, and their blogs, including,
www.thegriefblog.com. The Open to Hope sites will have over
1,000,000 visits in 2009, doubling the visits of 2008, and anticipate doubling the number of comments and questions to over 2,000
in 2009. Chris Conlan, Web master for the Foundation will discuss
statistics for the show and web site and talk about the Open Source
software used to create the Foundation presence on the Web. The
presenters will also discuss their plans for the Foundation as community
of hope for the Future.
Objectives:
1. Describe how the internet can be used to help bereaved individuals
2. Discuss the challenges and rewards of doing an internet radio
show
3. Understand the basics of running a successful blog and Web site
References:
www.thegriefblog.com
www.opentohope.com
www.healthvoiceamerica.com
Ricks, J.M. (1983). Radio, social support, and medical health. Paper
presented at the World Congress of Mental Health, Washington,
D.C.
Cumberland A
The Gifts of Grief – Life Beyond Loss
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Religious/Spiritual
Intermediate
Sobonya, Nancee, MA
Shining Light Productions, Oakland, CA, United States
This 90-minute presentation explores the nature of grief, using the
educational documentary The Gifts of Grief (produced and directed by
the presenter) as a teaching tool to identify the physical, emotional and
spiritual affects of grief, the resources that help us through our losses
and discover for ourselves the extraordinary opportunities our own
losses may reveal.
www.adec.org
The Gifts of Grief is a compelling documentary that explores how seven
remarkable people embrace their pain, learn to live with their loss and
now engage in life with more compassion, courage and awareness.
The personal and moving stories that include author, Isabel Allende;
Reverend Cecil Williams; Zen Monk/Vietnam Veteran, Claude AnShin
Thomas; filmmaker, Lee Mun Wah, celebrate and inspire healing and
transformation.
Objectives:
1. Demonstrate and validate that grieving is a natural, healthy process
from which we can not only recover, but be changed by in deep
and profound ways
2. Identify the physical, emotional and spiritual affects of death and
grief
3. Discover for themselves the possibility of true gifts emerging
References:
Larson, D.G., Hoyt, W.T., What has become of grief counseling? An
evaluation of the empirical foundations of the new pessimism, 38 (4)
Bonanno, G. A. (2004). Loss, trauma, and human resilience: Have we
underestimated the human capacity to thrive after extremely adverse
events? American Psychologist, 59, 20-28.
Bonanno, G. A., Moskowitz, J. T., Papa, A., & Folkman, S. (2005).
Resilience to loss in bereaved spouses, bereaved parents, and
bereaved gay men. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology,
88, 827-843.
Bonanno, G. A. (2005). Resilience in the face of potential trauma.
Current Directions in Psychological Science, 14, 135-138.
Cumberland B
Whose Grief?
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Professional Issues
Intermediate
Manzella, Christiane, PhD
New York University, New York, NY, United States
New findings in the field of grief and bereavement suggest that effective treatment for complicated grief includes intensifying and amplifying
the griever’s pain. It has been found that those suffering with complicated grief benefit from experiencing and expressing their emotions
and also speaking about the death. This is so the griever can experience and process the unspeakable and unbearable pain and start to
move through their grief in a way that is the start of their “new normal.”
In complicated grief, those providing grief therapy are called on to
tolerate and be present to huge amounts of pain and suffering. While
most grief and bereavement counselors have explored their personal
losses, significant obstacles can still occur, especially when a griever is
expressing intense and deep suffering. How can we as grief counselors listen and be present to this intense pain? Sometimes it is not clear
whose story and grief is being explored. What obstacles do we face?
What blind spots exist? Whose pain is present? Using meditative techniques and inquiry, we will focus on finding ways for grief counselors
to inquire about and articulate these obstacles. We will explore ways
for grief counselors to be clear about whose grief is present. We will
practice ways of listening while being a witness. We will investigate
how the different layers of our own life story and view of ourselves as
grief professionals (and our beliefs about how we define ourselves)
function in relation to our capacity to listen and be present with our
clients.
53
Objectives:
1. Discuss using meditative techniques and inquiry to articulate and
explore the ways our personal story and view of ourselves as grief
professionals can be an obstacle to being present with our clients
2. Discuss the interaction between our own life story and grief in relation to listening as a witness when working with clients
3. Discuss the ways that using inquiry can be used to explore being
present and aware of where we are in relation to our lives and the
lives and grief of our clients
References:
Almaas, A.H. (2008). The unfolding now. Boston: Shambhala Press.
Neimeyer, R.A. (2005). Complicated grief and the quest for meaning:
A constructivist contribution. Omega, 52, 37-52.
Shear, K., Frank, E., & Houck, P.R. (2005). Treatment of complicated
grief: A randomized controlled trial. JAMA, 293, 2601-2608.
Worden, W.J. (2002). Grief counseling and grief therapy (3rd Ed.).
New York: Springer Publishing Company.
Cumberland C
Moral Distress: The Elephant in the Room
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Professional Issues
Introductory
Barton, Jane, MTS, MASM
Life Quality Institute, Denver, CO, United States
A person experiences moral distress as a result of an ethical conflict
in which one is constrained from doing the morally “right” thing.
Within our health care system today, clinical, psycho-social, spiritual,
and administrative professionals confront complex medical questions
and concerns that give rise to moral distress. In a broader context,
all those working in end-of-life professions are at risk of experiencing
moral distress. Moral distress is often depicted by increased employee
dissatisfaction, diminished quality of patient/family care, and elevated
staff attrition rates. Therefore, it is important to distinguish moral distress
from other forms of stress so that the root of the distress can be effectively addressed. The goal is not to eliminate moral distress. Rather,
the goal is to recognize, confront, and transform the “elephant in the
room.” Case studies will highlight the many challenges posed by moral
distress while also allowing an opportunity to apply presented tools
and methods for transforming the experience.
Objectives:
1. Recognize and name moral distress
2. Explore how perspective informs our experience of moral distress
3. Experience the importance of communication and collaboration
when dealing with moral distress
References:
The 4 A’s to rise above moral distress. (2004). American Association
of Critical- Care Nurses.
Austin, W., et. al. (2003). Unable to answer the call of our patients:
Mental health nurses’ experience of moral distress. Nursing Inquiry,10 (3), 177-183.
Gutierrez, K. M. (2005). Critical care nurses’ perceptions of and
responses to moral distress. Dimensions of Critical Care Nursing, 24
(5), 229-241.
McCarthy, J. & Deady, R. (2008). Moral distress reconsidered. Nursing Ethics,15 (2), 254-262.
Kalvemark, S., et. al.(2004). Living with conflicts-ethical dilemmas and
moral distress in the health care system. Social Science and Medicine, 58, 1075-1084.
54
Scholarly Paper
F
Cumberland G
Dallas, November 22, 1963: A Death
That Changed the World. Forever!
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Historical Perspectives
Introductory
Smith, Harold Ivan, DMIN, FT
Saint Luke’s Hospital, Kansas City, MO, United States
The death by assassination of a young president, husband, and
father-an icon of a potential political dynasty on 22 November 1963
continues to reverberate through American history, politics, culture and
folklore. Like interlocking Russian nesting dolls there remains much to
be explored, dissected, and reinterpreted.
The presentation will examine a dozen things you may not know about
the assassination, the ritualing, and the public mourning for John F.
Kennedy--realities that have implications for your clients. This seminar
explores information recently disclosed by longtime Kennedy aide and
confidante Ted Sorenson.
Objectives:
1. Explore methods for researching and examining grief narratives of
historical personalities
2. Gain a new appreciation for the impact of grief in the personal
narratives of Kennedy associates
3. Explore ways to integrate these insights in grief counseling and
grief education
References:
Sorensen, T. (2008). Counselor: A life at the edge of history. New
York: Harper Collins.
Dobbs, M. (2008). One minute to midnight: Kennedy, Krushchev, and
Castro on the eve of nuclear war. New York: Alfred Knopf.
Woods, R. B. (2006). LBJ: Architect of American ambition. Cambridge,
MA: Harvard University Press.
Smith, S. B. (2004). Grace and Power: The private world of the
Kennedy White House. New York: Random House.
Cumberland H
The Struggle for Grace – Opportunities for
Transformation of the Dying and Ourselves
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Dying Process
Intermediate
Passages - Education & Support in End-of- Life Issues, Tucson, AZ, United States
Defining quality of life is both a subjective and dynamic process that
evolves over time and circumstance. for the terminally ill, quality of life
can be adversely impacted by physical suffering, loss of independence,
loss of perceived meaning and value. At times these experiences can
cause a patient to desire a hastened death. In This session, we will
identify our value, beliefs, and definition of quality of life, and examine
how our own fears and beliefs may impact our ability to be effective
with those we serve. End of life workers must personally explore these
issues for themselves in order to understand how their beliefs may affect
their ability to work with those facing these challenges. Using video
clips, we will witness patients who are confronting difficult issues and
through small group work, explore our responses. We will then identify
effective interventions and discover how this process can transform both
patient and worker alike.
www.adec.org
Objectives:
1. Identify and discuss our personal definition of quality of life and
death and how that may impact our work with clients
2. Explore therapeutic responses to those struggling with quality of life
issues
3. Examine the ways that working with the dying impacts or transforms our own beliefs and fears
References:
Harvath, T.M., Smith, K., Clark, L., Jackson, A., Ganzini, L. (2006)
Dilemmas encountered by hospice workers when patients wish to hasten death. Journal of Hospice and Palliative Nursing, 8(4), 200-209.
Miller, L.L., Harvath, T.A., Ganzini, L., Goy, E.R,. Delorit, M.A., Jackson. A. (2004). Attitudes and experiences of Oregon hospice nurses
and social workers regarding assisted suicide. Palliative Medicine,
18(8): 685-691.
Coyle. N., Sculco, L. (2004). Expressed desire for hastened death
in seven patients living with advanced cancer: A phenomenologic
inquiry. Oncology Nurses Forum, 31(4): 699-709.
Callahan,. D. (1993). The troubled dream of life – In search of a
peaceful death. Touchstone: NY, NY.
References:
Klein, A. (1998). The courage to laugh: Humor, hope, and healing in
the face of death and dying. New York: Putnam.
Martin, R. A. (2006). The psychology of humor: An integrative approach. Burlington, MA: Academic Press.
McGhee, P. (1999). Health, healing and amuse system: Humor as
survival training. Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company.
Texas A&M University (2005, February 11). Humor can increase hope, research shows. Science Daily. Retrieved July
30, 2008, from http://www.schiencedaily.com/releases/2005/02/050211095658.htm.
Symposium/Panel Discussion
V
Cumberland E/F
Research That Matters – 2009:
Childhood Traumatic Grief: Lessons
Learned From Research and Practice
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Traumatic Death
Professional Issues
Intermediate
Goodman, Robin, PhD1; Sandler, Irwin, PhD2; Jordan, John, PhD3
Allegheny-Singer Research Institute, Child Abuse and Traumatic Loss Development
Center, New York, NY, United States; 2Prevention Research Center, Arizona State
University, Tempe, AZ, United States; 3Private Practice, Pawtucket, RI, United States
1
Cumberland L
Cut it Out! This is Serious!:
Laughter in Bereaved Families
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Intermediate
Molaison, Valarie, PhD
Supporting Kidds, Hockessin, DE, United States
Laughter is a universal human response to a wide range of experiences. Because we tend to associate it with joy, we may feel awkward,
guilty, angry, or confused when laughter rears its head in the context
of bereavement. One of the most commonly identified emotions in our
children’s support groups is “silly”, and yet children are admonished to
“cut it out”, and “show some respect” when they laugh. It is important
that we understand the broader functions of laughter and humor so
that we can comfortably manage them in our roles as helpers. On the
positive side, laughter and humor can enhance bonds, dispel the threat
of aggression, reduce stress, distance us from overwhelming horror,
boost the immune system, and serve as apt commentaries on the frailties of the human condition. Misused, however, laughter and humor
can create an “us versus them” mindset and a message of disrespect.
As helpers, we can serve as powerful role models for grieving children
and families, allowing them to access and fully utilize the positive
functions of laughter and humor in their grief journey. Through didactic
information and free exchange of ideas, we will examine the potential
risks and benefits of laughter and humor, and consider ways to use
them artfully in bereavement work with children and families.
Objectives:
1. Recognize the major functions that humor and laughter play in the
human experience
2. Describe the potential risks and benefits of humor and laughter in
our work with grieving children and families
3. Identify ways to artfully incorporate humor and laughter into grief
work with children and families
www.adec.org
This year’s RTM Symposium will focus on childhood traumatic grief
(CTG). CTG is thought to develop following a death from objectively
traumatic situations such as suicide or terrorism, or from naturally occurring deaths such as cancer, that the child perceives as traumatic. The
condition is conceptualized as having trauma-related and grief-related
components. The child or teen develops symptoms that share features
with posttraumatic stress disorder as well as grief that impact the child’s
engaging in normative and comforting bereavement activities. Results
of ongoing research on CTG as well as a clinical treatment protocol
for CTG will be presented. Information about free web based and print
curriculum training, video presentations, and caregiver materials via
the National Child Traumatic Stress Network will also be provided.
Objectives:
1. Understand the current conceptualization and research of childhood traumatic grief
2. Understand the similarities and difference between childhood traumatic grief and non traumatic grief reactions
3. Identify the key components of a specific treatment for childhood
traumatic grief
References:
Brown, E.J., & Goodman, R.F. (2005). Childhood traumatic grief:
An exploration of the construct in children bereaved on September
11th. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 34 (2),
248-259.
Cohen, J.A., Mannarion, A.P., Deblinger, E. (2006). Treating trauma
and traumatic grief in children and adolescents. NY: Guilford
Goodman, R.F., Brown, E.J. (2008). Service and science in times of
crisis: Developing, planning and implementing a clinical research
program for children traumatically bereaved after 9/11. Death Studies, 32 (2), 154-180.
Goodman, R.F. (2004). Treatment of childhood traumatic grief:
Application of cognitive behavioral and client centered therapies. In
N.B. Webb (Ed.). Mass trauma and violence. (pp 77-99).
NY: Guilford Press.
55
Cumberland I
Landmark A
Life and Death Education In Japan
Death Education Online: Lessons Learned
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Death Education
Intermediate
Kondo, Taku, PhD1; Yoneda, Asaka, MA2; Matamura, Misato, BA3;
Sagara-Rosemeyer, Miharu, PhD, RN4; Wada, Kaori, MA5
Tokai University, Tokyo, Japan; 2Tokai University, Hiratsuka-shi, Kanagawa, Japan;
The University of Tokyo, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan; 4School of Nursing, Tokyo
Women’s University of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan; 5McGill University, Montreal, Quebec,
Canada
1
3
The idea of life and death being inseparable is particularly explicit in
the field of thanatology in Japan. This is evident in the Japanese term
for thanatology, which literally means “the study of death and life.”
Moreover, “Inochi no Kyoiku” (the education of life) is becoming a
popular term that encompasses death education. Although Western
authors have touched upon this syntactic difference in the terminology
(e.g., DeSpelder & Strickland, 2007), discussions on how the salient
aspect of “life” in thanatology in Japan manifests itself in actual practice have yet to seen.
In this symposium, Japanese thanatologists will present their activities,
with the goal of promoting diversity and cross-fertilization in death
education. The first presenter, the founder of the Association for Inochi
(Life) Education and Child, will outline the definition of “Inochi no
Kyoiku” and the association’s activities that respond to unique needs
in Japanese society and the educational system. The second and third
presentations will focus on research on Japanese children’s understanding of death and the narratives of families who have lost a loved one in
a derailed commuter train accident, respectively. These discussions will
highlight how the understanding of death and the mourning process
are shaped by individuals’ social and cultural contexts. The fourth presenter, a US-educated the Japanese nurse, will illuminate issues on truth
telling in healthcare settings in relation to Japanese notion of life and
death. Finally, the discussant will offer concluding comments that tie
together the main themes that emerged from the symposium and their
relevance for death educators in North America.
Objectives:
1. Describe the working definition and state of “Inochi” education in
Japan
2. Recognize how social and cultural contexts shape individuals’
understanding of death and the mourning process
3. Describe specific challenges that Japanese thanatologists experience in their research and clinical practice
References:
DeSpelder, L. A., & Strickland, A. (2007). Culture, socialization, and
death education. In. D. Balk, C. Wogrin, G. Thornton, & D. Meagher (Eds.), Handbook of thanatology: The essential body of knowledge for the study of death, dying, and bereavement (pp. 303-314).
Northbrook, IL: Association for Death Education and Counseling.
Kondo, T. (Ed.). (2007) Inochi no kyoiku no riron to jissen [Theories
and practice of INOCHI education]. Tokyo: Kaneko Shobo.
Sagara-Rosemeyer, M, & Davies, B. (2007). The integration of religious traditions in Japanese children’s view of death and afterlife.
Death Studies, 31(3), 223-247.
Noppe, I. C. (2007). Historical and contemporary perspectives on
death education. In. D. Balk, C. Wogrin, G. Thornton, & D. Meagher (Eds.), Handbook of thanatology: The essential body of knowledge for the study of death, dying, and bereavement (pp. 329-336).
Northbrook, IL: Association for Death Education and Counseling.
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Death Education
Professional Issues
Intermediate
Moore, Jane, EdD, FT1; Harris, Darcy, MEd, FT2; Gilbert, Kathleen,
PhD3; Attig, Thomas, PhD4; Gorman, Eunice, RN, BSW, MSW, RSW,
PhD Candidate5
1
National-Louis University, Des Plaines, IL, United States; 2King’s University College,
London, Ontario, Canada; 3Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, IN, United
States; 4Bowling Green University, Fairfield, CA, United States; 5King’s College London, London, Ontario, Canada
As pedagogy and technology have advanced teaching and learning in
all academic areas, so too has the opportunity for distance education
developed in the field of thanatology. This panel of experienced online
death educators will discussed the insights they’ve gained as they
developed and implemented courses around the topics of death, dying,
and bereavement. Panel members will discuss approaches to content
and pedagogy and the unique characteristics of online thanatology
classes.
Discussions will center around:
1. Developing a course organization that works for students and
faculty
2. Pedagogy that supports learning in the online environment
3. Challenges and opportunities in teaching death education online
4. Developing teaching strategies that are efficient and effective
Objectives:
1. Recognize the issues that emerge in teaching thanatology online
2. Discuss the character of student and faculty roles in online education
3. Develop a framework for planning for online education in thanatology
References:
Gilbert, K. (2004). Death education on the “net”: Development and
delivery of “grief in a family context,” in Cox, G. & Bendikson, R.
(Eds.) Teaching the sociology of dying and death (pp. 83-91), Washington, D.C.: American Sociological Association.
Salmon, G. (2004). E-moderating: The key to teaching and learning
online. New York: Routledge.
AACTE Committee on Innovation and Technology (Eds.). (2008).
Handbook of technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPCK)
for educators. New York: Routledge.
Balk, D. (2007). The handbook of thanatology: The essential body of
knowledge for the study of death, dying and bereavement. New
York: Routledge.
www.adec.org
Concurrent Session V – Thursday, April 16, 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Cumberland C
The Colorful Faces of Grief
Category: Loss,
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Grief and Mourning
Introductory
DeAngelis, Rose, BSN, MSc, RN; Lybert, Maxine, RN; Smith, Ian,
BA, STM; Dellar, Teresa, MSW
The West Island Palliative Care Residence, Kirkland, Quebec, Canada
As in any hospice setting, grief is an expected response in both patients and their loved ones. The average length of stay (LOS) at our 9
bed community-based hospice is only 12 days. With 39% of patients
surviving less than 5 days, our team has been forced to deal with and
respond to grief reactions in a much shorter period of time. We think of
the intensifying and varied grief reactions of our patients and families
as `the colorful faces and expressions of grief’. Anger, hopelessness,
violent outbursts, uncontrollable crying and ‘inappropriate’ behavior
are examples of the types of reactions. Families’ unfinished business
had been magnified by time restraints of their loved one’s shortened
stay. Our interdisciplinary team was feeling a certain amount of pressure/moral distress to respond quickly to families before situations
became unmanageable. In addition we began to question how well
we were really meeting the needs of these patients and families when it
came to bereavement. Personell, protocols and communication methods
were changed to better meet the families’ needs. In short, the multidisciplinary team had to shift focus from providing routine surveillance with
a `wait and see what happens’ attitude to offering rapid, effective supportive and preventative bereavement care before situations escalated
and coping deteriorated to the point of needing crisis intervention.
Participants may gain a better appreciation for the complexities of the
acute mourning process and have an opportunity to share examples
with the panel and to discuss solutions for their particular work setting .
Objectives:
1. Identify the complimentary and unique roles and responsibilities of
the different members of the interdisciplinary bereavement team
2. Recognize the increased risk for unique and varied grief responses
and conflict while a patient is actively dying
3. Explore the preventative strategies that can be utilized by the various interdisciplinary bereavement team members
References:
Kuhl, David. (2002). What dying people want. Toronto, Canada:
Doubleday Canada.
Kubler-Ross, E., Kessler, D. (2005). On grief and grieving. New York,
NY: Scriber.
Kuhl, D. (2006). Facing death, embracing life: Understanding what
dying people want. Toronto, Canada: Doubleday Canada.
Puchalski, C. (2006). A time for listening and caring: Spirituality and
the care of the chronically ill and dying. New York: Oxford University Press.
Moules, N.J., Simonson, K., Fleiszer, A.R., Prins, M. & Glasgow, B.
(2007). The soul of sorrow work: Grief and therapeutic interventions
with families. Journal of Family Nursing, 13(1), 117-141.
www.adec.org
Cumberland H
My Phantom Father: The Special
Bereavement Experience of War-Related Loss
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Introductory
Taylor, Sharon R., PhD
Saint Martin’s University, Olympia, WA, United States
This presentation is a personal and dramatic exploration of disenfranchised grief resulting from losing a parent in war. The legacy defining
this loss is illuminated through the stories of women whose fathers were
killed in World War Two. Information gathered from these stories resulted in a unique and original study of childhood bereavement marked
by lifelong yearning and the creation of a father-fantasy. Nine descriptive life themes emerged bringing new awareness to the unexplored
consequences of this loss. Though these life-themes define the livedexperience of father-loss in war, they also define the loss experienced
by children of divorce. The purpose of this presentation is to connect
unacknowledged and complicated grief with its particular symptoms,
lifelong consequences, potential for healing, and the manifestation of
physical or mental pathologies. The speaker’s personal narrative of her
quest to find her father’s WW Two crash site 60 years after he was
declared missing in action; to discover the truth of his disappearance;
and to bring him home, fully exemplifies this grief experience. Her
father’s story, and her search for him, is the subject of a children’s book
for adults and a German documentary film produced by Der Spiegel
Television.
Objectives:
1. Identify the unique bereavement experience of war-related loss
2. Identify the long-term implications of yearning and grief associated
with war-related loss
3. Develop a model of treatment applicable to populations affected by
war-related loss
References:
Rando, T. (1993). Treatment of complicated mourning. Champaign, IL:
Research Press.
Campbell, C. & Demi, A. (2000). Adult children of fathers missing in
action (MIA): An examination of emotional distress, grief, an family
hardiness. Family Relations, 49, (3), 267-276.
Goldman, L. (2008). The death of a father in the military. The Forum
Association for Death Education and Counseling newsletter, 34, (2),
7.
Taylor, S. (March, 2006). A daughter’s search for her phantom father:
A World War II story of recovery and resolution. LOST Magazine
(www.lostmag.com).
Boss, P. (1991). Ambiguous loss. In F. Walsh & M. McGoldrick (Eds.),
Living beyond loss: Death in the Family. New York: W.W. Norton.
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Cumberland K
Living Beyond Loss for People With
Intellectual Disabilities
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
The use of the expressive arts in healing is well documented (Rogers,
2007). Art work is a powerful expression of grief that frequently cannot
find expression in words (Finn, 2003; Labrum, 2005).
Introductory
Gilbride, Margaret, JD
Indiana University at the Indiana Institute on Disability and Community, Bloomington,
IN, United States
This session will introduce participants to issues of loss, death and
bereavement as experienced by a remarkable group of self-advocates
(people with disabilities organized and empowered as civil rights
leaders in their own cause). After the group lost one of their founding
members and steadfast leaders to an unexpected death following a
meeting, they embarked on a process of mending themselves and each
other. In the living of their story of shared grief came the telling of their
personal loss histories. Participants in this session will be introduced
to the issues of loss, grief and bereavement unique to people with
intellectual disabilities and their families as well as to caregivers and
service providers to both. The framework for the presentation will be a
“memory book” compiled from information shared about the deceased
during a facilitated meeting with the group soon after her death.
Objectives:
1. Apply a model of group facilitation effective for adults with intellectual disabilities grieving the death of a shared colleague/friend/
staff person
2. Recognize the unique elements of loss, grief and bereavement common to adults with intellectual disabilities
3. Recognize disability culture as a critical and independent element
of cultural competence in grief counseling
References:
Dodd, P., Guerin, S., McEvoy, J., Buckley, S.,Tyrrell, J., & Hillery, J.
(2008). A study of complicated grief symptoms in people with intellectual disabilities. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 52,
Part 5, 415-425.
Falvey, M.A., Forest, M., Pearpoint, J., Rosenberg, R.L. (1997). All
my life’s a circle using the tools: Circles, MAPS & PATHS. Toronto:
Inclusion Press.
James, I.A. (1995). Helping people with mental retardation cope with
bereavement. Mental Handicap, 23:2, 74-78.
Kauffman, J. (2005). Guidebook on helping people with mental retardation mourn. Amityville: Baywood Publishing Company.
Practice Report
Cumberland A
”I Can’t Imagine“:
Art for Teaching and Practice
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Death Education
Intermediate
Carlson, Susan, MSW1; Van Loon, Ruth Anne, PhD2
1
University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States; 2University of Cincinnati
School of Social Work, Cincinnati, OH, United States
In this workshop we will report on an innovation in the use of the
expressive arts therapies, specifically the visual arts, as an educational
method for others to better understand the needs of grieving parents.
The literature speaks to the isolation and empathic failure of others
when faced with parental loss of a child (Davies, 2004; Rosenblatt,
2000. The presenter lost her 19 year old son suddenly. As an artist,
she worked through this loss and isolation in images. She created a
58
series of pieces that express the period of her acute grief. Slides of the
work will be shown.
Viewing the art work as an exhibit, with discussion afterwards, has
proved to be an effective way to educate students, community professionals, and interested lay people. The unique contribution that the
artist herself can bring to the discussion, in cooperation with a trained
group leader will be emphasized. The format for this kind of
presentation will be presented, with suggestions for how professionals
might use griever’s art work in this manner.
Feedback from social work students who viewed the work indicated
that they felt the viewing and discussion increased their understanding
of the experience of loss of a child. They reported less fear of their
emotions in anticipating discussion of the subject with a client, and
greater confidence in being able to address this special kind of loss.
Objectives:
1. Recognize the value of the visual arts as a way to express grief
2. Utilize the visual arts as a tool for teaching about grief
3. Recognize and discuss the specific perspectives of student viewers
regarding grief and parental loss of a child after viewing of the art
work
References:
Davies, R. (2004). New understandings of parental grief: Literature
review. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 46(5), 506-513.
Finn, C. A. (2003). Helping students cope with loss: Incorporating art
into group counseling. Journal for Specialists in Group Work, 28(2),
155-165.
Labrum, D. (2005). The hole in me since the day you died. South
Bend, IN: Center for Hospice and Palliative Care.
Rogers, J. E. (2007). The art of grief: The use of expressive arts in a
grief support group. New York: Routledge.
Rosenblatt, P. C. (2000). Parent grief: Narratives of loss and relationship. Philadelphia: Brunner/Mazel.
Scholarly Paper
Cumberland B
Bereavement Support Group?
No Thanks. I’m Dating.
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Professional Issues
Intermediate
Gorman, Eunice, RN, BSW, MSW, RSW, PhD Candidate; Lewis,
Laura, MSW,PhD
King’s University College London, London, Ontario, Canada
Bereavement support groups play an important role for many who
are coping with the loss of a loved one. Yet elderly men often attend
only briefly and then excuse themselves to reenter the world of close
relationships. Whether they are propelled by loneliness, vulnerability
or anxiety many newly widowed men enter into new relationships relatively soon after the death of their spouse. There is much about this phenomenon that points to avoidance, busy-ness as a coping strategy, the
need to exert power and control, searching for assistance with instrumental activities of daily living and relief after a long period of being
the primary caregiver. In the face of powerful emotions, resurgence of
old losses and explicit reminders of their own mortality, some men may
feel that their time is limited and this may be their last chance at happiness. Dating allows them to test out a new identity and spend time
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with people who know nothing of their past or their deceased spouse.
Furthermore, dating provides comfort in a world where adult children
and their families may live at a distance, or where close friends are
few. Older men who have placed all their time and effort into their
spousal relationship may find that they lack necessary and helpful
contacts that could provide an empathetic ear when they are grieving.
for others still, long term underground relationships are brought into the
open complicating the grieving process for themselves as well as for
their families and friends. This presentation will examine issues of death
anxiety as related to the needs of newly bereaved elderly gentlemen
and provide strategies to assist grieving widowers while allowing them
to access support groups without judgment.
Objectives:
1. Discuss the unique needs of grieving older male adults
2. Examine the grief process for older adults
3. Suggest ways to engage older adults in supportive counseling
and/or bereavement group
References:
Carr, D. (2004). Gender, pre-loss dependence, and older adult’s
adjustment to widowhood. Journal of Marriage and the Family,
66:220-235.
Cheng, S.T., & Chan, A. (2006). Relationship with others and life
satisfaction in later life: Do gender and widowhood make a difference? [Electronic Version] The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, 61,
46-53.
Lee, G.R., DeMaris, A. Bavin, S. Sullivan, R. (2001). Gender differences in the depressive effect of widowhood in later life. The Journals of
Gerontology, Series B, Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences
56B (1):S56-S61.
Stewart, M. Craig, D. MacPherson, K. Alexander, S. (2001). Promoting positive affect and diminishing loneliness of widowed seniors
through a support intervention. Public Health Nursing 18(1): 54-63.
Van-Grootheest, D.S., Beekman, A.T.F., van-Groenou M.I.B., Deeg,
D.J.H. (1999) Sex differences in depression after widowhood: Do
men suffer more. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 34
(7):391-398.
Yalom, I. (2008). Staring at the Sun: Overcoming the terrors of death.
San Francisco, Jossey-Bass.
Wilsey, S.A. & Shear, M.K. (2007). Descriptions of social support in
treatment narratives of complicated grievers. Death Studies, (9):801819.
Scholarly Paper
F
bereavement services or intervention programs to cope with death.
However, funeral homes bereavement services or programs vary in
applications and approaches that are linked to multiple losses, sudden
deaths, anticipated deaths, and traumatic losses. With these views in
mind, there is a void of literature related to this phenomenon.
This scholarly paper assesses existing research about unique funeral
homes bereavement services and intervention programs specific to: (1)
grief counseling and workshops, (2) children’s storybooks and coloring
books, (3) web, audio and video resources, (4) interactive games and
toys, and (5) other supportive intervention services or referral activities
used with young children regarding death. This presentation will provide promising directions for future research concerning the application
of funeral homes bereavement services and intervention programs appropriateness; thus, broadening the theoretical and practical foundation for this field.
Objectives:
1. Describe why it is important to integrate funeral homes bereavement services and intervention programs to support young children
psychological and emotional demands that death causes
2. List and describe five distinct bereavement services or intervention
programs that funeral homes use to support young children for grief
counseling and education
3. Describe a wide range of funeral homes bereavement services and
intervention programs related to multiple losses, sudden deaths,
anticipated deaths, and traumatic losses
References:
Fiorini, J.J., & Mullen, J. A. (2006). Understanding grief and loss in
children. Champaign, Illinois.
Holland, J. (2004). Should children attend their parent’s funeral? Blackwell Publishing, Oxford, UK.
National Funeral Directors Association. Funeral homes trends. Brookfield, Wisconsin. Retrieved February 19, 2008 from http://www.
nfda.org
Sandler, I. (2005). Bridging the gap between research and practice in
bereavement: Report from the Center for the Advancement of Health.
Death Studies, 29(2), 93-122.
Schmiege, S.J., Khoo, S. T., Sandler, I. N., Ayers, T. S., & Wolchik, S.
A. (2006). Impact of Intervention and gender on recovery curves
of child mental health problems following parental death. American
Journal of Preventive Medicine.
Landmark A
Funeral Homes Bereavement Services
and Interventions for Young Children
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Introductory
Guy, Thurman, EdD
North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, NC, United States
In a society that is drastically changing culturally with shifting values
and perceptions related to death, many families are seeking more
individualized bereavement services or intervention programs to assist
young children during the grieving process. Much has been written
on death experiences related to developmental stages, conceptual
frameworks, and maturation process with young children ages 5 to
11. Nevertheless, as parents, schools, and the community seek support
for children regarding the psychological and emotional demands of
death, there is a tremendous need for funeral homes to offer bereavement services or intervention programs to assist children in understanding death. Many children do not receive customized or specialized
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59
Scholarly Paper
Cumberland L
Living Beyond Loss: Themes of Dying, Death,
and Bereavement in Gospel and Blues Music
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Introductory
Strickland, Albert, CT
Pacific Publishing Services, Capitola, CA, United States
As multicultural musical expressions with roots in the folk traditions
of the American South, gospel and blues music conveys a poignant
awareness of mortality, tempered by an attitude of resilience in the
human encounter with loss. Illustrated with songs and stories, this
presentation highlights the insights these genres offer about the human
capacity to make use of constructive ways to cope with loss.
In gospel music, songs of solace and hope sustain and encourage people through emotionally hard times that accompany the myriad losses
that beset human life. The classic gospel songs acknowledge life’s
sorrows and the emotional pain of grief, but gospel never abandons
the bereaved to hopelessness. After all, the very meaning of gospel is
“good news.”
Objectives:
1. Explain how music has a healing power to reframe memories of
persons whose death we grieve in ways that promote a sense of
connection and reunion
2. Describe how gospel and blues music provide complementary
ways of coping with loss and grief
3. Summarize how music can assist in bereavement support and
provide solace to individuals who are bereaved or experiencing
significant loss events
References:
Burgard, A. M. (2005). Hallelujah: The poetry of classic hymns. Berkeley: Celestial Arts.
Henderson, B. (2006). Simple gifts--great hymns: One man’s search for
grace. New York: Free Press.
Stowe, D. W. (2004). How sweet the sound: Music in the spiritual lives
of Americans. Cambridge, M.A.: Harvard University Press.
Strickland, A. L. (2003). The healing power of music in bereavement.
The Forum Newsletter,29 (2).
Wald, E. (2004). Escaping the Delta: Robert Johnson and the invention
of the blues. New York: Amistad.
In contrast, the blues rarely conveys an explicitly hopeful message, instead emphasizing the singer’s predicament in a sad situation. “Laughing to keep from crying” is presented as a way to deal with hard times
and difficult circumstances. Even though the lyrics express regret and
sadness, there is an underlying message that individuals are resilient
enough to cope with even the most dislocating tragedies of human life.
Participants will be introduced to the significance of these distinctive
musical expressions of loss and coping through musical performance,
lecture, and discussion. In addition to placing these musical forms in
their historical and cultural context, participants will gain an appreciation for their salutary effects as a way to creatively cope with loss.
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www.adec.org
Invited Speakers – Friday, April 17, 8:30 a.m. – 9:45 a.m.
Cumberland E/F
Using Ethical Standards to Recover From
Compassion Fatigue
Paula Loring, LCSW, LMFT, NCBF
Ethical practice in the medical and mental health profession is paramount and should be reviewed on a regular basis. The reality is that
often ethical decisions, while usually made based on professional
principles, are subject to interpretation. There are rarely right or wrong
answers, or black and white solutions to the complicated care of
patients and their families. Decisions can be strongly affected by the
professional’s values, periodic personal challenges and level of involvement in his/her work. Burnout and excessive stress can further confuse
an ethical judgment and distort ethical interpretations.
This workshop will provide the professional with an opportunity to personally explore how values, stresses, burnout and personal challenges
effect their decision making process and demonstrate how ethical
principles can support sound professional judgment during times of
burnout or high stress.
Paula Loring, LCSW, LMFT, NCBF, is the director of Porter Loring Family
Care Services of Porter Loring Mortuaries in San Antonio, Texas. This
is a community-based program offering support groups, andindividual
and family counseling to bereaved families. Prior to her work here in
San Antonio, she was in private practice in Austin for 20 years working with adults, adolescents and children.
Her responsibilities include organizing and supervising an effective
development program.
Laura Olague, MEd, CT, is the executive director and cofounder of the
Children’s Grief Center of El Paso. She holds a bachelor’s degree in
Social Work from Texas Tech and a master’s degree in guidance &
counseling from University of Texas at El Paso. She has been a member
of ADEC since 1992 and is Certified in Thanatology. She has been
working with grieving children and families for 18 years and co-founded the Children’s Grief Center in 1995.
Kathy Telger, MEd, LPC-S, program director, has been with The WARM
Place since 1994. She is a licensed professional counselor and approved supervisor for the Texas State Board of Examiners
of Professional Counselors. She graduated from the University of North
Texas with a master’s of education degree in counseling and student
services. Her WARM Place responsibilities include conducting family
intake interviews, supervising graduate counseling interns, and educating the public on children’s grief issues.
Michelli Gomez, LMSW, received her bachelor of arts degree in biology
from St. Mary’s University, a master’s of science degree in environmental science from the University of Texas at San Antonio, and her master’s of social work degree from Our Lady of the Lake University. She
serves as the Program Services Coordinator. In this capacity, Michelli
assists in the coordination of the various support groups provided by
the Children’s Bereavement Center of South Texas (CBCST) In addition,
she provides individual and family counseling to CBCST clients.
Landmark A
Cumberland L
Working With Children and Families After a
Traumatic Death Loss: Community Strategies
Decision-Making Near the End of Life:
Issues, Developments, and Future Directions
Khris Ford, LPC
Vicki Johnson, MS - Moderator
Laura Olague, MEd, CT
Kathy Telger, MEd, LPC-S
Michelli Gomez, LMSW
James L. Werth, Jr., PhD
Panel organized by The WARM Place for Grieving Children and
Families, Fort Worth, Texas
This panel will address approaches used by children’s grief support
programs in several cities across Texas that assist children who are
affected by a traumatic death loss. Topics will include the use of separate groups for trauma deaths vs. inclusion with non-trauma deaths.
Different approaches for addressing individual counseling services,
outreach and crisis intervention will be covered. In addition, the panel
will discuss ways to educate and support the parent/guardian in their
efforts to help their child. Issues related to cultural differences as well as
the concern of retraumatization will be addressed.
Khris Ford, LPC, is an adjunct instructor at the University of Texas
at Austin School of Social Work, where she teaches graduate level
courses in grief and loss counseling. She is also a bereaved parent.
In the past 15 years, Khris has counseled with hundreds of grieving
children and adults, trained over 500 school counselors, social workers, and other mental health professionals, and led dozens of
weekend retreats for bereaved parents.
This presentation will review recent developments that have affecteddecision making within the field of end-of-life care. A variety of issues will
be reviewed including ethical and legal issues and concerns, diversity
considerations, biopsychosociospiritual matters, and controversial
developments.
James L. Werth, Jr., PhD, currently is professor of psychology and director of the PsyD program in counseling psychology at Radford University and is a licensed psychologist in Virginia. His primary areas of
research and practice are end-of-life issues, HIV disease, ethical and legal issues, and rural issues. He has written/edited/coedited 6 books, 7
special journal issues, and nearly 100 articles/book chapters on these
topics. He served on the American Psychological Association’s Ad Hoc
Committee on Legal Issues and Ad Hoc Committee on End-of-Life Issues.
He coordinated amicus curiae briefs for the U.S. Supreme Court on
end-of-life issues that were signed onto by the American Counseling Association and National Association of Social Workers. He received his
doctorate in counseling psychology from Auburn University in 1995, a
master’s of legal studies degree from the University of Nebraska - Lincoln in 1999, and served as the American Psychological Association’s
HIV Policy congressional fellow in the office of Senator Ron Wyden (D OR) from 1999-2000 where he worked on aging and end-of-life issues
in addition to HIV.
Vicki Johnson, MS, associate executive director, joined The WARM
Place staff in 2002 as director of development and was named associate executive director in 2004. She received her bachelor of arts and
master of science in counseling and student services degrees from the
University of North Texas. Prior to that, she was a WARM Place volunteer and part-time counselor for eight years.
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Invited Speakers – Friday, April 17, 8:30 a.m. – 9:45 a.m.
Poster Session II – Friday, April 17, 9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Cumberland K Room
Therapeutic Implications of Research in
Trauma and Bereavement:
Practicing What We Preach Without
Pretending to Divine the Truth
Kenneth W. Sewell, PhD
A disconnect often exists between researchers who study human suffering and the clinicians, counselors, and therapists who work with
individual human beings in the aftermath of trauma and loss.
The theoretical assumptions that underlie much of the empirical
research are arguably derived from clinical wisdom. Nonetheless, the
findings from such research often seem removed from the needs of
therapy clients and those who serve them. Therapists often see limited
benefit from utilizing the research literature, sometimes equating a
science-driven practice with the use of manualized treatments.
This presentation will provide an overview of some of the major
research findings in the fields of trauma and loss, and link them to
therapeutic strategies...many of which are already in common use by
clinicians. Then, a systematic method of reviewing research literature
for use in practice will be described that leaves flexibility for the clinician and client to exercise their own preferences and unique strengths.
The described method allows therapists to adopt an evidence-based approach without resorting to manualized or scripted treatments. Clinical
examples will be offered, both to illustrate the approach and to emphasize the importance of maintaining flexibility in service of the client.
Kenneth W. Sewell, PhD, is associate vice president for research and
professor of psychology at University of North Texas in Denton. Formerly, he was director of clinical training for the doctoral program in
clinical psychology at the University of North Texas. Dr. Sewell’s career
in psychology typifies the scientist-practitioner model by combining
teaching, training and research with clinical practice. His research
interests include the application of personal construct theory to the
outcomes of trauma and bereavement. In his research, Dr. Sewell uses
both quantitative methods based on statistical analysis and qualitative
methods based on narrative, and works to integrate them. Personally,
he is a gifted poet, musician and actor who brings the creativity of the
arts to his professional work with trainees and clients and is interested
in promoting “science-driven practice” of psychotherapy by incorporating ideas generated by theory and lessons learned from research
without resorting to reductionistic treatments or manualized therapies.
Friday, April 17
9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Reunion E-H
Poster # 1
Determinants of Conscious and Unconscious
Death Anxiety Among Bereaved Adults
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Life Span
Advanced
Hayslip Jr., Bert, PhD
University of North Texas, Denton, TX, United States
While much literature addresses fears of death among adults, little
work has explored the distinction between overt/self-reported fears of
death and dying covert/ unconscious death anxiety. As these aspects
of death anxiety are negatively related, but nonetheless distinct in adulthood (see Hayslip, 2003; Hayslip & Hansson, 2003), it is important to
understand those factors that make persons susceptible to experiencing
concerns about death that may interfere with post-death adjustment. to
this end, 438 bereaved adults (Mage = 34, range = 18-88) completed
measures of both self reported death anxiety (Templer and Collett-Lester
scales, see Hayslip et al. 2007), a measure of covert death fear- the
Incomplete Sentence Blank (see Hayslip et al., 2005-2006), and measures assessing attitudes towards funerals and one’s participation in
funeral rituals, grief, psychological adjustment and coping, and life satisfaction. Hierarchical regression analyses, where data were entered in
blocks (demographics, relationship quality to the deceased, personality/adjustment, funeral-specific variables) suggested that demographic
factors, measures of grief, and funeral attitudes predicted (p < .05)
overt/self reported death anxiety. In contrast, defining oneself as religious, belief in an afterlife, demographic factors, and grief predicted
(p < .05) covert/unconscious death fear. These findings suggest that covert and overt death fear are interrelated but nevertheless independent
constructs with both common and unique antecedents. Thus, different
factors may predispose bereaved persons to experience death fears
that may interfere with their adjustment to the loss of a loved one.
Poster # 2
Treasured Moments in Time
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Introductory
Carst, Nancy, MSW
Akron Children’s Hospital, Akron, OH, United States
Parents facing end-of-life issues for their child are looking for optimal
chances to capture memories. A desirable skill for caregivers is to be
able to provide creative and compassionate opportunities to embrace
the dying child’s essence in a permanent way. Our pediatric palliative
care team strives to make available to families easy, practical, loving
keepsakes to memorialize and share the uniqueness of their child’s life.
Our poster will describe resources, information and easy-to-replicate
techniques that can be used by hospice and palliative care professionals in any setting.
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www.adec.org
Poster # 3
Poster # 5
Integrating Adlerian Theory and Techniques
With Crisis Intervention
Giving Information: Latino and Chinese
Families in Pediatric Palliative Care
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Introductory
Dying Process
Intermediate
Tedrick, Sara, BA1; Wachter, Carrie, PhD2
Davies, Betty, RN, PhD
Purdue University, Lafayette, IN, United States; 2Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN,
United States
University of California, San Francisco, Fairfield, CA, United States
1
Crises are a normal part of human development, with over 90% of individuals experiencing at least one crisis in their lifetime. Crisis intervention skills, therefore, are an essential tool for professionals working with
clients who are experiencing traumatic or overwhelming life events.
Although many early counseling theorists, such as Freud, Alder, and Ellis, addressed interventions with the underlying psychological processes
of suicidal clients, current crisis theory has developed separately from
fundamental counseling theories. Crisis theory, however, shares many
assumptions with these theories, and professionals may be able to
make more effective interventions if they interpret crisis theory in concert with their overarching theoretical orientation. The purpose of this
poster is to demonstrate the integration of crisis intervention theory with
Individual Psychology/Adlerian counseling theory.
Although Pediatric Palliative Care (PPC) has grown in recent years, little
research pertains to families of diverse cultural backgrounds despite the
changing demographics of North America. The goal of this project was
to describe the experiences of Mexican-American and Chinese-American families whose child had died from a life-limiting condition in order
to enhance understanding and provide guidance to PPC practitioners.
Bicultural/bilingual research associates interviewed 50 family members from 31 families whose child had died six months to five years
prior, where at least one parent or grandparent was born in Mexico or
China, and family members spoke Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin, or
English. Translated transcripts were analyzed using grounded theory
procedures; rigor was ensured through adherence to procedures for
trustworthiness.
The poster will focus on interventions for situational crisis, including terminal illness and bereavement. The six-step model of crisis intervention
will be integrated with writings on crisis and suicide interventions from
an Adlerian orientation, and underlying theoretical similarities will be
identified. Handouts discussing Adlerian rationale for crisis intervention
techniques, including standard crisis techniques and uniquely Adlerian
techniques that may be appropriate in crisis situations, will be distributed. The presenter will also be available to explore how Adlerian
crisis intervention might compare to traditional interventions, strengths
and limitations of Adlerian crisis intervention, and future directions of
this crisis theory work.
Central to parents’ experience with palliative care for their child was
how they were given information by health care professionals. In some
situations, parents were not given any information, receiving only
false reassurances that everything was fine when it was clearly not.
In most situations, parents were given information but it varied in the
dimensions that were addressed: facts, the implications of those facts
for action by health care professionals and by parents, and parents’
responses to the information given. Parents’ ability to speak English, as
well as their educational level, greatly influenced the type of information they were given. Findings provide guidance for health care professionals who give information to parents whose first language is not
English as well as to English-speaking parents of seriously ill children.
Poster # 4
Poster # 6
Public Health Team and The Experience of the
Very Ill At Home
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Professional Issues
Introductory
Death Attitudes and Anxiety Across Cultures
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Dying Process
Introductory
Moretta Guerrero, Brenda, PhD, LPC, FT
Bousso, Regina, PhD1; Silva, Lucia, MS2
Our Lady of the Lake University, San Antonio, TX, United States
University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil; 2Doctoral Candidate, Botucatu, Sao Paulo,
Brazil
As part of a larger pilot study exploring death rituals, death anxiety,
and attitudes toward death across cultures, this research represents the
quantitative piece of that study which focused on death anxiety and
attitudes toward death. Death anxiety, fear, and acceptance of death
have been the topics of numerous studies over the years, leading some
researchers and theorists to contend that death anxiety and negative
attitudes toward death are universal. However, whether or not different
cultural groups experience different levels of death anxiety or even if
they experience death anxiety at all has not been adequately explored.
Nor have other pervasive attitudes toward death been widely studied
across cultures. Accordingly, this study involved a preliminary attempt
to explore death anxiety and attitudes toward death across Asian
Indian, Mexican, Mexican American and Indian American samples.
Ten participants from each cultural group, ranging in age from 19-62,
completed the Revised Death Anxiety Scale (RDAS) and the Death
Attitude Profile-Revised (DAP-R), a multidimensional measure that taps
general fear of death, death avoidance and death acceptance (neutral
acceptance, approach acceptance, and escape acceptance). It was hypothesized that both Mexicans and Asian Indians, who are both raised
in more death accepting cultures than are Americans, would report
1
Public health professionals have significantly evolved over the past few
years with the delivery of quality care for elderly patients as a focus
point. This study explores factors that impact upon the delivery of quality care in Public Health Family Care in Brazil. A qualitative method
using semi-structured interviews was conducted. Interviews were taped
and content analyzed. Four main categories emerged from the data:
Role change, Components of caring, Barriers to family care and Factors that facilitate the delivery of geriatrics and palliative care in the
community. Professionals strive for evidence-based practice in Public
Health; they acknowledged their inability to achieve this and referred
to factors that inhibited them from reaching their goal. Enhanced education for health professionals will equip them in the delivery geriatrics
and palliative care. Better communication is required between the
multidisciplinary team. The delivery of community services need to be
reviewed and developed further in accordance with the health strategy
policy.
www.adec.org
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lower levels of death anxiety, death avoidance and fear of death; and
higher levels of both neutral and approach acceptance, than would
either Mexican-Americans or Indian-Americans, who are raised in the
United States. Results generally supported the hypotheses and implications for future research will be presented.
Poster # 7
Religion, Life History, Illness and Death:
Experience of Brazilians Families
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Dying Process
Religious/Spiritual
Introductory
Bousso, Regina, PhD1; Serafim, Tais, Undergraduate Student2
1
University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil; 2Student, Sao Paulo, Brazil
The importance of religious cults in providing healing for Brazil’s
families is now widely acknowledged. The purpose of this study was to
explore Brazilian families’ experiences with one of their member illness
and report findings about the influence of religious faith and life history
on families’ spiritual and secular responses to illness. We developed
an interpretive study, using symbolic interaction as the framework,
and in-depth interviewing for data collection. The study focused on the
history of the illness of a family member who resorted to several religious therapies at the beginning time of onset of the disease. Sample
included 22 families’ members from 12 families living with one of their
members with a variety of illness. Families professed a variety of beliefs
and devotional practices. Four dimensions of religious faith were
related to families decision making: God determined the outcome of
the illness, Families had obligations to God, Intercession with God by
others was often sought by or offered to the family, and Faith encouraged optimism. Family members took spiritual and secular actions to
assure the best possible familial and professional care for their member
and sought to influence Gods good will on behalf of the individual and
family.
Meaning Making of Family After Long-Term
Foster Care
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Intermediate
Lawrence, Carrie, BS
Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, IN, United States
This study focuses on young adults, who have grown up in foster care
and who have been either emancipated or who are not longer wards
of the court, grief and ambiguous or invisible loss (Doka, 2002) associated with not having a traditional family and how they explain
their meaning of family. One thing is clear from the existing literature,
a life without a family for these young adults is challenging for both
the individual and our society. Results from this study show that former
foster youth showed a variety of meaning in family depending on each
individual experience, in describing how even in foster care never feeling as though they were part of a family. In addition, the participants
gave examples of feeling disenfranchised because of how child welfare
takes their family away from them and how they were never able to see
their birth family again.
The methodology used for this study was a phenomenological analysis
within a qualitative research design. Phenomenological analysis seeks
to discover the meaning, structure and essence of the lived experience
of the phenomenon for a person (Patton, 2002). I took the participants’
recorded interviews, transcribed them verbatim, and then analyzed the
transcriptions. Qualitative research is based on the philosophy that views
reality as multilayered, interactive, and share social experience interpreted by individuals (McMillan & Schumacher, 1997). Hopefully, the
interpretations of the study in addition to the process of the use of Photo
Elicitation methods and interviews will help give the participants and professionals insight as to how to better assist former foster youth in coping
with their grief and loss and with their transition to adulthood.
Poster # 8
Poster # 10
Death and Dying at a Children’s Mental
Health Agency
Teaching About Near-Death Experiences
Using “The Day I Died”
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Introductory
Graves, Karen, MA
Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Blooming Grove, NY, United States
This poster will examine how a children’s mental health agency approaches death and dying with its clients and staff. Green Chimneys
Children’s Services provides residential and day treatment to children
and adolescents with emotional, behavioral, and learning difficulties
from New York City, upstate New York, and Connecticut. The agency
also operates a farm and wildlife rehabilitation center which involves
the children in several ways: farm/wildlife classes, jobs caring for the
animals, animal-assisted therapy, as well as other activities. When
animals become ill or need to be euthanized, a special opportunity is
presented for working on clients’ bereavement issues. Many children
at Green Chimneys have experienced multiple losses, including death,
trauma, divorce, abuse, and neglect. The farm provides opportunities
to experience and process death in health ways. Staff who work with
the animals are encouraged to examine how culture and personal experiences color their own views of death, and learn ways to appropriately discuss death with the children.
64
Poster # 9
Death Education
Introductory
Holden, Janice Miner, EdD, LPC-S, LMFT, NCC1; Oden, Kathryn,
PhD, LPC2
Department of Counseling and Higher Education, University of North Texas, Denton,
TX, United States; 2Counseling Department, Texas A&M University - Commerce, Commerce, TX, United States
1
In 2002, the British Broadcasting Corporation produced the hour-long
documentary, The Day I Died: The Mind, the Brain, and Near-death Experiences. Now available in the U.S. for use in educational venues, the
production explores the question of the relationship of mind and brain
through the narratives of several near-death experiencers; reenactments
of recent near-death research in hospitals in the U.S., U.K, and Netherlands; and interviews with leading researchers in the field of near-death
studies. In the process, viewers learn about the characteristics and
aftereffects of near-death experiences (NDEs), the circumstances under
which they occur, and the diversity of people who experience them.
www.adec.org
Poster # 11
Death and Grief Rituals: A Multicultural,
Multispiritual Look
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Death Education
Introductory
Kramer Almquist, Heather, MA, CT
Douglassville, PA, United States
Critical to the discussion of death and grieving is an understanding of
the significance of ritual in these processes. The importance of ritual in
the grieving process is considered from multi-spiritual and multi-cultural
perspectives from major world religions. A call is made for incorporation of rituals of connectedness to be incorporated into expanded
Western models of grief therapy.
Poster # 12
Grief Related to Pregnancy Loss:
Understanding the Experience of Losing a
Child Before Birth
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Life Span
Introductory
Fernandez, Ramona, BA, MEd
The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
This study examined the grief response following unintended pregnancy losses occurring throughout the gestational range from conception to full-term, excluding live births. The aim of this study was to have
participants share their lived experience, how their worldview had
changed and share what they perceived to be helpful and unhelpful
in the process of loss, grief and resolution. Seven women participated
in a survey and phenomenological interview and were recruited from
two sources, a hospital based clinic and the community. Losses across
the lifespan ranged from immediate loss, 2 years, 3 years, 4 years,
23 years and 26 years since loss. Interview transcripts were analyzed
and ten theme areas were identified, along with lifespan impacts
and accommodations to cope and heal over time. Of importance is
accommodation process in subsequent pregnancy. Finally participants
shared what helped and did not help and made recommendations for
professional practice.
Keywords: pregnancy loss, miscarriage, grief, bereavement, attachment, trauma, lifespan
Poster # 13
Near-Death Experiences:
Thirty Years of Scholarly Inquiry
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Dying Process
Introductory
ence and its aftereffects. In 2008, leading NDE researchers authored
comprehensive, critical reviews of the existing scholarly literature on 10
subtopics covering the phenomenon. The subtopics included NDEs in
Western adults, Western children and teens, and non-Western cultures;
distressing NDEs, characteristics of near-death experiencers (NDErs),
NDEs and world religions, veridical perception in NDEs, explanatory
models of NDEs, and applications of NDE scholarship for education
about NDEs and counseling NDErs. In this presentation, the lead editor
of these reviews will summarize highlights of the authors’ findings,
indicating what is and is not currently known about NDEs and concluding with the most pressing needs for further research in the field of
near-death studies.
Poster # 14
What About Me? Young People Grieve Too: An
In-School Grief Support Program
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Life Span
Intermediate
McCune, Susana, BA
Hospice of Kitsap County/ Antioch University Seattle, Suquamish, WA, United States
Grief support groups offered during the school day offer a safe space
for students to express feelings and find creative solutions for facing the
challenges of grief. Death education lifts taboos against the discussion
of death and helps students in grades 1-12 incorporate death within
their ongoing appraisal of the life cycle. Participants develop greater
understanding of the grief process, increase use of positive coping
mechanisms, reduce the amount of time spent distracted by grief and
enhance their ability to focus on academics. Outcomes include reduced
feelings of isolation, improved behavior, and more highly developed
connections with peers and school staff.
Poster # 15
Using Fiction and Memoir to Help Children
and Adults Who Are Grieving
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Introductory
Markell, Kathryn, PhD1; Markell, Marc, PhD., CT2
1
Anoka-Ramsey Community College, Roseville, MN, United States; 2St. Cloud State
University, Rogers, MN, United States
This session will expand on past sessions by the presenters that dealt
with using Harry Potter and other fictional characters to help grieving
children and adolescents. The authors will present some activities from
their recently published book on this topic, and they will present new
activities from books such as Light on Snow by Anita Shreve and The
Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion that may be especially helpful
for grieving adults. The goal of the presentation is to give participants
many practical activities that can be used to help grieving children,
adolescents, and adults. The presentation will include ideas about how
to apply the activities presented to use with other books and movies.
Holden, Janice Miner, EdD, LPC-S, LMFT, NCC
University of North Texas, Denton, TX, United States
In the 30 years since near-death experiences (NDEs) came into widespread professional and public awareness, authors have addressed
the topic in numerous books and over 800 refereed journal articles.
Among them have been at least 55 researchers or research teams in
North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia who published at least 65
studies involving nearly 3,500 NDErs, addressing both the experi-
www.adec.org
65
Poster # 16
A Life Giving Memorial
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Introductory
Rillstone, Pam, PhD
Jacksonville University, Jacksonville, FL, United States
Moving forward can be difficult for anyone who has suffered a loss.
Creating a meaningful living legacy with that loved one is one unique
way to stay connected while growing and healing beyond the loss. The
presenter shares how her family and others have created living ocean
reefs from their loved one’s ashes, and how this process has been
instrumental in giving life back not only to the ocean but within their
own hearts.
When Adults Grieve a Parent, a Second Look:
“I’m Glad The Bastard’s Dead”
Intermediate
Gilbert, Richard, PhD, DMin, CT
Mercy College; Benedictine University (Chicago), Elgin, IL, United States
Even deaths when dying has been long-suffering and death is welcomed peace does not comprise either the need to grieve or how
we grieve. It is a loss. Things change. Family rituals often seek new
expressions. Sometimes there are messes to clean up: ethical decisions
around medical care, finances, impact on the family, turmoil within the
family (often among siblings), caring for the surviving. All of this, which
will be reviewed in this session, comes under the umbrella of denying,
demythologizing and deploying.
For many adult children, however, the death is a relief. It often feels like
closure on a loss that happened so long ago: abandoning the family,
addiction, sexual improprieties, poor financial management, incest, violence and abuse. It is about a sense of peace because he/she is gone.
For others it is not relief, but a first look at years of pain, losses, dysfunction and hurt that seldom are expressed, don’t go away and are
woven through our life and the many losses and memories that have
left us feeling very wounded.
Through definitions, action plans and case studies we will explore these
experiences.
Poster # 18
Healing From Loss With Scents
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Introductory
McGoldrick, Irene, BS, MSW
MSDH, LLC, Wauwatosa, WI, United States
Essential oils support the body and lift the spirit, giving the mind a
chance to mend. A person can live beyond grief, not just through it,
with help from aromatherapy. Aromatherapy uses essential oils and
means literally, therapy with aroma.
The oils are the pure oils extracted from the plant or fruit and they
affect the body both physically and mentally. The chemical compounds
in the oils affect the physical body by absorption into the bloodstream
66
Many essential oils assist with symptoms of grief by relieving melancholy, depression and fatigue. Some oils, such as lavender, are relaxing, and others, like peppermint, invigorating.
Essential oils do not mask the myriad of emotions involved with great
loss. These emotions are, themselves, an essential part of successfully
healing. The oils help put the mind at ease and support the body’s immune system during a taxing time. They offer light and beauty in a time
of darkness.
Poster #19
This Place:
A Documentary About Memorial Places
Poster # 17
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
through the skin. The scent of the pure oil affect a person’s mood due
to the olfactory nerves direct connection to the limbic system which
controls our emotions.
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Introductory
Kilcrease, J. Worth, MA
Austin, TX, United States
An important aspect of human mourning is perpetuating links to the
past and past relationships while making meaning out of the death
experience. A universal way of attempting this is to create tangible,
symbolic, physical reminders of the experience and the person(s)
involved. We frequently see these reminders in the memorials to those
who have died - from the preserved Auschwitz and Buchenwald concentration camps to the Vietnam Memorial to individual gravestones to
roadside memorials. However, we seldom know the individual stories
behind the memorials and the significance the memorials have to the
bereaved. This Place is a documentary video about the tragic death of
three adolescents and their families’ responses to those deaths. At the
same time two families maintain crosses by the highways where their
children died, another mother cares for a garden at the secluded site
where her daughter was murdered by a boyfriend. The documentary
also provides a rare opportunity to witness a mother building a memorial cross and then placing it at the crash site the next day in honor of
her daughter’s 21st birthday. Each family tells their story, describes the
creation of their memorial, and shares insight into the importance of the
memorial in their individual lives.
Poster #20
An After School Program Grief Group with
Middle Schoolers Using the Expressive Arts:
What Worked and What Didn’t
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Larger Systems
Introductory
Wortham, Jennifer, LCSW, MSW
Transitions, New York, NY, United States
Many inner city after school programs employ non-professionals. This
method works to strengthen institutional program structures by giving
an overview training to non-professionals on grief and loss. The children attending these programs often come from homes that are dealing
with a number of issues regarding loss. A child may have lost a parent
or relative to AIDS or traumatic death or have a relative in prison. The
children may be being raised by a grandparent who lives at poverty
level, has health issues and little energy for children who have already
experienced parental loss. Avenues for or expression of the grief
www.adec.org
these children experience is often limited. Brief education in grief, loss
and mourning for staff begins to open new possibilities for both staff
and children. The staff experience creating a loss line and then using
the expressive arts explore one of those losses. The staff experience
mask-making to enable staff to have the experience the children will
be having in expressing themselves about their own grief issues. The
second part of the program is to coordinate and facilitate the nonprofessionals, (under the supervision of the instructor) to work with the
children and their families who will also be creating masks. The project
will invite the children within the safety of collage materials and paints
to create a mask that shows the face they show the world on the outside of the mask. It will then allow them to express their internal feelings
on the hidden side of the mask, which while allowing them privacy and
also encourages self-acknowledgment. How to debrief with the staff
discussing strengths and challenges in the program will be explored.
Poster # 21
Understanding Bereavement Resilience:
Integrating Family and Cultural Perspectives
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Intermediate
Poster # 22
Exploring the Various Aspects of
Disenfranchisement
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Introductory
Dyana Reisen
The College of New Jersey
In disenfranchised grief, a person experiences grief, yet that grief is
not acknowledged, validated, or observed in society (Doka, 1989,
2002a). Relationships, losses, and grievers (Doka, 1989), as well as
circumstances of the death and ways individuals grieve, can all be
disenfranchised (Doka, 2002a). Corr (1998-1999) added that grief
reactions and expressions, mourning, and outcomes of grieving and
mourning can also be disenfranchised. Additionally, cultural norms
and expectations of adolescents can disenfranchise grievers. Disenfranchisement not only creates additional problems for grievers, it also
minimizes or removes available support (Doka, 2002a). There are
many things that people can do to help prevent disenfranchised grief.
The most important seems to be education. As people become more
knowledgeable
Ho, Andy, CT, MFT, MSocSc, BA, PhD Candidate; Wang, Clarissa,
BA (WELLESLEY), MPHIL Candidate (HKU)
Hong Kong University, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China;
The common belief that older adults experiencing spousal loss will inevitably suffer from the detrimental effects of grief has recently been challenged by concrete empirical data that evidence a prominent resilient
reaction to bereavement. The effort to identify the possible antecedents
of individual resilience in the face of loss is of great clinical significance, especially in understanding how coping and resilience can be
fostered among older surviving spouses - a rapidly growing population
among modern societies. Existing literature on this area has primarily
focused on studying the personal and situational factors that facilitate
resilience in the face of loss. Familial and cultural factors, which play
vital roles in the preservation of individual well-being through extreme
adversities, have not been thoroughly examined. This paper attempts
to bridge the gap between these research foci by integrating early
theoretical premises and recent empirical evidence on grief, family
and culture in an effort to stimulate a renewed understanding on the
concept of bereavement resilience.
www.adec.org
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Concurrent Session VI – Friday, April 17, 10:15 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.
Concurrent Session VI
Friday, April 17, 10:15 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.
Invited
F
Cumberland J
When They Die Here But Need to Go
There: Shipping the Deceased Home
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Death Education
Professional Issues
Intermediate
Piet, William E., LFD
Need Affiliation
The preparation and shipment of a deceased person’s remains is a subject that is receiving more attention now than ever before. The process
of making the funeral arrangements for shipping the remains to another
country can be very time consuming and the source of considerable
additional expense. Contacting embassies and/or consulates will be
required as special shipping containers may need to be utilized and
a myriad of documents will be required by each individual country.
Airline schedules need to be checked as they change quite frequently.
Special instructions from the airlines may add to the time needed in
making the transfer to their air freight terminal.
Repatriation back to the United States also presents its own special
needs and can be just as complicated. Contact with the U.S. Embassy
and a Consular Services Representative in the country of death will be
required. There are specific requirements to be followed and specific
documents that need to be obtained in order to ship into the United
States.
Objectives:
1. The participants will gain an understanding of the complexities of
shipping a person’s remains to another country or receiving the
remains into the United States
2. The participants will learn how to research an individual country’s
requirements for shipping and how to determine the legal requirements for those countries
3. The participants will learn about the different kinds of documents
required, if translation is needed, and how to obtain an apostile in
the State of Texas
References:
Dennis, M. R., Ridder, K., & Kunkel, A.D. (2006). Grief, glory, and political capital in the capitol: Presidents eulogizing presidents. Death
Studies, 30, 325-349.
Manning, D. 2001. The funeral: A chance to touch, a chance to serve,
a chance to heal. Oklahoma City, OK: InSight Books.
Stewart, D.J. 2005. Burial at sea: Separating and placing the dead
during the age of sail. Mortality, 10, 276-285.
Wong, L. 2005. Leave no man behind: Recovering America’s fallen
warriors. Armed Forces and Society, 31, 599-622.
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Practice Report
Cumberland B
Importance of Whole System Support for
the Grieving Family
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Intermediate
Haggard, Geraldine, EdD1; Lindwall-Bourg, Karen, MA2
1
ADEC, Plano, TX, United States; 2ADEC, McKinney, TX, United States
The experience of grief and mourning comes in many forms and challenges that are often avoided and the process of healthy grief and
mourning may even be discouraged by our society. Grief that is not
allowed healthy expression will often rear its ugly head in destructive
ways and can lead to difficulties coping with any losses throughout
life. In our work with grieving families, we see them grieve openly
in our groups but not as a whole family unit or system. Families who
can acknowledge their grief and learn healthy ways to express their
pain can free emotional energies and begin to focus on life and the
challenges ahead. Knowledge of the process of grief and how to help
others cope with their loss experiences can be a valuable asset for the
family and for the care-giver who works with the family. By offering
each individual in the family opportunities to grieve their losses and acknowledge the reality and pain that accompanies those losses together
as a system, we provide them tools and strategies to cope with the
ongoing losses that are a part of everyone’s life. Grief and mourning
and tasks that lead to healing are defined. Experiential healing strategies for helping families grieve together are provided while considering
developmental life span stages of each family member and a systems
perspective of family interaction and relationships. Tips on parenting
grieving children and caring for the caregiver are included and practical list of family projects and an extensive annotated bibliography of
helpful materials will be provided each for participant.
Objectives:
1. Share research on the role of caregivers in grieving families
2. Suggest ideas for families as they support each other at home
3. Provide ideas for rituals and memorials for family use
References:
Becvar, D. S. (2007). Families that flourish: N.Y. Norton.
Worden, J.W. (1996). Children and grief: When a parent dies. N.Y:.
Guilford.
Trazzi, M. (2006). Children and stressful life events. Paper presented
at 12th Annual National Symposium of Children’s Grief Support
(June, 2008).
Wolfelt, A.D. Healing a child’s grieving heart: 100 practical ideas for
families, friends & caregivers. Fort Collins, CO: Companion Press,
2001.
www.adec.org
Practice Report
Cumberland G
When Death Darkens the Door:
Supporting Children and Families
Facing the Death of a Parent
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Death Education
Life Span
Introductory
Practice Report
Cumberland I
Living, Lost and Losses: The Flight of Shelter
Dwellers in the Florida Keys
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Life Span
Intermediate
Warnick, Andrea, BScN, RN, MA; Toye, Lysa, MSW, Dip EXAT
HIV Arts Network, New York, NY, United States
Max & Beatrice Wolfe Centre for Children’s Grief and Palliative Care, Toronto,
Ontario, Canada;
In an ongoing investigation, this workshop will explore the death and
dying experiences and life transitions of homeless men and women
who depend nightly on the comfort of beds made available by an overnight shelter in the Florida Keys. Through interviews and support group
sessions, 113 homeless persons illustrate human challenges as they
share their multiple death-loss experiences and their daily struggles finding food, employment and safety. The voices of these disenfranchised
men and women presents a unique panorama of how survival instincts,
post-bereavement concerns and ongoing challenges of comfort impact
on biopsychosocial processes.
Supporting children through the dying and death of a parent is extremely challenging regardless of professional background. Due to a
lack of formal training and resources as well as a fear of “saying the
wrong thing”, many professionals are uncomfortable giving advice on
how to support children through the death of a loved one. In addition,
myths regarding children and death permeate all disciplines, serving
as an additional barrier to families receiving guidance in this area.
Yet advice from professionals in health care, education, and social services, is exactly what so many parents need as they too struggle with
questions regarding what to tell children and how to tell children about
an impending death. While the current body of research on children
and grief advises a policy of honesty and inclusion when supporting
children living with dying and death, many professionals are often
unaware of this knowledge, and unsure of what role they can play.
This presentation will explore ways of supporting children through the
death of a parent. We will identify developmental and emotional issues
for children facing the death of a parent and discuss simple strategies
to support parents’ communication with their children during such a difficult time. We will also explore interventions that support children and
adolescents’ abilities to understand what is happening, to creatively express their feelings and worries, and to grieve in ways that are healthy
and meaningful for them and their family.
Objectives:
1. Identify common myths which serve as barriers to talking to
children about an impending death
2. Recognize children’s extraordinary capacities to understand, and
live with issues related to dying and death
3. Identify strategies and interventions to facilitate communication
among family members when a parent is dying
References:
Christ, G. H., & Christ, A. E. (2006). Current approaches to helping a
child cope with a parent’s terminal illness. CA: A Cancer Journal for
Clinicians, 56, 197-212.
Christ, G., Siegel, K., Karus, D., & Christ, A. (2005). Evaluation of a
bereavement intervention. The Journal of Social Work in End-of-Life
and Palliative Care, 1(3), 57-81.
MacPherson, C. (2005). Telling children their ill parent is dying: A
study of the factors influencing the well parent. Mortality, 10(2),
113-126.
Saldinger, A., Cain, A.C., Porterfield, K. & Lohnes, K. (2004). Facilitating attachment between school-aged children and a dying parent.
Death Studies, 28, 915-940.
www.adec.org
This workshop will present the unique ways in which these shelter
dwellers access bereavement and mental health support through faithbased institutions and a number of social service programs throughout
the Florida Keys. Through an HIV-prevention and bereavement program
that has been offered on-site at the shelter, these shelter dwellers have
been able to present the unique ways in which they have reviewed
their relationships with the deceased, strengthened their survival instincts, and determination to live. In the grief support group, they have
opened doors to ackowledge their death losses and begin to address
the meanings of their life and death experiences. Their reflections
provide a clinical framework for clinicians, homeless advocates and
outreach workers to reach out to this population, network them with
appropriate bereavement and mental health services, and establish
community re-integration supports.
Objectives:
1. Recognize the unique dilemma for shelter dwellers as they acknowledge their multiple death losses, life transitions and basic living
processes
2. Utilize a model of supportive outreach to begin to address the
losses and daily life challenges of shelter dwellers that impact on
their post-bereavement experiences
3. Discuss unique counseling frameworks that best serve the complex
biopsychosocial and grief concerns of shelter dwellers
References:
Bonanno, G.A. & Field, N.P. (2001). Examining the delayed grief
hypothesis across 5 years of bereavement. American Behavioral
Scientist, 44, 798-816.
Currier, J.M., Holland, J.M. & Neimeyer, R.A. (2006). Sense-making,
grief, and the experience of violent loss: Towards a mediational
model. Death Studies, 30, 403-428.
Robertson, M.J. (2004). Interventions, evaluations and research issues
and findings among homeless populations. APHA 132nd Annual
Meeting Proceedings, 5013.0, p. 174.
Tehrani, N. (2004). Road victim trauma: An investigation of the impact
on the injured and bereaved. Counselling Psychology Quarterly, 17,
361-373.
69
Practice Report
Cumberland K
Research Report
Working With Children Who Have Lost a
Loved One in the Military - TAPS
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Introductory
Campagna, Heather, EDS, MA1; Saari, Tina, BS2
Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), Columbia, SC, United States; 2Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), Harker Heights, TX, United States
1
The presentation will discuss options in supporting those who have
lost a loved one while serving in the military. The Tragedy Assistance
Program for Survivors (TAPS) is the only non-porfit Veteran’s service
organization that soley assists the surviving loved ones of those who
have died in service to our nation. A discussion of how a death in the
military is different than that of a civilian counterpart, and how understanding the military culture can assist the professional in understanding a military family’s grief. As a peer mentoring program model, the
presentation will discuss how to most affectively reach these children
using a peer based support group, concentrating on their common
bond of a military loss. The presentation will concentrate on coping
with grief in the military culture and using the Companioning model to
help each other heal.
Objectives:
1. Explain how grief is different in children with a military loss
2. Discuss the TAPS Program and how this program supports children
and families who have lost a loved one while serving in the military
3. Identify how to access the various support services provided by
TAPS
References:
Beard, B. (2008). Military children and grief. In K. Doka & A. Tucci
(Eds.). Living in grief: Children and adolescents (pp. 193-212).
Hospice Foundation of America.
NCTSN. (2007). Childhood traumatic grief: educational materials. Retrieved July 29, 2008 from http://nctsn.org/nccts/nav.
do?pid=typ_tg.
Wolfelt, A. (2006). Companioning the bereaved: A soulful guide to
companioning. California: Companion Press.
V
Landmark A
The Toll of Violence: African American
Adjustment to Homicide Loss
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Traumatic Death
Intermediate
Neimeyer, Robert A., PhD1; McDevitt-Murphy, Meghan, PhD1;
Burke, Laurie A., BA1; Van Dyke, Jessica G., BA1;
Lawson, Katherine E., EdD2
University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, United States; 2Victims to Victory, Inc., Memphis, TN, United States
1
Grief literature suggests that adjustment to loss is a dynamic process
that is moderated by various psychosocial factors, mode of death,
and relationship to the deceased. Evidence indicates that survivors of
violent or untimely deaths are particularly at risk for developing more
severe grief responses, due to the unnatural and unexpected nature of
the loss. Over half of all murder victims in the United States are African
American, but little is known about the effects of traumatic loss on
black homicide survivors. To elucidate the unique processes that may
occur in individuals bereaved by traumatic losses, intensive interviews
were conducted with 40 predominantly low-income African Americans
bereaved by homicide who were receiving support services from a
faith-based community organization. The study investigated several
potential predictors of survivors’ psychosocial adaptation, including
general and religious coping behavior and meaning reconstruction
in the wake of loss, and outcomes evaluated included a range of
complicated grief, trauma, depression and anxiety responses as well as
access to adaptive states of positive emotion. The voices of participants
themselves derived from the qualitative interviews were used to illustrate the special challenges of homicide bereavement and to contribute
greater nuance to the interpretation of the quantitative findings. Results
contribute to a clearer understanding of factors that may mediate the
response to homicide bereavement, and suggest healing practices that
could inform support group work and psychotherapeutic intervention
for this vulnerable population.
Objectives:
1. Identify grief responses unique to African Americans
2. Recognize the challenges that face survivors of homicide
3. Describe the role of coping behavior, meaning reconstruction, and
psychopathology in African American bereavement due to homicide
References:
Bonnano, G. A., Neria, Y., Mancini, A., Coifman, K., Litz, B., Insel,
G. (2007). Is there more to complicated grief than depression and
posttraumatic stress disorder? A test of incremental validity. Journal
of Abnormal Psychology, 116(2). 342-351.
Currier, J. M., Holland, J. M., Coleman, R. A., & Neimeyer, R. A.
(2007). Bereavement following violent death: An assault on life
and meaning. In R. Stevenson & G. Cox (Eds.) Perspectives on violence and violent death. (pp. 175-200). Amityville, NY: Baywood.
Prigerson, H. G., Shear, M. K., Frank, E., Beery, L.C., Silberman, R.,
Prigerson, J. et al. (1997). Traumatic grief: A case for loss-induced
trauma. American Journal of Psychiatry, 154(7), 1003-1009.
Rosenblatt, P. C., & Wallace, B. R. (2005). Narratives of grieving
African-Americans about racism in the lives of deceased family
members. Death Studies, 29(3), 217-235.
70
www.adec.org
Research Report
Cumberland H
Research Report
Cumberland L
The Role of After-Death Communication
Experiences in Bereavement Resolution
Identity and Meaning Construction in
Multiple Widowhood
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Intermediate
Frogge, Stephanie, MTS1; Stewart, Alan, PhD2
1
None, Huntsville, TX, United States; 2University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
A study was conducted of 211 people who reported after-death communications (ADCs) with deceased friends or family members. The
data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with people who
were receiving support, advocacy, or therapeutic services following the
death of a loved one. The interviews were analyzed using a groundedtheory approach. Nine major components of the ADCs were observed:
1. Premonition of or awareness that the death occurred, 2. Visitation
by the deceased at or following the death (visual), 3. Unusual dream
or night-time visitation, 4. Unexplainable phenomena at the time or
following the death (i. e., light/aura, movement of objects, music),
5. Explainable phenomena at or following the time of death (e. g.,
unusual weather), 6. Presence of the deceased sensed through sound,
smell, touch, or taste (i. e., other than visual), 7. Experience of a physical sensation, 8. Experience of God or heaven, and 9. Pet or animal
behavior at or following the death. In addition to cataloging these
themes relationships between the type of death and other variables and
the reported communication experiences were noted including their
impact on healing.
The proposed workshop will be of interest both to thanatology researchers and to grief and bereavement counselors. In addition to a discussion of the research results, the presenters will discuss the therapeutic
implications of processing ADCs with clients. Beyond considerations
about the veridicality of the communications, the presenters will
examine how such communications can be used to promote meaningmaking, the expression of emotion, and the identification of possible
avenues for personal growth following the death of a loved one.
Objectives:
1. Recognize the frequency and forms of ADCs
2. Address ADCs with clients with a focus on bereavement resolution
3. Identify positive responses to ADCs that aid in recovery
References:
Krippner, S. (2006). Getting through the grief: After-death communication experiences and their effects on experients. The survival of human consciousness: Essays on the possibility of life after death. (pp.
174-193). Jefferson, NC, US: McFarland & Co.
Houck, J. (2005, December). The universal, multiple, and exclusive
experiences of after-death communication. Journal of Near-Death
Studies, 24(2), 117-127.
Parker, J. S. (2005). After-death communication expriences and adaptive outcomes of grief (Doctoral dissertation, Saybrook Graduate
School and Research Center, US, 2005). Dissertation Abstracts International: Section B: Sciences and Engineering, 65(11-B), pp. 6054.
Guggenheim, B., & Guggenheim, J. (1995). Hello from heaven. Lakeland, Florida: The ADC Project.
www.adec.org
Professional Issues
Intermediate
Miles, Rosemary, PhD
Kaiser Permanente, Roseville, CA, United States
This qualitative study examined a) midlife women’s narratives describing the experiences of losing more than spouse to death b) the constructed meaning about these multiple deaths and c) the impact of these
losses on identity. Prior multiple losses are noted to be a significant risk
factor for bereavement outcomes.
The investigation utilizes a narrative interpretive method to capture the
women’s personal stories. Nine in-depth semi-structured interviews were
conducted, with women between the ages of 37 to 61, inclusive. The
data were analyzed utilizing a grounded theory approach.
Making sense of the losses was a process subject to evolution over
time. For a subgroup of widows, religious/spiritual beliefs significantly
informed their reconstructed narratives. Three women were unable to
commit to a cognitive explanation for the losses; however, they created
an affective-based meaning via connection to others.
A model of identity change is presented related to traumatic loss.
Although most of the widows, after initial widowhood, describe some
seminal identity change, the majority of the women emphasize the
potency of a subsequent spousal death to create a cognitive-affective
shift that deepened their self-change. Overall posttraumatic growth or
decline was dependent on an array of personal and social factors.
Theoretical, methodological, ethical and research implications of this
investigation are reviewed. Limitations include the retrospective and
descriptive design. Suggestions are offered for clinicians as to how to
intervene effectively with this subpopulation of widows.
Objectives:
1. Discuss theoretical underpinning that support how multiple-widowhood differs from single-widowhood
2. Utilize a model of identity change that illustrates how multiplewidowhood may lead to post traumatic growth/decline
3. Recognize how to effectively intervene with multiple widows in
clinical practice
References:
Dutton, Y.C. & Zisook, S. (2005). Adaptation to bereavement. Death
Studies, 29, 877-903.
Janoff-Bulman, R. (2006). Schema-change perspectives on post-traumatic growth. In L. G. Calhoun & R. G. Tedeschi (Eds.), Handbook of
post-traumatic growth: Research and practice ( pp. 81-99). Mahweh, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Miles, R.C.(2008). Identity and meaning construction in multiplewidowhood. Unpublished dissertation, Fielding Graduate University,
Santa Barbara.
Neimeyer, R.A., (2005) Widowhood, grief and the quest for meaning:
A narrative perspective on resilience. In R. Nesse, C. Wortman & d.
Carr (Eds.), Late life widowhood: A new direction in theory, research
and practice. New York: Springer.
Neimeyer, R.A. (2006). Complicated grief and the quest for meaning:
A constructivist contribution. Omega: Journal of Death and Dying.
52 (1), 37-52.
71
Concurrent Session VII – Friday, April 17, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Scholarly Paper
Cumberland A
”Fragmented Answers”:
Recounting Lucy Grealy’s Story
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Intermediate
Fowler, Kathleen, PhD
Ramapo College of New Jersey, Ramsey, NJ, United States
Illness narratives and grief memoirs offer extraordinary resources for
death educators, counselors, and caregivers. This presentation will offer
an examination of the questions of authenticity, authority, and “value”
of the Illness Narrative and the Grief Memoir through the lens of Lucy
Grealy’s own Autobiography of a Face (1994) and Ann Patchett’s
memoir of Grealy: Truth and Beauty (2004) and will explore ways that
examining these paired texts can enhance death education (particularly
for caregivers) and grief counseling. Grealy had Ewing’s Sarcoma as a
child and lost a large portion of her jaw to surgery followed by radiation and chemotherapy. The rest of her life was a constant battle with
pain, over 30 (failed) reconstructive surgeries, loneliness, and depression. Nonetheless, Grealy became a celebrated memoirist, essayist,
poet and teacher. She published her memoir, Autobiography of a Face
in 1994. Grealy died of an overdose of heroin in 2002.
Ann Patchett, a close friend of Grealy’s for 20 years and an author in
her own right, wrote a tribute and memoir to Grealy, entitled Truth and
Beauty, in 2004. Both books are exceptional in their writing, themes,
and intense quest for understanding, truth and communication. Even
more exceptional is the existence of both an autobiography and a biography on the same subject exploring the impact of disease, medical
interventions, suffering and loss. Hence examining the two narratives
together and within the context of the illness narrative tradition and the
grief memoir tradition, promises to help illuminate not only Grealy but
also the key features, and flexibility of the two genres and their applicability to thanatology.
Objectives:
1. Discuss the key features of illness narratives and grief memoirs
2. Recognize ways that such narratives can be used in grief counseling and death education
3. Recognize the issues of authenticity, memory, and interpretation in
the analysis of personal narratives
References:
Bingley, A. F., E. McDermott, C. Thomas, S. Payne, J. E. Seymour and
D. Clark. (2006). Making sense of dying: a review of narratives
written since 1950 by people facing death from cancer and other
diseases. Palliative Medicine 20,183-195.
Fowler, K. (2007). So new, so new: Art and heart in women’s grief
memoirs. Women’s Studies 36(7), 525-549.
Frank, A.W. (1995). The wounded storyteller: Body, illness, and ethics.
Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.
Gilbert, K.L. (2002). Taking a narrative approach to grief research:
Finding meaning in stories. Death Studies, 26, 223-229.
Grealy, L. (1994). Autobiography of a face. Bloomsbury: Bloomsbury
Press.
Patchett, A. (2004). Truth and beauty: A friendship. NY: Harper Collins
Publishers.
Shapiro, Ester R. (1998). The healing power of culture stories: What
writers can teach psychotherapists. Cultural Diversity and Mental
Health, 4(2), 91-101.
72
Concurrent Session VII
Friday, April 17, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Invited
F
Cumberland C
When a Person Dies at Home
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Dying Process
Intermediate
Loring, Paula, LCSW, LMFT1; Piet, William2, LFD
1
San Antonio, TX, ;
2
One of the most sensitive and uneasy times for a family is when a
loved one dies at home and the funeral home arrives to take the body
into their care. Emotions are running high, the family is not sure what to
expect and they can be shocked by the way the body is handled. This
tender time is the beginning of the funeral planning process in which
their relationship with the funeral home is established. It can also be
a powerful part of the healing process if handled in a respectful and
reverent manner. The transporting of the body to the funeral home can
be a ritual that allows the family to honor their loved one, and begin
to prepare for planning the funeral. Unfortunately not all funeral homes
recognize how sensitive this process is. Informed hospice staff can help
the family understand what will happen when the funeral home arrives
and advocate for them when they have specific needs or concerns. This
workshop will review the step by step process of how the body should
be taken into the funeral homes care, and how the hospice staff can
help the family make this a healing experience.
Objectives:
1. Gain an understanding of the significance of the funeral home taking the body into their care and how it relates to grief and healing
2. Learn about six elements of a meaningful ritual which can assist
them in helping families to create a meaningful experience when
they release their loved one’s body to the funeral home
3. Gain understanding of legal, procedural and funeral planning
concerns when a body is transported to the funeral home
Cumberland L
A Sacred Trust - Returning the Wartime Fallen
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Introductory
Giles, Karen, BS, MS
Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science, Cincinnati, OH, United States
The presentation will provide a contemporary perspective of the work
of the Port Mortuary - Dover AFB, DE as related by its former director.
The presentation is designed to be “Introductory” in level; however,
this program could be of interest to “Intermediate” and/or “Advanced”
audiences due to its unique perspective. The presentation’s learning
objectives include: - discussing the process of returning the wartime/
contingency dead to their families; - recognizing the importance of
support to the service providers and how it has changed over time; and
- recognizing the exceptional demands on military liaisons as they work
with the bereaved families and the critical role of the receiving funeral
director at destination. Additionally, we will look at how the sudden
(and usually traumatic) loss of life can compound challenges to both
service providers and families as they work through the loss.
www.adec.org
Objectives:
1. Discuss the process of returning the wartime /contingency dead to
their families
2. Recognize the importance of support to the service providers and
how it has changed over time
3. Recognize the exceptional demands on the military liaisons as they
work with the bereaved families and the critical role of the receiving funeral director at destination
References:
Jones, C. (2008). The things that carried him. Esquire, 149, 102-148
Raymond, C. (2007). Final Post.The Director (NFDA), 79, 62-70.
Baum, D. (2004). Two Soliders - How the dead come home. The New
Yorker, August 9 & 16, 76-85.
Kunz, C.L. (2005). Dignity, honor and respect. Airman, June, 32-35.
Practice Report
Cumberland A
The Trauma Dialogues:
Facilitating an Empowered Voice for Homicide-Loss Survivors
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Intermediate
Blakley, Theresa, PhD1; Mehr, Nita, MSW2
1
Union University, Jackson, TN, United States; 2Freed-Hardeman University, Bells, TN,
United States
The murder of a loved one is a profane, senseless loss, leaving surviving family members emotionally spent with pain they feel is too great to
bear. Shock, bewilderment, grief, and rage are felt in the body, mind,
and spirit of family members whose lives are forever changed in the
instant they learn of the violent death.
Unfamiliar and strange, grieving family members must also wrestle with
a host of intensely distressful trauma-spun symptoms that can undermine
everyday life-functioning. Flashbacks of the actual event, grotesque
fantasies of the violent dying moments of a cherished one, avoidance
of any stimuli that brings the event to mind, hypervigilance as to safety
of self and others, and a host of other intrusive experiences can make
life even more miserable in the aftermath of murder. De-mystifying these
distressful experiences common to trauma survivors can be empowering for those suffering homicide loss.
This session features an explication and demonstration of “The Trauma
Dialogues,” a psycho-educational exercise that identifies and explains
distressful bio-psychosocial symptoms some persons experience following a severe trauma event. Symptoms stemming from the two primary
categories of post-traumatic distress, dissociation and hyperarousal,
will be identified, defined, and described as to their purpose and function in the process of trauma accommodation.
Personification of symptoms in role-played dialogue with a trauma
survivor will be enacted by the presenters. Presenters will discuss their
experiences in utilizing “The Trauma Dialogues” in support group and
workshop group settings with homicide-loss survivors.
Objectives:
1. Participants will be able to identity 9 commonly experienced symptoms of distress following severe trauma, considering the functions
of each in trauma accommodation tasks
2. Participants will become familiar with bio-psychosocial commonalities and challenges experienced by survivors of homicide-loss
www.adec.org
3. By seeing the exercise enacted and discussing its implications,
participants will acquire a working knowledge of one psychoeducational experience that can be used with homicide-loss survivors or adapted for survivors of other severe trauma types
References:
Bucholz, J. (2002). Homicide survivors: Misunderstood grievers. In
John D. Morgan (Ed.). Death, value and meaning series. New York:
Baywood Publishing.
Ehlers, A., Hackmann, A., Steil, R., Clohessy, S., Wenninger, K., &
Winter, H. (2002). The nature of intrusive memories after trauma:
The warning signal hypothesis. Behavior Research and Therapy, 40,
995-1002.
Henry-Jenkins, W. (1997). Just us: Homicidal loss and grief. Omaha,
NE: Centering Corporation Resource.
Holmes, E., Grey, N., & Young, K. A. D. (2005). Intrusive images and
“hotspots of trauma memories in posttraumatic stress disorder: an
exploratory investigation of emotions and cognitive themes. Journal
of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 36, 3-7.
Kindt, M. & Engelhard, I. M. (2005). Trauma processing and the development of posttraumatic stress disorder. Journal of Behavior Therapy
and Experimental Psychiatry, 36, 69-76.
Miller, C. (2006). When the unconscious knows best. Harvard Mental
Health Letter, 23(1), 8.
Miller, L. (1998). Psychotherapy of crime victims: Treating the aftermath
of interpersonal violence. Psychotherapy, 35(3), 336-345.
Parkes, C. M. (1993). Psychiatric problems following bereavement by
murder or manslaughter. British Journal of Psychiatry, 162, 49-54.
Rynearson, E. K. (2001). Retelling violent death. Pennsylvania, PA:
Brunner-Routledge.
Rynearson, E. K. (Ed.). (2006). Violent death: Resilience and intervention beyond the crisis. New York: Routledge.
Spungen, D. (1998). Homicide: The hidden victims. A guide for professionals. Interpersonal violence. In the practice series. Thousand
Oaks: Sage
Salston, M. (1994). Clinical treatment of survivors of homicide victims.
In M. B. Williams and J. F. Sommer, Jr.(Eds.) Handbook of Post-traumatic Therapy (pp. 129-145). Greenwood Press: Westport, CT.
Van der Kolk, B. A. & Fisler, R. (1995). Dissociation and the fragmentary nature of traumatic memories: Overview and exploratory study.
Journal of Traumatic Stress, 8(4), 505-525.
Blakley, T. & Mehr, N. (in press for 2008). Common ground: The development of a support group for survivors of homicide loss in a rural
community. Social Work with Groups, 31(3/4).
Practice Report
Cumberland G
Comforting Terminally Ill Chinese:
Cultural Understanding of the Family’s
Bereavement Process
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Introductory
Shen, Yih-Jiun, DED
University of Texas-Pan American, Edinburg, TX, United States
This presentation intends to equip the audience (e.g., hospital and
hospice personnel, counselors, social workers, psychologists) with
knowledge of Chinese people’s grief and bereavement process. According to the U.S. Census Bureau (2005), Chinese American is the
largest group of the Asian American population, which is the most
rapidly growing single ethnicity in the United States. When working
with terminally ill clients (or patients) and their family, these professionals are often expected to provide supportive programs. These programs
should be able to address the clientele’s emotional, psychological,
73
social, and spiritual needs for allowing the dying persons to end their
life with peace and dignity. Without adequate understanding of the
clients’ (or patients’) cultural norms and values, these professionals
may hit a landmine and easily fail the mission. To explain the bereavement and ceremony guidelines setup by the ancestors of Chinese, this
presentation will review ancient Chinese literature documenting the
roots of Chinese bereavement process for more than 3,000 years. The
profound concepts of funerals in Chinese and Western cultures will
be compared. The program will also address other factors (religions,
philosophies, and societal customs) that have gradually shaped the
development of Chinese funerals. Based on the contemporary literature
and the presenter’s firsthand experience in Chinese culture, the contemporary cultural norms and ceremonies in major Chinese societies and
how the people express their post-funeral grief will be discussed. The
conference attendees will learn these topics via a PowerPoint presentation and interactive discussion.
Objectives:
1. Understand the major factors that influence Chinese people’s grief
and bereavement process
2. Become more aware of the differences between the cultural concepts in Chinese and Western funerals
3. Recognize and empathize with Chinese people’s post-funeral grief
References:
Chan, C. L.-W., Chow, A. Y.-M., Ho, S. M.-Y., Tsui, Y. K.-Y., Tin, A. F.,
Koo, B. W.-K., Koo, & E. W.-K. (2005). The experience of Chinese
bereaved persons: A preliminary study of meaning making and
continuing bonds. Death Studies, 29, 923-947.
Chow, A. Y.-M., Chan, C. L.-W., Ho, S. M.-Y., Tse, D. M.-W., Suen, M.
H.-P., & Yuen, K. F.-K. (2006). Qualitative study of Chinese widows
in Hong Kong: Insights for psycho-social care in hospice settings.
Palliative Medicine, 20, 513-520.
Hsu, M.-T., Kahn, D., Yee, D.-H., & Lee, W.-L. (2004). Recovery
through reconnection: A cultural design for family bereavement in
Taiwan. Death Studies, 28, 761-786.
Martinson, I., Chao, C.-S. C., & Chung, L. (2005). Dying, death, and
grief: Glimpses in Hong Kong and Taiwan. In J. D. Morgan & P.
Laungani (Eds.), Death and bereavement around the world: Vol. 4.
Death and bereavement in Asia, Australia and New Zealand (pp.
123-134). Amityville, NY: Baywood.
McGoldrick, M., Schlesinger, J. M., Lee, E., Hines, P. M.,Chan, J.,
Almeida, R., Petkov, B., Preto, N. G., & Petry, S. (2004). Mourning in different cultures. In F. Walsh & M. McGoldrick (Eds.), Living
beyond loss: Death in the family (2nd ed., pp. 119-160). New York:
W W Norton & Co.
Wu, J. (2005). Death and bereavement among the Chinese in Asia. In
J. D. Morgan & P. Laungani (Eds.), Death and bereavement around
the world: Vol. 4. Death and bereavement in Asia, Australia and
New Zealand (pp. 135-139). Amityville, NY: Baywood.
Practice Report
Cumberland H
Developing a Clinical Advancement Program
for Bereavement
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Death Education
Professional Issues
Advanced
Cincinnati, OH, United States
Being part of a health care system offers an employee many opportunities for professional growth and development. Many of the disciplines
offer clinical advancement programs that encourage staff to grow
within their profession. However, most health organizations who offer
bereavement programs usually only have one person in that role and
there may not be a clinical advancement program directly related to
bereavement. Believing that bereavement should be recognized as a
specialty and that the bereavement provider should be encouraged
to grow professionally and be rewarded for their skills, a Clinical Advancement Program was written specifically for bereavement.
This program will discuss the clinical advancement process and ways
to integrate it into a professional setting. Holding ourselves to a higher
standard helps the organization see that bereavement services requires
skill and training and should be recognized as a clinical speciality.
Objectives:
1. Define clinical advancement
2. Discuss conponents of a clinical advancement program
3. Develop a clinical advancement program for their positon
References:
Scrivener, W.(2008). Plain views: A publication of the health care
chaplaincy; A clinical advancement program for chaplains; Vol 5,
No.12, 7/16/08
Balk, D., Wogrin, C.; Thornton, G.; & Meagher, D. (2007). Handbook
of thanatology; Association of Death Education and Counseling,
Northbrook, IL.
Manning, D. (2004). The power of presence: Helping people help
people. Oklahoma, OK: In Sight Books.
Smith, D. (2003). The complete book of counseling the dying and the
grieving. Madison, WI.: Psycho-Spiritual Publications.
Research Report
Cumberland E/F
Psychometric Evidence for the Continuing
Bonds Inventory
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Advanced
Hogan, Nancy, PhD, RN, FAAN1; Schmidt, Lee, PhD, RN2
Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States; 2Loyola University Chicago,
Maywood, IL, United States
1
Bereavement researchers are currently developing and testing the
empirical and theoretical nature of the continuing bonds phenomenon.
Consequently, the Continuing Bonds Inventory (CBI) was developed to
measure bereaved parents’ and adolescents’ sense of continuing bonds
following sibling or child’s death. The CBI items were derived from 157
bereaved adolescents and 207 bereaved parents who provided written
responses to the question, “If you could ask or tell your dead loved one
something what would it be?” Content analyzed data revealed two
conceptual categories.
74
www.adec.org
A study of 170 bereaved adults was conducted to evaluate the psychometric evidence of the CBI. Fourteen items were subjected to exploratory factor analysis. Two factors were extracted, factor I: Continuing
Presence contains 9 items representing participants assertion that their
loved one is a continuing presence in their life, that feeling the loved
one’s presence and feeling close to him or her is comforting and a
belief that the loved one will always be with them. The Cronbach’s
alpha for this scale was .91. Factor II, Miss and Love contains 5 items
representing participant perception that they continue to love and miss
the deceased loved one, that they anticipated always missing and
loving them and that their love was as strong as it had been before
the death occurred. The Cronbach’s alpha for this subscale was 88.
Preliminary psychometric evidence supports the utility of the Continuing
Bonds Inventory.
The presentation will outline a clinical evaluation project that is
examining the needs of long-term home residents with cancer in
the interests of developing a multi-pronged approach to meet the
increasing demands on health care professionals, patients and
families within available resources. The challenges and opportunities for improving this aspect of geriatric care will be discussed.
Objectives:
1. Discribe the empirical development of the CBI items
2. Define the psychometric findings of the CBI
3. Discuss clinical implications of for the continuing bonds phenomenon
References:
Bourbonniere, M. van Cleave, J.H. (2006). Cancer care in nursing
homes. Seminars in Oncology Nursing. Feb 22(1):51-57.
Buchanan, R.J., Barkley, J., Wang, S., Kim, M.S. (2005). Analyses of
nursing home residents with cancer at admission. Cancer Nursing
28:406-414.
Rodin, M.B. (2008). Cancer patients admitted to nursing homes: What
do we know? Journal of the American Medical Directors Association;
9:149-156.
Turis, M. (2006). Nursing homes may be the only option for palliative
care: Changing demographics. Canadian Nursing Home Jun-Jul;
17(2):4, 6-10.
Johnson, V.M.P., Teno, J.M., Bourbonniere, M. Mor, V. (2005). Palliative care needs of cancer patients in U.S. nursing homes. Journal of
Palliative Medicine, Apr; 8(2); 273-9.
Chen J.H., Chan D.C., Kiely D.K., Morris J.N., Mitchell S.L. (2007).
Terminal trajectories of functional decline in the long-tem care setting. Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences, 62A:531-536.
Jordhoy M.S., Saltvedt I., Fayers P., Loge J.H., Ahlner-Elmqvist M.,
Kaasa S. (2005). Which cancer patients die in nursing homes?
Quality of life, medical and sociodemographic characteristics. Palliative Medicine, 17:433-444.
Hall P., Schroder C., Weaver L. (2002). The last 48 hours of life in
long-term care: A focused chart audit. Journal of the American Geriatric, 50:501-506.
References:
Hogan, N. S. (2008). Sibling loss: Issues for children and adolescents.
In K. Doka. (Ed.). Living with grief: Children and adolescents.
Lalande, K. M., & Bonanno, G. A. (2006). Culture and continuing
bonds: A prospective comparison of bereavement in the United
States and the Peoples’s Republic of China. Death Studies, 303-324.
Gamino, L. A., Sewell, K. W. & Easterling, L. W. (2000). Scott &
White grief study-phase 2: Toward an adaptive model of grief.
Death Studies, 633-660.
Hogan, N.S., & DeSantis, L. (1992). Adolescent sibling bereavement:
An ongoing attachment. Qualitative Health Research, 2, 159-177.
Research Report
Cumberland I
Long Term Care Facilities:
Are They Meeting the Needs of the Elderly
With Cancer and Their Families?
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Larger Systems
Introductory
Gorman, Eunice, RN, BSW, MSW, RSW, PhD Candidate1;
Gibson, Maggie, PhD2
King’s University College London, London, Ontario, Canada; 2UWO St Joseph’s
Health Sciences Centre, London, Ontario, Canada
1
Ten to fifteen percent of people admitted to nursing homes and long
term care facilities yearly have a diagnosis of cancer. It is estimated
that over 50% of these individuals face the probability of death within
the first year that they become residents. Furthermore, they are less
likely to have a spouse, or primary care-giver, near by who can advocate on their behalf, or indeed manage their high care needs. They
are often frail and require intensive end of life care that is not readily
available in nursing homes. Staff is trained in gerontology and care of
the elderly but not necessarily in palliative care and end of life support.
These limitations are a growing concern as nursing homes become
inundated with residents who have issues of pain management, depression, and cognitive impairment coupled with a cancer diagnosis. As
elderly people with a life threatening illness, other long term health
concerns and even in some cases cognitive impairment they have care
requirements that the current system is struggling to meet. This trend in
admission to nursing homes means that there are increasing demands
on staff and residents. There is a lack of sufficient and available palliative care resources to support the frail and ill elderly in nursing homes.
www.adec.org
Objectives:
1. Examine the particular needs of elderly individuals admitted to long
term care facilities with a diagnosis of cancer
2. Discuss ways the system can respond to this changing demographci
3. Illustrate supports and resources to better assist staff, residents and
their loved ones
Research Report
Cumberland J
Couple Relationships Following the Loss
of a Child
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Intermediate
Gudmundsdottir, Maria, RN, PhD1; Davies, Betty, RN, PhD2
1
University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States; 2University
of California, San Francisco, Fairfield, CA, United States
Grief literature overemphasizes the individual aspect of grief and
neglects to discuss grief from a relational perspective. In this presentation, the results from two qualitative studies, one of couples’ and the
other of father’s perspectives of couple relationships following the loss
of a child will be discussed. The first study was a phenomenological
study of 7 couples who had lost a young child to sudden, unexpected
death and the second study was a grounded theory study of 60
ethnically diverse fathers who had lost a child to a life-limiting illness.
In-depth interviews were conducted with couples and individuals with
the purpose of understanding and describing the impact of child loss
on couple relationship. Some participants had lost an only child while
others had other living children, were pregnant or had given birth to
subsequent children at the time of the interviews. Both studies adhered
75
to procedures of trustworthiness for qualitative research. Findings
indicated that for some, the stress of the child’s illness and loss strained
marriages and threatened to break up relationships; couple differences
were sometimes amplified although not necessarily leading to troubled
relationships. for others, grief led to closeness, couple cohesiveness
and increased mutual support. Some participants described an initial
increased closeness followed by a period of drifting apart and even
separation. for many, aspects of their relationship, particularly friendship, became stronger than ever. Findings offer guidance for supporting parental units, as well as individual parents, in palliative care and
bereavement.
Objectives:
1. Describe three ways in which the loss of a child impacts upon
parents’ relationship
2. Describe the nature of change in the couple’s relationship over time
3. Identify two factors that influence dimensions of the parents’ relationship
References:
Chesla, C., & Gudmundsdottir, M. (2006). Building a new world: Habits and practices of healing following the death of a child. Journal of
Family Nursing, 12,143- 154.
Davies, B., Gudmundsdottir, M., Worden, B., Orloff, S., Sumner, L.,
Brenner, P. (2004) Living in the dragon’s shadow. Fathers’ experiences of a child’s life-limiting illness. Death studies, 28, 111-135.
Wood J.D., Milo, E. (2001). Fathers’ grief when a disabled child dies.
Death Studies, 25: 635-661.
Mu P-F, Ma F-C, Hwang B, Chao Y-M. (2002). Families of children with
cancer: The impact of anxiety experienced by fathers. Cancer Nursing, 25, 66-73.
Scholarly Paper
Cumberland B
How African American Novelists Have
Depicted Racism-Caused Grief in African
American Families
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Intermediate
Rosenblatt, Paul, PhD
University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, United States
African American novelists have often depicted the affect of racism
on African American individuals and families. The novelists depict
an enormous range of consequences of racism for African American
individuals and families, and one consequence that some depict is
grief, sometimes with a lifetime or even multigenerational impact. This
paper explores aspects of grief in James Baldwin’s Go Tell It on the
Mountain and If Beale Street Could Talk, Beebe Moore Campbell’s
Your Blues Ain’t Like Mine, Paule Marshall’s Brown Girl, Brownstones,
and Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon. Fiction is fiction, but it may also
represent personal experiences and observations, cultural knowledge,
and astute and well informed conceptualizations. to the extent that the
novels provide us with viable ideas about grief in the context of racism,
they give us ingredients for thinking, perceiving, and analyzing life in a
racial system, grief in the racial system and in many different contexts,
and the uses of literary representations. The analysis of grief in the
five novels discussed in the presentation offers a diverse set of pictures
of the affects of racism on African American families, the interplay of
individual emotion and family relationships, the possibilities of healing
and getting on with life, and the complex tangle of African American
grieving with the economics of the racial system, with the injustices of
some justice systems, and with feelings that are analytically separate
76
from grief (for example, fear, hopelessness, anger) and yet can be
powerfully linked to it.
Objectives:
1. Discuss how some African American novelists have depicted grief
from racism playing out in African American families
2. Understand ways in which fiction offers insights but also creates
dilemmas in deciding whether to rely on fiction for insights
3. Recognize the importance of seeing racism as loss and grief creating
References:
Bouson, J. B. (2000). Quiet as it’s kept: Shame, trauma, and race in
the novels of Toni Morrison. Albany, NY: State University of New
York Press.
Darrity, W., Jr., & Nicholson, M. J. (2005). Racial wealth inequality
and the black family. In V. C. McLoyd, N. E. Hill, & K. A. Dodge
(Eds.), African American family life: Ecological and cultural diversity
(pp. 78-85). New York: Guilford.
Rosenblatt, P. C., & Wallace, B. R. (2005). African American grief.
New York: Routledge.
Spencer, S. (2006). Racial politics and the literary reception of Zora
Neale Hurston’s their eyes were watching god. In M. J. Bona & I.
Maini (Eds.), Multiethnic literature and canon debates (pp. 111126). Albany, NY: State University of New York Press.
St. Jean, Y., & Feagin, J. R. (1998). The family costs of white racism:
The case of African American families. Journal of Comparative Family Studies, 29, 297-312.
Landmark A
Balancing On a Shifting Rug – Facilitating
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Professional Issues
Intermediate
Passages - Education & Support in End of Life Issues, Tucson, AZ, United States
Because illness is a transformative and dynamic process, so too is the
accompanying decision making regarding treatment. Complicated by
increasing technology, decreasing education about the dying process,
lack of comfort about this topic, and fear of loss, our ability to understand and navigate complex end of life issues has been inhibited. Both
the professional and lay community struggle with their own definition
of quality of life vs quality of death and the search for meaning. Fear,
misinformation and lack of information contribute to this struggle which
can leave patient and family alike with regret or complicated bereavement.
This session will examine the barriers to effective communication and
how to overcome them with compassionate guidance and respect
for the individual beliefs, experiences, and cultures of those who are
involved.
Objectives:
1. Identify and explore key barriers to end of life decision-making
2. Discuss the role of the professional in facilitating this dynamic
process
3. Utilize methods to facilitate decision-making that reflect individual
and family values, cultural beliefs and goals.
www.adec.org
Concurrent Session VIII – Friday, April 17, 3:45 p.m. – 5:15 p.m.
References:
Lang, Quill,T. (2004. Making decisions with families at the end of life.
American Family Physician, 70, 719-23, 725-6
Fins, J. (2006). A palliative ethic of care: Clinical wisdom at life’s end.
London: Jones & Bartlett Publishers, Inc.
Blank, R, Merrick, J, Ed. (2006). End of life decision-making: A cross
national study. Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Ohta, B (2007). End of life decision-making in an acute setting: Social
determinants of the do not resuscitate order.
Concurrent Session VIII
Friday, April 17, 3:45 p.m. – 5:15 p.m.
Invited
V
Cumberland J
Death Notification:
I’ll Never Forget Those Words
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Traumatic Death
Professional Issues
Intermediate
Harris Lord, Janice, ACSW-LMSW/LPC, MSW
Crime Victim Issues, Arlington, TX, United States
This experiential workshop will offer basic strategies for the delivery
of professional and compassionate notifications following a traumatic
death. Participants will have the opportunity to bring their own experience and wisdom into play. Case scenarios will be discussed.
Objectives:
1. Discuss the scope of Death Notification Research
2. Describe basic strategies for delivering death notifications
3. Develop death notification strategies based on case scenarios
References:
Hobgood, C., Hollar, D., Woodyard, P. & Sawning, S. (2007). Teaching death notification skills to emergency medicine residents: The
role of feedback. Academy of Emergency Medicine, 14,5,suppl.
1,S77.
Lord, J.H. & Stewart, A.E. (2008). I’ll never forget those words: A practical guide to death notification. Burnsville, NC: Compassion Books.
Pechal, T. (2003). Emergency rescue workers dealing with death. The
Forum, ADEC. 29, 5.
Wass, H. (2004). A perspective on the current state of death education. Death Studies, 28, 289-308.
Symposium/Panel Discussions
Cumberland I
Grief In Workplace: Mending Body, Mind &
Spirit of Your Employees –
Knowing Boundaries/Ethics
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Larger Systems
Intermediate
Harper, Jeanne, MPS, FT, BCETS, DAPA1; Mooney, Kim, BA, CT2;
Friedrichs, Judy, MS, RN, CT3
1
Alpha Omega Venture, Marinette, WI, United States; 2Hospice Care of Boulder
and Broomfield Counties, Longmont, CO, United States; 3Women’s and Children’s
Services/Nursing System, Chicago, IL, United States
The panel will present their unique professional and personal experiences of mending the body, mind and spirit of employees when grief in
the workplace becomes a concern.
One will share from her experiences with hospice, hospital and medical facility situations; another will share from her nursing/education/
support group counseling experiences; and the third will share from her
11 years experience as an employer in an out-patient mental health
clinic, as well as from participants in her 32 years of training in this
field.
Following each presentation, we will open the discussion to the audience for their professional and personal experiences.
www.adec.org
77
We will conclude the panel discussion with the creation of a plan of action to continue the discussion AFTER the conference and to become the
starting point of an article(s), handouts, bibliography, etc. on the topic
of Grief in the Workplace.
Objectives:
1. Recognize grief in the workplace
2. Discuss the social, physical, intellectual, emotional, spiritual and
financial issues for the grieving employee
3. Create a plan of action after an employee experiences a death or
loss
References:
Kodanaz, R. Grief in the workplace management handbook. Denver
CO.
National Hospice Foundation. Grief: A guide for managers.
National Funeral Directors Association. Death of a co-worker.
Jeffreys, D. & Shep, J. Coping with workplace change: Dealing
with loss and grief. For survivors of layoffs & other organizational
changes. Crisp Publications, Inc.
Stein & Winokuer. Monday mourning: Managing employee grief In
K.Doka. Disenfranchised grief.
Objectives:
1. Explain the relationship between meaning-making and the use of
metaphors
2. List two advantages and two risks of using metaphors in grief
therapy
3. Discuss two ways to modify client metaphors as intervention goals
References:
Lakoff, G., & Johnson, M. (1980). Metaphors we live by. Chicago:
University of Chicago Press.
Nadeau, J.W. (2006) Metaphorically speaking: The use of metaphors
in grief therapy. Journal of Illness, Crisis and Loss, 14(3), 203-223.
Pardness, E. (2004). Harnessing the power of metaphors in groupwork with bereaved families. Paper presented at the 3rd Global
Conference Making Sense of Dying and Death.
Rosenblatt, P.C. (1994). Metaphors of family systems theory. New
York: Guilford.
Neimeyer, R.A. (2005). Grief, loss and the quest for meaning. Narrative contributions to bereavement care. Paper presented at the 7th
International Congress on Grief and Bereavement in Contemporary
Society, Kings College London, UK.
Cumberland B
Metaphors as Meaning-Makers in
Grief Therapy
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Professional Issues
Intermediate
Winchester Nadeau, Janice, PhD
Family Grief Center and MN Human Development Consultants, Stillwater, MN, United
States
Over the past several years the importance of meaning-making in bereavement has been well documented. One means of making meaning
is by using metaphors. Metaphors are defined as “understanding and
experiencing one kind of thing in terms of another” (Lakoff & Johnson,
1980, p.5). Lakoff and Johnson contend that metaphors are more than
figures of speech; metaphors structure the way we perceive, how we
think and what we do. Reality is negotiated by means of metaphors.
A major task in bereavement is to construct a new reality. By listening
for metaphors in conversations with the bereaved, grief therapists can
learn what a particular death means to the survivors. Metaphors capture nuances of meaning that may be difficult if not impossible to express directly. Speaking metaphorically may circumvent resistance and
reveal hidden meanings. Working within the metaphorical language
system of the bereaved promotes the therapeutic process of joining by
conveying understanding. Therapists can engage clients by using their
metaphors in ways that facilitate grieving.
In this symposium we will explore the nature of metaphor and ways in
which metaphors both illuminate and obscure reality. Through the use
of clinical material from both the presenter and participants the specifics of using metaphors will be demonstrated. Both the advantages and
potential risks of using metaphors in grief therapy will be discussed.
Specific ways of exploring, expanding and reworking metaphors will
be suggested as ways to take advantage of the considerable power of
metaphors while avoiding their potential for harm.
Cumberland C
Pet Loss as a Portal to Significant
Life Traumas and Losses
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Advanced
Antinori, Deborah, MA1; Barton Ross, Cheri, MS2
1
Davison Counseling Center, Basking Ridgege, NJ, United States; 2Redwood Empire
Veterinary Medical Association, Santa Rosa, CA, United States
In this experiential workshop, participants will learn how to facilitate
depth work with a current or past pet loss that surfaces during the
course of therapy. A “disenfranchised loss”, pet loss is often overlooked
for the rich therapeutic tool it can be. A loss with it’s own trajectory
of therapeutic work, pet loss is a portal through which other traumas,
losses, and abuse may be accessed.
Defenses are down with a pet who gives unconditional love. Owners
can be open to a kind of love and acceptance they have not been
receptive to previously. Pet loss tends to startle owners who may not
have been this emotional over other significant life losses. Pet loss offers
fertile ground for exploration into the inner world of clients.
Pet loss issues as it affects children from infancy though teenage years
will be discussed, including identifying children’s hidden reactions to
the loss. Participants will learn how to best assist a child experiencing
pet loss to facilitate building a healthy foundation for future losses.
Through Power Point presentation featuring multimedia, and an exercise including original poetry and a writing exercise will be utilized.
Participants will have an opportunity to add to their therapeutic
repertoire by learning to attend to client cues - verbal; body, eye and
facial reflexes; and story themes. Healing trauma with Brainspotting
Therapy TM, EMDR combined with Hypnotherapy, and art therapy will
be described.
Objectives:
1. Identify three client cues that signal deeper issues with a pet loss
2. Learn how to identify countertransferential issues regarding pet loss
issues and how to work most effectively and clearly with clients
who have similar/dissimilar issues
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www.adec.org
3. Describe three approaches from Brainspotting Therapy that directly
target traumatic responses to loss
References:
Antinori, D. (2000). Journey through pet loss. YokoSpirit Publications,
Basking Ridge, NJ.
Barton R.C. & Baron-Sorenson, J. (2007). Pet loss and human emotion:
A guide to recovery, (2nd Edition). Routledge, Taylor & Francis, NY.
Barton R.C. (2005). Pet loss and children: Establishing a healthy foundation. Routledge, Taylor & Francis, NY.
Morley, C. & Fook J. (2005). The importance of pet loss and some
implications for services. Mortality, 10(2). pp 127-142.
Nahas, C. (2008). Coping with the loss of a service dog: Exploring
the impact of people with special needs. Association for Pet Loss &
Bereavement Conference Presentation, Unpublished Booklet.
Papazian, N. (2008). Supporting children facing pet loss: The loss that
lasts forever. Association for Pet Loss & Bereavement Conference
Presentation, Unpublished Booklet.
Sife, W. (2005). The loss of a pet: A guide to coping with the grieving
process when a pet dies, (3rd Edition). Howell Book House, Wiley
Publishing, Hoboken, NJ.
Strand, E. (2008). Veterinary Social Work Guidelines. University of
Tennessee, Knoxville.
References:
Ditto, P.H., Hawkins, N.A. & Pizarro, D.A. (2006). Imagining the end
of life: A psychology of advance medical decision making. Motivation and Emotion, 29(4), 475-496.
Ditto, P.H., Jacobson, J.A., Smucker, W.D., Danks, J.H. & Fagerlin, A.
(2006). Context changes choices: A prospective study of the effects
of hospitalization on life-sustaining treatment preferences. Medical
Decision Making, 26(4), 313-22.
Royak-Schaler, R., Gadalla, S.M., Lemkau, J.P., Ross, D.D., Alexander,
C. & Scott D. (2006). Family perspectives on communication with
healthcare providers during end-of-life cancer care. Oncology Nursing Forum, 33(4), 743-760.
Tulsky, J.A. (2005). Beyond advance directives: Importance of communication skills at the end of life. JAMA 294(3), 359-365.
Cumberland G
Hearing the Patient’s Voice
Through a Values History
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Objectives:
1. Describe the current status, disadvantages, and use of advance
directives
2. Discuss the interface of values and communication in end-of - life
care conflicts
3. Demonstrate the use of a values history instrument to navigate endof-life care issues through the use of case studies and small group
work
End-of-Life Decision Making
Professional Issues
Intermediate
Lewis, Mileva, EdD1; Wagener, Robert, MDiv2
Cumberland H
Creative Healing: Using Integrative Therapies
to Help Grieving Families
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Introductory
1
Samuel Merritt College, San Mateo, CA, United States; 2The Center for Medical Ethics
and Mediation, Euliss, TX, United States
Merriman, Christine, MSW, LCSW
Less than 25% of the population has completed an advance directive.
Cognitive psychologists suggest that preferences in end-of-life change
overtime and are influenced by severity of illness and treatment preferences change as health status declines. Others indicate that physicians
do not have the communication/process tools to discuss end-of-life care
in a sensitive manner and that this could be enhanced by hearing the
patient’s voice through the articulation of their values. This presentation will address the research that established the content validity of a
values history instrument as a means to stimulate dialogue about the
patient’s values among significant stakeholders in end-of-life care.
Hands on Healing (including: Reiki, Healing Touch, Cranio Sacral Therapy, Pranic Healing, and Massage), Acutonics, music, Aromatherapy,
Yoga, narrative scrapbooking, poetry, Bonsai gardening, meditation,
mindfulness, and movement. What do all of these have in common?
They have all been successfully used to help grieving clients of all ages,
backgrounds and religions, who may not have otherwise been reached
by traditional grief therapies. This workshop will allow you to explore,
experience and share how integrative techniques can enhance and
add depth to both your bereavement work, and your own life.
Bioethicists verified that the 27 items were appropriately categorized
by the researchers as receipt of information, autonomy, quality of life,
and decision making style. Bioethicists, nurse practitioners, critical care
nurses and consumers determined the level of importance and clarity of
understanding of each item. Importance was ranked from 1 (very important) to 4 (omit); Scores ranged from 1.08 to 2.33. Clarity of meaning was measured on a three-point scale (1 = clear, 2 = ambiguous, 3
= confusing); Scores ranged from 1.06 to 1.47. A paired, two-tailed
student “t” test indicated significant differences between professional
groups and laypersons on 12 items. Designed for a time constrained
environment, it provides a focus and mechanism for the health professional to address treatment choices in relationship to factors important
to the individual and significant others. Case studies will be used to
illustrate the purpose and use of the values history in end-of-life care.
www.adec.org
Pathways Home Health & Hospice, Sunnyvale, CA, United States
Objectives:
1. Demonstrate how to assess the appropriateness of using integrative
therapies with a client
2. Identify at least two integrative modalities they can incorporate into
their practice (and life)
3. Describe why and how integrative therapies are especially helpful
during bereavement
References:
Kabat-Zinn, J. (1990). Full catastrophe living: Using the wisdom of
your body and mind to face stress, pain, and illness. Dell Publishing:
New York.
Borysenko, J. Z. (2003). Inner peace for busy women: Balancing work,
family, and your inner life. Hay House, Inc: Carlsbad, CA.
Kettles, N. (2007). The all-seeing boy and the blue sky of happiness.
www.newmythcreatebooks.com.
Reznick, C. (2006). Imagery for our children: A magical healing garden. Alternative Journal of Nursing, March.
79
Keegan, L. (2003). Alternative and complementary modalities for managing stress and anxiety. Critical Care Nurse, 23, 3, 55-58.
Lewith, G. T., Godfrey, A. D., Prescott, P. (2005). A single-blinded,
randomized pilot study evaluating the aroma of lavandula augustifolia as a treatment for mild insomnia. The Journal of Alternative and
Complementary Medicine, 11, 4, 631-637.
Cumberland K
End of Life Care From Four Faith Traditions:
Jewish, Hindu, Muslim, Tibetan Buddhism
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Death Education
Religious/Spiritual
Intermediate
Lunsford, Beverly, PhD
George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States
This workshop provides a guided exploration of different perspectives
regarding grief, loss, and end of life care from four faith traditions e.g.
Jewish, Hindu, Muslim, and Tibetan Buddhism. Spiritual beliefs and
practices will be discussed for their impact on how individuals and
families may grieve, how they may approach chronic illness and end
of life, how it may affect their ability to accept caring by others and
make health care decisions. This workshop will include a case study,
which will provide experiential opportunity for participants to examine
their own beliefs and attitudes, explore similarities and differences in
interdisciplinary teams.
Participant will be encouraged not to reinforce or develop new stereotypes regarding people of different faiths, rather to build on major
concepts that will guide health care professionals in providing compassionate care that is sensitive to spiritual, religious, and cultural beliefs.
Objectives:
1. Explore the spiritual, religious, and cultural beliefs of four major
traditions, i.e. Christian, Jewish, Muslim and Tibetan Buddhism in
regards to the concepts of grief, loss, and end of life
2. Compare and contrast these major views on end of life for their impact on how individuals and families cope with challenges in death
and dying, as well as how it affects their ability to accept caring by
others and make health care decisions
3. Discuss strategies for providing nurturing and healing care, even
when the healthcare professional may feel that they have very
different belief systems than the patient/client and family, including
roles of interdisciplinary health care professionals
References:
Cusick, J. (2003). Spirituality and voluntary pain. American Pain
Society Bulletin, 13(5).
Huston, S. (1991). The world’s religions: Our great wisdom traditions
Sattar, S. P., Ahmed, M. S., Madison, J., Olsen, D. R., Bhatia, S. C.,
Ellahi, S., et al. (2004). Patient and physician attitudes to using
medications with religiously forbidden ingredients. The Annals of
Pharmacotherapy, 38(11), 1830-1835.
Barilan, Y.M. (2003). Revisiting the problem of Jewish bioethics: The
case of terminal care. Kennedy Institute of Ethics Journal, 13(2),
141-68.
Coward, H. & Tejinder, S. (2000). Bioethics for clinicians: 19. Hinduism and Sikhism. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 163(9),
1167.
Goss, R. & Klass, R. (1997). Tibetan Buddhism and the resolution of
grief: the Bardo-Thodol for the dying and grieving. Death Studies,
21(4), 377-395.
80
Symposia/Panel Discussions
Cumberland L
The Legacy of Dr. Edwin Shneidman:
DVD of a Thanatologist at 90 Years Old
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Death Education
Intermediate
Barrett, Ronald Keith, PhD, FT1; DeSpelder, Lynne, MA, FT2; Fajardo,
Angelica, MA,CT3; Gabbay, Pamela, MA, FT4; Schuurman, Donna,
EdD, FT5; Strickland, Albert, CT6
Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, CA, United States; 2Cabrillo College,
Capitola, CA, United States; 3ADEC So-Cal, La Quinta, CA, United States; 4Mourning Star Center, Children’s Bereavement Center, Rancho Mirage, CA, United States;
5
Dougy Center for Grieving Children and Families, Portland, OR, United States; 6The
Author’s Guild, Capitola, CA, United States
1
Recognized as the father of Suicidology, Dr. Edwin Shneidman is truly
a hero of our time. His studies on suicidal behaviors and the suicidal
mind have blazed the trail in the field of thanatology. He founded the
American Association of Suicidology in 1968 and is noted for his
contributions to include: the identification of “psychache” as the main
cause of suicide, and defining the criteria for a `Good Death’.
This panel/symposium will present an overview of Dr. Shneidman’s
literary works that have influenced the fields of thanatology and
Suicidology. In September 2007, Dr. Shneidman accepted a Lifetime
Achievement Award for his work in thanatology by the Association
for Death Education and Counseling, Southern California Chapter. Dr.
Shneidman’s acceptance speech and summary of his life’s work were
captured on video.
Come experience Dr. Shneidman in his own words and participate in
an interactive panel discussion on the history of Suicidology and the
works of Dr. Edwin Shneidman.
Panelists include members of ADEC-SoCal’s Board of Directors and
Advisory Board.
Objectives:
1. Identify the literary works of Dr. Edwin Shneidman
2. Define the methodology of “psychache” and its impact on suicidal
persons
3. Identify Dr. Shneidman’s Ten Criteria for a “Good Death”
References:
Shneidman, E.S. (2008): A commonsense book of death: Reflections
at ninety of a lifelong thanatologist. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers,
Inc.
ADEC Southern California Chapter (2007). Dr. Edwin Shneidman life
time achievement award. Video.
Shneidman, E. (2007). Criteria for a good death. Suicide and LifeThreatening Behavior, 37(3).
Shneidman, E. (1998). The suicidal mind. Oxford University Press.
Shneidman, E. (1993). Suicide as psychache: A clinical approach to
self-destructive behavior. Northvale, N.J.
Shneidman, E. (1985). Definition of suicide. New York: John Wiley
and Sons.
Shneidman, E. (1980). Voices of death. Harper and Row.
www.adec.org
Concurrent Session IX – Saturday, April 18, 8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
Landmark A
Continuing Bonds Through Myspace:
A New Venue for Grief Explored
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Intermediate
Hieftje, Kimberly, MS
Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States
One day last June, as I was browsing my Myspace webpage, I noticed
a friend had changed his personal heading to read “RIP Riley”. As I
looked down his webpage, I noticed all his friends were currently online and their personal headings also read “RIP Riley”, just like his. The
feeling I had was overwhelming. What was I witnessing? Why were all
these people online and where were they gathering? I continued browsing his Myspace page until I finally came upon Riley’s own personal
webpage. I clicked on it. What I saw in front of me was a beautiful
young girl with long, straight, dark hair and deep, dark brown eyes
staring back at me. But I was confused. Her last login date was today’s
date. She must have only died within the past several hours. Trying to
understand what happened to Riley, I spent the next few hours reading
through her blogs, looking at her pictures, and reading the comments
posted by her friends, which were appearing every few minutes, each
time I refreshed my browser. There was an immediate shift in the tone
of the comments from just yesterday - the day before she had died.
The comments had gone from a lighthearted, “hey whats up girl?” to
deeper, more emotional comments like, “Tell me this isn’t real. Tell me
it’s a sick joke. Tell me anything ....anything but this.”
The following paper, utilizing a narrative and ethnographic approach,
follows the personal Myspace webpage of a young girl after her death
over the period of a year. This single case study looks at the evolution
of the bereaved friends’ narratives within the comments posted on the
webpage. Continuing bonds with the deceased and the use of writing
during grief are also discussed, as well as implications for further study.
Objectives:
1. Recognize how the use of social networking sites can encourage
continued bonds with the deceased
2. Explore the use of the internet as a new venue for grief expression
3. Indentify implications of the case study findings for practice and
further research
References:
Hollander, E.M. (2001). Cyber community in the valley of the shadow
of death. Journal of Loss and Trauma, 6, 135-146.
Moss, M. (2004). Grief on the Web. Omega, 49(1), 77-81.
Roberts, P. (2004). The living and the dead: Community in the virtual
cemetery. Omega, 49(1), 57-76.
Silverman, P.R. & Nickman, S.L. (1996). In D. Klass, P.R. Silverman, &
S.L. Nickman (Eds.), Continuing Bonds: New understanding of grief
(pp. 3-27). Bristol, PA: Taylor & Francis.
www.adec.org
Saturday, April 18, 8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
Invited
V
Cumberland E/F
Multiple Fatalities and Grief Support:
What We Learned From Columbine
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Traumatic Death
Larger Systems
Introductory
McBride, Jennifer, MA1; Horan, John, MSP, CFSP2
Horan and McConaty, Englewood, CO, United States; 2Horan and McConaty Funeral
Service/Cremation, Denver, CO, United States
1
Tragedies like the mass shooting at Columbine High School in April
1999 impact lives, communities and worldviews. Family-owned funeral
service company, Horan & McConaty, cared for seven of the young
people who died at Columbine, their families, and community. Though
not prepared for such a mass fatality incident, staff had to respond and
plan quickly. The experience of Columbine and the response to the
community-wide grief support programs and resources provided to the
metro Denver community helped affirm a process already underway at
the time of Columbine-growing HeartLight Center, a 501c3 non-profit
community-based center for grief support & education, started and
underwritten by Horan & McConaty. In this session, you will learn how
the staff responded, what they learned, how the Columbine tragedy
affirmed the need for bereavement and trauma support, and how you
can create a plan to intervene after a mass fatality incident, regardless
of the type organization with which you work.
Objectives:
1. Describe the necessary components of a mass-fatality crisis response plan
2. Utilize five keys for assisting families and community after a massfatality incident
3. Respond quickly to provide appropriate support services in the
disaster’s wake
References:
Clements, P.T., DeRanieri, J.T., Virgil, G.J., & Benasutti, K.M. (2004).
Life after death: Grief therapy after the sudden traumatic death of a
family member. Perspectives in Psychiatric Care, 40(4), 149-154.
Fast, J.D. (2003). After Columbine: How people mourn sudden death.
Social Work, 43, 484-491.
Horan, J.J. (1999). The Columbine tragedy: Lessons learned. The
Director, 71 (7), 49-51.
Norum, K.E. (2001). Columbine: A commentary. Journal of Loss &
Trauma, 6(2), 125-133.
81
Invited
Cumberland I
Strategies for Mind-Body Healing
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Death Education
Professional Issues
Introductory
Chan, Cecilia, BSocSc, MSocSc, PhD, RSW, JP
The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
If you enjoyed Prof. Chan’s keynote presentation and would like to
know more, Prof. Chan will share specific strategies for mind-body care
using “one-second techniques.” This will be an experiential workshop
using strategies that can be practiced while seated or standing. for a
hands-on experience come release some stress and practice self-care.
Please put on loose clothing as there will be movement and physical
exercises.
Objectives:
1. Learn the connection between the mind and the body
2. Experience the integratation of eastern and western worldviews
philosophies and practices
3. Practice strategies for releasing stress, eliminating headaches, and
releasing muscle tension
References:
Chan, C.L.W. & Chow, A.Y.M. (Eds.). (2006). Death, dying and bereavement - The Hong Kong Chinese experience. Hong Kong: Hong
Kong University Press.
Lee, M. Y., Chan, L. W., Ng, S. M., & Leung, P. Y. (2009 under
preparation). Integrative social work practice: An Eastern holistic approach towards transformation and harmony. New York: The Oxford
University Press.
Chan, C. L. W., Fan, F. W., & Gong, R. Y. (Eds.) (2003). The bodymind-spirit integrative health approach: group counseling theory and
application. Beijing: Ethic Publishing House. (in Chinese).
Chan, C. L. W. (2001). An Eastern body-mind-spirit approach: A training manual with one second techniques. Hong Kong: Department
of Social Work and Social Administration, The University of Hong
Kong. Second Printing 2006. ISBN: 962864245-6
Invited
Cumberland J
The Last Lecture:
Staying Power or a Passing Fad?
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Death Education
Introductory
Sofka, Carla, MSW, PhD
Siena College, Albany, NY, United States
On September 18, 2007, Carnegie Mellon University Professor Randy
Pausch delivered his “last lecture” - a lecture traditionally given by
professors immediately prior to retirement to summarize a lifetime of
learning and teaching. Randy Pausch’s last lecture was unique since it
was delivered after being given a prognosis of less than six months to
live. Word of his amazing presentation spread like wildfire thanks to an
article in the Wall Street Journal, televised interviews with Oprah and
Diane Sawyer, and the downloading of his last lecture over 10 million
times. In April of 2008, his lecture was published in a book, creating
an instant best-seller. It is not often that society is the beneficiary of wisdom imparted on this scale from a dying man. However, this powerful
lecture, given 10 months before his death on July 25, 2008, was not
about dying, but about life and living. Was this opportunity for public
death education wisely used by the thanatology community? (Or would
it be more appropriate to describe this as an opportunity for public
82
“life education”?) Will Randy Pausch’s legacy remain prominently in
the public eye for years to come, or was its’ popularity a passing fad?
This presentation will reflect on the impact of this unprecedented “teachable moment” that allowed society to become so intimately acquainted
with the experiences of a dying man. Strategies for the continued
use of “The Last Legacy” as a powerful tool for teaching about living
while dying will be considered in conjunction with strategies for taking
advantage of highly public “teachable moments”.
Objectives:
1. Describe the types of reactions experienced by members of the
public to “The Last Lecture”
2. Describe potential uses for the “The Last Lecture” as a resource for
life/death education
3. Describe strategies for wisely using highly public “teachable moments” within one’s home community
References:
Gilbert, K.R., & Murray, C.I. (2007). The family, larger systems, and
death education. In D. Balk (Ed.), Handbook of Thanatology (pp.
345-353). Northbrook, IL: Association for Death Education and
Counseling.
Kornbluth, J. (2008, May). A father’s farewell - Interview with Randy
Pausch. Reader’s Digest, 188-196.
Pausch, R. (2008). The Last Lecture. NY: Hyperion.
Reader Comments. (2008). Randy Pausch, `last lecture’ professor dies.
ABC News Web site accessed on October 2, 2008: http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=4614281&page=1
Sofka, C.J. (2007). Death education: Ethical and legal issues. In D.
Balk (Ed.), Handbook of thanatology (pp. 355-367). Northbrook, IL:
Association for Death Education and Counseling.
Cumberland L
Why Would God? Helping Bereaved Parents
Process Hard Spiritual Questions
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Religious/Spiritual
Intermediate
Glasgow, Bob, DIP Theo
Calgary Health Region, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
When parents ask, “Why did my child die before me?” they struggle
with deep existential questions. Their questioning process is a deep
search for meaning that can often challenge prior beliefs.
In an effort to reduce spiritual distress caregivers can be tempted to
avoid or redirect the expressions of spiritual suffering. Quite the opposite helpers need to develop the capacity to enter into the deep struggle
of spiritual confusion that can come when a child dies. Meaning
making is a long difficult journey and is, perhaps the most important
spiritual need bereaved parent’s experience.
Alongside meaning making, themes of forgiveness and reconciliation
can surface. Most parents review the relationship with their child in detail, wondering if they could have been better parents and many carry
the belief that they should have been able to save their child. If guilt
persists one’s energy is directed to punitive rather than to healing ways.
This session will help caregivers appreciate and listen for deep spiritual
statements of bereaved parents and will appeal to grief counsellors and
caregivers who hold an interest in spiritual processing of life.
www.adec.org
Objectives:
1. Recognize spiritual themes/spiritual distress in the narratives of
bereaved parents
2. Discuss ways a helper can respect and explore universal spiritual
questions such as meaning making, forgiveness and belonging
3. Describe the importance of grief rituals including the possibility of
what to do when conflicting spiritual needs/wishes occur within
couples or families
Cumberland H
Death and Disenfranchised Grief in Virtual
Communities: Challenges and Opportunities
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Larger Systems
Introductory
Hensley, Lisa, PhD
Texas Wesleyan University, Fort Worth, TX, United States
References:
Tedeschi, R.G. (2006) Time of change? The spiritual challenges of bereavement. Omega: Journal of Death and Dying, 53 (1-2). 105-116.
Attig, T. (2003). Respecting the spirituality of the dying and bereaved.
Dying, Death, and Bereavment: A challenge for living 2nd ed.
pp.61-75
Doka, K. (2002). How could god? Loss and spiritual assumptive world.
In Kauffman J. (Ed). Loss of the assumptive world: A theory of traumatic loss. Brunner-Routledge. New York. pp 49-54
Brotherson, S. & Soderquist, J. (2002). Coping with a child’s death
spiritual issues and therapeutic implications. Journal of Family Psychotherapy & the Family, 13, 53-86.
V
Cumberland C
A Perspective on the Comprehensive
Care of Donor Families
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Introductory
Yetter, Jamie, BA1; Post, Michelle, MA, LMFT2
1
2
Arkansas Regional Organ Recovery Agency, Little Rock, AR, United States;
OneLegacy, Los Angeles, CA, United States
The emotional, social and spiritual needs of a donor family are unique.
It is from this rare environment that the specialized role of a Family
Service Coordinator and Aftercare Coordinator was created. This presentation will provide a basic overview of organ and tissue donation
then focus on the crucial aspects of supporting grieving families before,
during and after the organ and tissue donation process.
Objectives:
1. Describe the basic and ideal circumstances (medically and socially)
that are necessary for organ and tissue donation to occur
2. Identify the necessary environmental aspects of a potential organ
and tissue donor i.e. working and communicating with nurses,
doctors, chaplains, social workers, and child life specialists before
supporting a potential donor family
3. Discuss and describe perspectives on effective, comprehensive support for grieving donor families before, during and after the organ
and tissue donation process
Virtual communities often feature members with a shared purpose
who have repeated interactions over time, and frequently develop
close emotional ties with one another. When one of those community
members dies, numerous characteristics of the virtual community may
affect the process of grief and mourning. In particular, problems such
as lack of information about the identity of the deceased or the cause
of death, restricted access to sanctioned mourning rituals such as funerals, reduced empathy by those outside the online community, and the
increased possibility of deception (i.e., faking one’s own death) may
color the grief experience of bereaved individuals. Doka’s concept of
disenfranchised grief, or grief that is unacknowledged or unsanctioned,
will be applied to the case of the death in online communities. Several
examples of deaths in online communities will be reviewed, including a
few from the presenter’s personal experiences. At the same time, virtual
communities and other web-based tools may also be helpful in various
aspects of grief, such as meaning construction and memorial rituals.
After attending this session, participants should be able to (1) identify
basic characteristics of many online social communities; (2) understand
how these characteristics may influence the experience of grief and
mourning; and (3) demonstrate knowledge of possibilities for using
online resources, communities, and rituals in coping with grief.
Objectives:
1. Identify basic characteristics of many online social communities
2. Recognize how these characteristics may influence the experience
of grief and mourning
3. Demonstrate awareness of possibilities for using online resources,
communities, and rituals in coping with grief
References:
Attig, T. (2004). Disenfranchised grief revisited: Discounting hope and
love. OMEGA -- Journal of Death and Dying, 49(3), 197-215.
Doka, K. (Ed). (2002).Disenfranchised grief: New directions, challenges, and strategies for practice. IL: Research Press.
Preece, J., & Maloney-Krichmar, D. (2003). Online communities. In J.
Jacko and A. Sears (Eds.), Handbook of human-computer interaction, pp. 596-620. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.
Roberts, P. (2004). The living and the dead: Community in the virtual
cemetery. OMEGA -- Journal of Death and Dying, 49(1), 57-76.
References:
Wolfelt, A.D., and Maloney, R. (2001). Caring for donor families
before, during and after. CO: Companion Press
Siminoff, L.A., Mercer M.B., Graham, G., Burant, C. (2007). The
reasons families donate organs ,for transplantation: implications
for policy and practice; The Journal of Trauma, Injury, Infection and
Critical Care 62(4):969-78.
Bryce, C.L., Siminoff, L.A., Ubel, P.A., Nathan, H., Caplan, A., Arnold,
R.M. Do Incentives Matter? Providing Benefits to Families of Organ
Donors. American Journal of Transplantation. 5: 2999-3008
Siminoff, L.A., Mercer, M.B., Arnold, R. (2003). Families’ Understanding of Brain Death. Progress in Transplantation, 13(3): 218-224.
www.adec.org
83
Cumberland K
When Hurricane Tragedy Strikes —
Crisis and Grief Challenge Resiliency
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Introductory
Adams, Susan, PhD
Cumberland A
Meaning-Making in Memories:
A Comparison of Death and Low Point
Autobiographical Memories
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Introductory
Texas Woman’s University, Lake Dallas, TX, United States
Mackay, Michael, BA, MSc
Crisis is defined as a precipitating event that causes distress and overwhelms usual coping methods. Historically a crisis might exist for 6-8
weeks and then became the “new normal.” However, for those along
the coastal areas of MS and LA, they are caught in a perpetual state
of “crisis”. Just how are they doing more than three years afterward?
What have we learned? Where do we go from here? What losses do
they continue to struggle with? Why did some find resiliency and others
didn’t?
University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, United States
Those who live in areas subject to hurricanes, learn to live with “uncertainty” and the potential for mass destruction during the hurricane
season. They know the “drill”; however, no one was prepared for
devastation created by Katrina on 9/29/2005 or Rita 9/24/2005.
When we, the vast majority, have “moved on,” what is the grief impact
of those that were directly and indirectly affected by these monster
storms? We must learn lessons from the past if we are to be prepared
for the future. This presentation is based on personal experience, interaction with survivors and mental health workers, plus current literature.
It will include stories and actual photographs over time.
Objectives:
1. Explore what happened and how it was different from previous
hurricane disasters
2. Understand the struggles of crisis intervention and the impact on
the population from a multicultural perspective
3. Identify long-term effects of the devastation across coastal area and
the impact on survivors’ sense of community
References:
Kanel, K. (2007). A guide to crisis intervention (3rd ed.). Belmont, CA:
Brooks/Cole.
Cavaiola, A. A., & Colford, J. E. (2006). A practical guide to crisis
intervention. Boston: Lahaska Press.
Echterling, L. G., Presbury, J., & McKee, J. E. (2005). Crisis intervention: Promoting resilience and resolution in troubled times. Upper
Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Merrill Prentice Hall.
James, R. K. (2008). Crisis intervention strategies (6th ed.). Belmont,
CA: Brooks/Cole.
84
Research Report
The study examined the expression of positive meaning-making in
people’s memories of the deaths of their loved ones. Specifically,
the manifestation of six positive meaning-making strategies (finding
benefits, experiencing personal growth, using downward comparisons,
developing a religious explanation, developing a supernatural explanation) was compared between death-related memories and memories
of low point life experiences (e.g., losing a job). A highlight of the
study was the assessment of meaning-making via an ecologically valid
(i.e., no demand characteristics) method; that is, through the coding of
open-ended memory narratives. Participants (52 hospice volunteers)
shared death and low point memories by writing short memory narratives. Participants also completed the Memory Qualities Questionnaire
(MQQ) in relation to each memory. The MQQ assessed how frequently
participants thought about and shared each memory, how personally
important was each memory, and how emotionally positive was each
memory. Two coders reliably assessed the memory narratives for the
presence of positive meaning-making (Kappa = .78). Results show
that death memory narratives (vs. low-point narratives) exhibit more
manifestations of positive meaning-making. The finding of benefits and
the development of a religious explanation for the loss were the most
commonly reported types of positive meaning-making. Death-related
memories were also rated as more emotionally positive, and more
frequently shared with others. The results suggest that positive meaningmaking is not only evident shortly after the death of a loved one, but
that it is also expressed long after the event has occurred.
Objectives:
1. Describe a novel way of assessing positive meaning-making
2. Recognize that hospice volunteers may be especially adept at coping with bereavement
3. Discuss the importance of positive meaning-making in the wake of
bereavement
References:
Bluck, S., Dirk, J., Mackay, M. M., & Hux, A. (2008). Life experience
with death: Relation to death attitudes and to the use of death-related
memories. Death Studies, 32, 524-549.
Davis, C. G., Nolen-Hoeksema, S., & Larson, J. (1998). Making sense
of loss and benefiting from the experience: Two construals of meaning. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 75, 561-574.
Davis, C. G., Wohl, M. J., Verberg, N. (2007). Profiles of posttraumatic growth following an unjust loss. Death Studies, 31, 693-712.
Park, C. L., & Folkman, S. (1997). Meaning in the context of stress and
coping. Review of General Psychology, 1, 115-144.
www.adec.org
Research Report
Cumberland B
Interface of Post Traumatic Stress and
Post Traumatic Growth in Bereaved
Parent Narratives
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Intermediate
Research Report
Cumberland G
College Psychology Course Offerings on
Death and Dying: A National Survey
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Death Education
Introductory
Eckerd, Lizabeth, PhD
Larsen, Barbara, MA ; Murray, Colleen, PhD
Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA, United States
University of Nevada, Reno, NV, United States; University of Nevada, Reno,
Reno, NV, United States
Thanatologists and many educators agree on the value of death education throughout the life span, including at the college level. Several authors have noted the lack of information about college level death education in the social sciences and liberal arts, as well as in psychology
in particular. A search of the PsycInfo and ERIC databases confirmed
the lack of current information about the extent of psychology course
offerings in DDB. This is in contrast to the medical and other health
science fields, where Dickinson and colleagues have conducted ongoing surveys since the 1970s. To begin to fill in this gap in knowledge,
this author has conducted an internet survey of all United States 4-year
college and university psychology departments that offer a bachelor’s
degree in psychology. Data from an initial survey of Midwest states
were presented at the 2008 ADEC conference. The 2009 presentation
will include data from the entire national survey. Specifically, information will be provided regarding: (a) percentage of departments offering
a dying, death, and bereavement (DDB) course; (b) whether size of
department and/or region of country relates to whether a DDB course
is offered; (c) availability of other forums for death education (other departments; other psychology courses); and (d) reasons provided for not
offering a DDB course. Plans for future research will also be described
and discussed with attendees.
1
1
2
2
In “living beyond loss,” bereaved parents struggle to resolve their
shattered world-view (Kauffman, 2002), as well as reconstruct a social
world where both post traumatic stress (PTS) and post traumatic growth
(PTG) may play roles. Are these elements mutually exclusive, sequential, or concurrent and interdependent? Although scales (e.g., Tedeschi
& Calhoun 1996, 2008) are designed to assess PTS or PTG, independent administration of tools may miss the richness with which factors
coexist in the lives of the bereaved. For the current study, parental narrative accounts of experiences with child death and the aftermath were
examined to provide understanding of the relationship between PTS
and PTG. Narratives reveal a scope of reactions (McLean, Pasupathi,
& Pals, 2007); the story itself can represent longitudinal data, and
the action of storytelling can be a longitudinal experience itself (i.e.,
following progression of thinking across the time a story is being told).
A purposive sample from 25 online accounts written by parents was selected. Coding was based on factors found in PTS and PTG scales, and
the unit of analysis was each sentence. Results suggested that within
stories parents made multiple shifts between PTS and PTG. Discussions
of “gaping holes,” being forever altered, and painful reminders from
celebrations and rituals coexisted with examples of increased sense
of personal abilities and strengths, greater connectedness with others
(particularly within “family”), new life goals, interests and opportunities,
or finding new meaning in life through helping other bereaved parents.
Common triggers of shifts between PTS and PTG, connections to Stroebe’s Dual Process Model, and longitudinal elements will be discussed.
Objectives:
1. Identify elements of post traumatic stress and post traumatic growth
2. Discuss the strengths and challenges of using narratives as data
3. Recognize the normative nature of situations where post traumatic
stress and post traumatic growth coexist
References:
Crossley, M. L. (2000). Narrative psychology, trauma and the study of
self/identity. Theory & Psychology, 10(4), 527.
Janoff-Bulman, R. (1992). Shattered assumptions: Toward a new psychology of trauma (1st ed.). New York: The Free Press.
Kauffman, J. (Ed.). (2002). Loss of the assumptive world: A theory of
traumatic loss (1st ed.). Hove: Brunner-Routledge.
McLean, K. C., Pasupathi, M., & Pals, J. L. (2007). Selves creating stories creating selves: A process model of self-development. Personality
and Social Psychology Review, 11(3), 262-278.
Tedeschi, R. G., & Calhoun, L. G. (1996). The posttraumatic growth
inventory: Measuring the positive legacy of trauma. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 9(3), 455-472.
Tedeschi, R. G., & Calhoun, L. G. (2004). Posttraumatic growth: conceptual foundations and empirical evidence. Psychological Inquiry,
15(1), 1-18.
Tedeschi, R. G., & Calhoun, L. G. (2008). Beyond the concept of
recovery: Growth and the experience of loss. Death Studies, 32(1),
27-39.
www.adec.org
Objectives:
1. Describe the extent of death education offerings in college psychology programs
2. Explain reasons psychology departments provide for not offering
death courses
3. Describe useful directions for future research on the topic of death
education
References:
Dickinson, G. E. (2002). A quarter century of end-of-life issues in U.S.
medical schools. Death Studies, 26, 635-646.
Dickinson, G. E. (2007). End-of-life and palliative care issues in medical and nursing schools in the United States. Death Studies, 31,
713-726.
Eckerd, L. M. (in press). Death and dying course offerings in psychology: A survey of nine Midwestern states. Death Studies.
Ratner, E. R., & Song, J. Y. (2002). Education for the end of life.
Chronicle of Higher Education, 48(39), 12-15.
85
Concurrent Session X – Saturday, April 18, 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Saturday, April 18, 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Invited
Cumberland C
Understanding Today’s Options in Funeral
and Memorial Service
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Introductory
Taylor, Glenn, LFP
Selected Independent Funeral Homes, Owensboro, KY, United States
Understanding memorial options available to clients facing their own
death or that of a family member is imperative. Since counselors and
death educators are often asked for input about selecting providers,
choosing elements in services, and managing costs, a well-rounded
understanding of these options is vital. Out of his more than 37 years
as a funeral service professional and his perspective as president of the
world’s largest association of independent funeral homes, Glenn Taylor
will provide a broad perspective on what is available today, including
options related to cremation, green burial, creative memorial gatherings, and traditional funerals. Participants will also learn how to understand funeral costs and effective ways for helping families anticipate
and manage those costs.
Objectives:
1. Describe creative options families utilize to create meaning in
death-related rituals
2. Explain ways families can understand and manage funeral costs
3. Use simple ways to explain funeral options and prices with clients
or families
References:
Bolton, C. & Camp, D. (1987). Funeral rituals and the facilitation of
grief work. Omega, 17, 343-52.
Funerals: A consumer’s guide. nd. Internet. http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/
conline/pubs/services/funeral.shtm.
Hoy, W. G. (2007). Between colleagues: Helping families make sense
of today’s funeral options. Deerfield, IL: Selected Resources.
Rando, T.A. (1991). How to go on living when someone you love dies.
New York: Bantam.
Worden, J.W. (2008). Grief counseling and grief therapy: A handbook
for the mental health practitioner. New York: Springer.
Cumberland A
Who Let the Dogs Out? Utilizing Therapy
Dogs With Grieving Children and Teens
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Introductory
Gabbay, Pamela, MA, FT
Mourning Star Center for Grieving Children, Palm Desert, CA, United States
Often grieving children and teens do not possess the emotional skills
or the maturity to cope with the myriad of feelings that they may be
experiencing due to the death of someone significant in their life. At
times, their grief can be quite overwhelming and isolating. Certified
therapy dogs create an environment of unconditional acceptance that
offers solace and comfort to grieving youth and helps to break through
86
the isolation that some children might be facing. Specially trained dog
handlers use animal-assisted therapy (AAT) or animal-assisted activities
(AAS) to create a safe place for grieving children to process their grief.
Therapy dogs are good listeners; they don’t offer advice or make judgments. These professional four-legged friends lift the spirits of grieving
children by allowing the children to hug them, snuggle with them, and
bury their faces and tears into their fur. Certified therapy dogs, often
called “therapets” are utilized in a variety of settings with grieving
children and teens.
Objectives:
1. Describe animal-assisted therapy (AAT) and animal-assisted activities (AAS) as they relate to working with grieving children and
teens
2. Discuss the value and benefits that animal-assisted therapy and
activities (AAT)/ (AAS) have to offer grieving children and teens
3. Identify ways to utilize certified therapy dogs in various bereavement settings when working with grieving youth
References:
York, Guilford Publications.
Crawford, J. & Pomerinke, K. (2003). Therapy pets: The animal-human
healing partnership. Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books.
DeSpelder, L. & Strickland, A. (2004). The last dance: Encountering
death and dying (7th Ed). Boston: McGraw-Hill.
Pichot, T. & Coulter, M. (2007). Animal-assisted brief therapy: A
solution-focused approach. Binghamton, NY: Haworth Press.
Cumberland G
End of Life on a Bone Marrow Transplant
Unit — Body, Mind, & Transpersonal Experience
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Dying Process
Introductory
Cumming, Tiffany, MA in expressive art therapy & mental health
counseling; Lang, Betsy, MSW
1
Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
The End of Life on a BMT Unit: Body, Mind, & Transpersonal Experience is offered as a free program within the bone marrow transplant inpatient and outpatient units at Massachusetts General Hospital in order
to provide the opportunity for patients and their loved ones to create
an outward expression of their inner voice, reflecting the emotions held
within regarding the experience of illness and the effect it has had on
them, personally. The use of a human body template, non gender specific, will be offered to individuals to freely express and create a piece
representing feelings surrounding this particular experience.
This group is offered once per week, for 2 hour sessions, facilitated by
an art therapist. The group begins with a guided meditation to allow
for individuals to become grounded and present, significant time to
work with the art materials, group processing to discuss the experience
and emotions that are present, and a closing deep breathing exercise.
The end of the program will culminate with an art installation of the
body templates created and used within the BMT treatment units.This
clinician will focus on both 1) the challenges in implementing this program within a medical setting, and 2) the process and evaluation ofjthe
program in the medical setting.
www.adec.org
Objectives:
1. Offer an occasion to reflect inner thoughts and feelings, outwardly,
allowing the opportunity to express one’s voice
2. Reinforce positive coping behavior, allieviate distress and anxiety,
to increase self-esteem and to enhance his/her sense of control and
efficacy
3. Create a sense of inner and outer awareness, both inside and
outside of the body (helping to bridge the feeling of separateness
that is so often created within a medical mode of care
References:
Gabriel, B & Luzzatto, P. et al. (2001). Art therapy with adult bone
marrow transplant patients in isolation: A pilot study. Psycho-Oncology, 10: 114-123.
Lane, M.R. & Graham-Pole, J. (1994). Development of an art program
on a gone marrow transplant unit. Cancer-Nursing, 17(3): 185-192.
Nainis, N. et al (2006). Relieving symptoms in cancer: Innovative use of
art therapy. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, 31, No. 2.
Gil Bar-Sela, L.A., et al (2007). Art therpay improved depression
and influnenced fatigue levels in cancer patients on chemotherapy.
Psycho-Oncology 16: 980-984.
Walsh, S.M., Martin, S.C. & Schmidt, L.A. (2004). Testing the efficacy
of a creative-arts intervention with family caregivers of patients with
cancer. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 36(3): 214-219.
Thompson, B. (2003). The expressive arts and the experience of loss.
The Forum, 29(2), 1-10.
Cumberland H
Psychosocial Role of the Death Penalty in the
Death System
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Traumatic Death
Larger Systems
Introductory
Rushforth, Nancy, MA1; McGunigall-Smith, Sandy, PhD2
Utah Valley State College, Orem, UT, United States; 2Utah Valley University, Orem,
UT, United States
1
In preparation for teaching Death Education Courses, I have read several texts and have reviewed death studies and grief and grieving journals. I have found little discussion of the death penalty. As participants
in the healing arts, evaluation of the practice of capital punishment in
the United States reveals much about our attitudes toward death and
toward life. Such study also enriches our understanding of the impact
of capital punishment on the psychosocial fiber of our culture. to advance the healing processes of body, mind and spirit, it is essential to
understand the repercussions of the death penalty.
I will present information pertaining to the death penalty as currently
practiced in the United States. I will lead a discussion about differing
regulations governing the death sentence from state to state. In addition, I will present information including demographics of death penalty
recipients and comparisons of crime rates in abolitionist and retentionist states. Following basic information, Sandy McGunigall Smith will
discuss her personal experiences interviewing 7 death row inmates
at the Utah State Penitentiary. Her research is extraordinary, as most
prisons do not allow access to death row prisoners, nor are prisoners
usually willing to discuss their lives with outsiders. Discussion of these
topics provides all of us with further abilities to move forward in our
goals of healing those who grieve.
www.adec.org
Objectives:
1. Discuss history and frequency of the death penalty
2. Discuss qualifications, methods of executions in differing states
3. Discuss the repercussions of the death penalty to the death system
References:
Beck, E., Britto, S. & Andrews, A. (2007). In the shadow of death:
Restorative justice and death row families. Oxford University Press,
Oxford.
Boxco, A. (2001). Choosing mercy: A mother of nurder victims pleads
to end the death penalty. Orbis Books, New York.
Clarke, Alan & Whitt, (2008) The Bitter Fruits of the American Criminal
Justice System. Northeastern University Press, Boxton,
Death Penalty Information Center http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org.
Kay, Judith, W. Murdering Myths: The Story Behind the Death Penalty,
(2005) Roman & Littelfield Publishers, Inc. Lanaham, Md.
Rogers, C.R. (1961). On Becoming a Person Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, New York.
Whitman, J.Q. (2003). Harsh justice: Criminal punishment and the
widening divide between America and Europe. Oxford University
Press, Oxford.
Johnson, Robert and McGunigall-Smith, S. (2008). Life without parole,
America’s other death penalty: Notes on life under sentance of
death by incarceration. The Prison Journal: Sage Publications.
Cumberland I
Meaning Making and Making Meaning:
Moving Outside the Circle of Grief
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Intermediate
Kosminsky, Phyllis, PhD
Center for Hope/Family Centers, Pleasantville, NY, United States
For many mourners, the difficulty of recovering from the death of a
loved one stems not only from the loss of the person, but from what has
been described as the “loss of (their) assumptive world” .The creation
of a new assumptive world, which involves finding meaning in the loss,
and meaning in the life that lies ahead of them - is an essential part of
the process of healing. The goal of this workshop is to examine two
different frames relating to meaning making as an element of recovery from loss: first, the ways in which mourners derive meaning from
memories of the person, the relationship, and even the death itself, to
make sense of an otherwise unbearable loss; and second, the ways in
which mourners create meaning through actions taken to commemorate
or honor the deceased. These two frames are conceptualized as an
“inner” circle and an “outer” circle. We will look at how the nature of
the relationship and the nature of the death can complicate a mourner’s
attempts to reconstitute their assumptive world through internal process
alone, and how engaging in redemptive or commemorative action can
promote healthy redirection of a mourner’s attention and energy.
Objectives:
1. Discuss meaning making as a component of healing from grief
2. Explain the significance of constructive action as a healing intervention
3. Describe how to approach the development of constructive actions
with clients as part of bereavement work
87
References:
Neimeyer, R., (Ed). (2001). Meaning reconstruction and the experience of loss. Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association.
Talbot, K. (2002). What forever means after the loss of a child. New
York: Brunner, Routledge.
Davis, C.D., Wohl, J.A., & Verberg, N. (2007). Profiles of posttraumatic growth following an unjust loss. Death Studies, 31 (8), 693-612.
Bussey, M., and Bula Wise, J. (2007). Trauma transformed: An empowerment response. California: University Press.
Practice Report
Cumberland B
Using Narrative Therapy Processes With
Grieving Families
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Professional Issues
Intermediate
Lindwall-Bourg, Karen, MA
McKinney, TX, United States
Dealing with the illness or death of a loved one involves more than
picking up the pieces and moving on. Healing is an ongoing journey
through which grief is a constant companion. For the caregiver, the
focus is on understanding the impact of loss and grief on our multidimensional lives and helping the bereaved to navigate the grieving
process and reclaim joy as well as sadness as an integral part of life.
Narrative Therapy has been used with a wide variety of difficulties and
issues, including grief reactions and is thus an empowering vehicle for
reconstructing life stories. Narrative Therapy techniques provide vital
guidance to ease painful transitions and facilitate healing and growth.
The role of the narrative therapist is as collaborator or co-author with
the client. As such, the narrative therapist partners with the client to
explore the stories that give meaning to the client’s life as they navigate
this difficult path. The background of the approach and the position of
narrative therapy on the health and well-functioning of the family will
be reviewed. Goals, structure and techniques of the process will be
explained and demonstrated through video presentations with grieving
families.
Objectives:
1. Explain the caregivers role as companion on the devastating journey of grief and mourning
2. Understand the background of the approach and the position of
narrative therapy on the health and well-functioning of the family
3. Practice setting goals with a grieving family using the structure and
techniques of Narrative Therapy
References:
Becvar, Dorothy, (2001). In the presence of grief: Helping family members resolve death, dying, and bereavement issues. The Guilford
Press, New York.
Gurman, A.S. & Jacobson, N.S. (2002). Clinical handbook of couples
therapy (3rd Edition). The Guilford Press, New York.
Hedtke, L., (2003) The origami of remembering. The International Journal of Narrative Therapy and Community Work, 4, pp 57-62.
Olson, K. (2008). Narrative research - Learning from stories. Canada
Oncology Nursing Journal, 18(1): 2-4.
Practice Report
Cumberland K
Incorporating Technology Into Death
Education Practice: Three Formats for Delivery
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Death Education
Professional Issues
Introductory
Wheat, Laura, MEd1; Whiting, Peggy, EdD2; James, Libba, MEd3
University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States; 2North Carolina Central
University, Durham, NC, United States; 3Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO,
United States
1
Traditionally, death education in a university setting has been delivered in a face-to-face format, whether as a stand-alone course or as
an infusion into a related area. With the rise of technological tools for
teaching and learning, however, the possibilities for creative delivery
methods are limitless. This presentation will provide attendees with a
threefold comparison of classroom-only, strictly online, and a hybrid
mixture of the two as death education practice at the graduate level.
Participants will hear an overview of the goals of formal death education, and opportunities and challenges posed by each of the three
modalities will be examined, illustrated by anecdotes from presenters’
experiences. Finally, implications for future research avenues will be
explored.
Objectives:
1. Describe the unique ways burgeoning technology is creating new
opportunities in formal death education delivery
2. Explain the challenges of combining an online and an in-person
model of death education
3. Discuss how each of the three presented methods of course delivery
strive to meet the goals of death education
References:
Balk, D., Wogrin, C., Thornton, G., & Meagher, D. (Eds.).(2007).
Handbook of thanatology: The essential body of knowledge for the
study of death, dying, and bereavement. Northbrook, IL: Association
for Death Education and Counseling.
Dickinson, G.E. (2006). Teaching end-of-life issues in US medical
schools: 1975-2005. American Journal of Hospice and Palliative
Medicine, 23, 197-204.
Gilbert, K.R. (2004). Death education on the “net”: Development and
delivery of “grief in a family context”. In Cox, G. & Bendikson, R.
(Eds.). Teaching the sociology of dying and death. (pp. 83-91).
Washington, DC: American Sociological Association.
Research Report
Cumberland L
Finding Sense and Significance in the Loss
of One’s Child: A Mixed Methods Study of
Meaning-Making
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Intermediate
Neimeyer, Robert, PhD1; Currier, Joseph, MA1; Lichtenthal, Wendy,
PhD2
University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, United States; 2Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, United States
1
Bereaved parents are vulnerable to a range of physical and emotional
difficulties that often do not abate considerably with time. While parental bereavement is generally challenging, there are some individuals
88
www.adec.org
who are at particularly vulnerable to poor bereavement adaptation.
Specifically, research suggests that parents who struggle with finding meaning in their loss may face more negative outcomes. This
presentation will report findings from a mixed methods (quantitative
and qualitative) investigation of the role of finding meaning following
parental bereavement. In addition to providing information on the circumstances surrounding their losses, 156 bereaved parents completed
standardized measures of grief (Core Bereavement Items and Inventory
of Complicated Grief) and questions assessing both the process and
degree of sense-making and benefit-finding associated with their child’s
death. Of the risk factors examined in the study, sense-making emerged
as the most salient correlate of grief severity, accounting for 5 to 15
times the amount of the unique variance in parents’ grief symptoms as
the amount of time since loss or the cause of the death. Examination of
parents’ qualitative responses to open-ended questions about sensemaking and benefit-finding revealed several common themes, suggesting considerable overlap between these two constructs. While 53% of
the sample offered a way in which they made sense of their loss, 45%
of parents explicitly stated that they were unable to make sense of their
child’s death. These parents reported more severe grief symptoms and
less adequate support. Findings from this study highlight the importance
and complexity of meaning-making for bereaved parents.
Research Report
Objectives:
1. Discuss theoretical and empirical work on the role of finding meaning in parental bereavement
2. Report quantitative and qualitative findings from an examination of
meaning-making after the loss of a child
3. Understand the potential clinical relevance and complexity of
meaning-making for bereaved parents
This study explored the experiences of 4 adults who lost a sibling in
adulthood. Using in-depth conversational interviews, participants were
invited to share their journey of meaning making as they worked to integrate the loss of their sibling into their lives. Using a narrative inquiry
approach, the presenter moved forward and backward in time, drawing on her own experience of sibling loss to help co-create an overall
narrative of the experience. This presentation will provide highlights
from the study.
References:
Braun, M. J. & Berg, D. H. (1994). Meaning reconstruction in the
experience of parental bereavement. Death Studies, 18, 105-129.
Davis, C. G., Nolen-Hoeksema, S., & Larson, J. (1998). Making sense
of loss and benefiting from experience: Two construals of meaning.
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 75, 561-574.
Keesee, N. J., Currier, J. M., & Neimeyer, R. A. (in press). Predictors
of grief following the death of one’s child: The contribution of finding
meaning. Journal of Clinical Psychology.
Murphy, S. A., Johnson, L. C., & Lohan, J. (2003). Finding meaning in
a child’s violent death: A five-year prospective analysis of parents’
personal narratives and empirical data. Death Studies, 27, 381404.
Rubin, S. S. & Malkinson, R. (2001). Parental response to child loss
across the life cycle: Clinical and research perspectives. In M. S.
Stroebe, R. O. Hansson, W. Stroebe, & H. Schut (Eds.) Handbook of
bereavement research (pp. 219-240). Washington, DC: American
Psychological Association.
Winjngaards-de Meij, L., Stroebe, M., Schut, H., Stroebe, W., van den
Bout, J., van der Heijden, P., et al. (2005). Couples at risk following
the death of their child: Predictors of grief and depression. Journal of
Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 73, 617-623.
Objectives:
1. Recognize the unique elements of loss associated with the loss of a
sibling
2. Describe the meaning making strategies evident amongst bereaved
adult siblings
3. Identify the implications of this research for professionals working
with bereaved adult siblings
www.adec.org
Cumberland J
Silent Grief: A Narrative Inquiry Into the
Meaning Making Processes of Bereaved
Adult Siblings
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Introductory
Marshall, Brenda, MEd
OISE/University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Identified as a disenfranchised loss, the death of a sibling in adulthood
is rarely recognized as a significant loss. Adult siblings are often seen
as the least impacted family member when a sibling dies with concern
first directed toward the grieving spouse and children and then the deceased’s parents. Adult siblings, are seen as less central to the grieving
process and are often expected to be a source of strength and support
for other family members. In reality, many siblings suffer terribly at the
loss of such an important person in their lives. Considered an “out of
order” loss, the death of a sibling represents the end of what likely
would have been their longest lasting relationship in life.
References:
Cicirelli, V. (1995). Sibling relationships across the life span. New
York: Plenum Press.
Cole, A., & Knowles, G. (2001). Lives in context. The art of life history
research. California: Walnut Creek: Altamira Press.
Wray, T. J. (2003). Surviving the death of a sibling. Living through
grief when an adult brother or sister dies. New York: Three Rivers
Press.
Vaught G.R. (2006). Losing a sibling in adulthood. The Forum, 32(1),
6-7.
Leggo, C. (2004). Light and shadow: Four reasons for writing (and not
writing) autobiographically. Vitae Scholasticae, Spring, 5-22.
White, G.P. (2006). Sibling Grief. New York: iUniverse, Inc.
89
Concurrent Session XI – Saturday, April 18, 11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
Saturday, April 18, 11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
Invited
F
Cumberland E/F
Mass Tragedy Funeral Challenges:
What We Learned From Katrina
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Traumatic Death
Introductory
Schoen III, Gerard L., LFD
Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home
As a fifth-generation licensed funeral director in New Orleans for
nearly 30 years, Gerard Schoen has seen airliner crashes, multiplefatality car crashes, and other mass casualties before. The widespread
flooding that ensued in New Orleans in the aftermath of Katrina,
however, was a tragedy no one expected and few prepared for. In
addition to the hundreds of deaths as a result of the hurricane and
flooding, Schoen and his staff were responsible for the care of more
than 20 families whose loved ones were already in his funeral home’s
care. With five to eight feet of water in the funeral home, Schoen led
the effort to recover bodies from the funeral home and continue to
serve families in the New Orleans community. Efforts were not only
hampered by knowing many families had been displaced across the
country, but also by the knowledge that he and many of his staff had
also lost their homes. In this session, Schoen reviews how the recovery
effort unfolded, what lessons were learned about responding to masscasualty disasters, and provides attendees with a unique “insider’s
view” from New Orleans in the early hours of that tragedy.
Objectives:
1. Explain key factors that complicate funeral practices after a mass
disaster
2. Describe creative ways professionals can fulfill family requests
when circumstances make traditional rituals difficult or impossible
3. Use practical, proven communication principles with families after
mass disaster
References:
Colten, C. E., Cates, R.W., & Laska, S.B. (2008). Three years after Katrina: Lessons for community resilience. Environment, 50 (5), 36-47.
Defort, E.J. (2005). Survivor: Louisiana. American Funeral Director,
126 (November), 38-42
Kessler, R. C., et. al. (2006). Mental illness and suicidality after Hurricane Katrina. Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 84, 1-21.
Mills, M.A., Edmondson, D., & Park, C.L. (2007). Trauma and stress
response among Hurricane Katrina evacuees. American Journal of
Public Health, 97, S-116-S123.
Rando, T.A. (1993). Treatment of complicated mourning. Champaign,
IL: Research Press
Rhoads, J. (2006). Post-Hurricane Katrina challenge: Vibrio vulnificus.
Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, 18, 318324.
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Research Report
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Predictors of Grief Reactions Among
Dementia Caregivers
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Professional Issues
Intermediate
Ott, Carol, PhD
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, United States
The purpose of this longitudinal prospective study was to better understand what factors in caregivers of persons with dementia prior to the
care recipient’s death predict high levels of grief in bereavement. The
sample of bereaved caregivers was drawn from a larger descriptive
study of 201 spouse and adult child caregivers who provided care to
their parent/spouse with dementia. Assessments of caregivers were carried out yearly until the death of the care recipient. This report is based
on 51 caregivers who experienced the death of their care recipient in
the course of the study. Following the Marwitt and Meuser grief model,
bivariate correlation coefficients, partial correlation hcoefficients and
multiple linear regression were performed to identify the relationship
of pre-death factors and the levels of grief after the death. Pre-death
individual situational variables, coping strategies, and the caregivers’
mental health were included. Pre-death variables of grief, depression,
severity of disease, optimism, positive states of mind, and social support were all significantly correlated to post death grief as measured by
the Inventory of Complicated Grief (Prigerson, 1995). After adjusting
for the level of disease, pre-death coping strategies of denial and
self blame contributed to increased post-death grief while pre-death
emotional support was correlated with a decrease. A multiple linear
regression with pre-death severity of illness, grief, and social support
explained 43% of the variance in post death grief among the caregivers. Results will be discussed in terms of pre-death assessment and intervention with caregivers of persons with dementia prior to the death.
Objectives:
1. Identify pre-death factors that impact bereavement outcomes
2. Identify potential pre-death interventions to decrease post-death
grief
3. Identify assessment tools to identify pre and post death grief
References:
Ott, C.H., Sander, S., & Kelber, S. (2007). Grief and personal growth
experiences of spouses and adult children caregivers of person’s
with Alzheimer’s disease. The Gerontologist, 47: 798-809.
Sanders, S., Ott, C. H., Kelber, S. (2008). The experience of high
levels of grief in caregivers of person’s with Alzheimer’s disease and
related dementia. Death Studies.
Schultz, R., Boerner, K, Shear, K., Zhang, M., Gitlin, L. (2006). Predictors of complicated grief among dementia caregivers. American
Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 14, 650-659.
Marwit, S. J., & Meuser, T. M. (2005). Development of a short form
inventory to assess grief in caregivers of dementia patients. Death
Studies, 29, 191-205.
Prigerson, H., Maciejewski, P., Reynolds, C., Bierhals, A., Newson,
J., Fasiczka, A., Frank, E. et al. (1995). Inventory of complicated
grief: A scale to measure maladaptive symptoms of loss. Psychiatry
Research, 59, 65-79.
www.adec.org
Cumberland B
Art Beyond Sight: Embodied Healing by
Adults Living With Vision Loss
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Introductory
Jaworek, Joseph, MA-CT, ATR-BC
New Jersey Foundation for the Blind, Boonton Twp, NJ, United States
The Artist’s Studio at the New Jersey Foundation for the Blind is a
10-week class designed to identify, recover and enhance creativity
in adults (55 and older) living with vision loss. This presentation will
focus on how blind adults have used sculpting with clay to develop an
increased sense of Haptic understanding and have integrated the experience to reconnect with self, family and community. Participants will be
provided with descriptive exercises to facilitate meaningful dialogue to
validate transformation in the individual experience of art making and
increase client awareness of healthy interdependence to solve problems. The presentation will identify ways in which the experience of loss
of orientation may be taken into consideration when developing art
directives for those living with vision loss; specifically participants will
learn how art materials can be modified to accommodate the loss of
mobility, sight, language and memory. Special attention will be placed
on enhancing mindfulness: through increased awareness in subtle shifts
of client focus and how witnessing the art making process serves as
validation and is restorative to the functioning of the client.
Objectives:
1. Discuss the implication of the embodiment process into artwork
2. Identify specific interventions to assist the visually impaired to access art materials
3. Recognizing the purpose of art serving as witness to the healing
process
References:
Abraham, R. (2005). When words have lost their meaning. Westport,
CT: Greenwood Publishing Group.
Boss, P. (2006). Loss, trauma, and resilience: Therapeutic work with
ambiguous loss. New York: W.W. Norton.
Kramer, E. (1986). The art therapist’s third hand. American Journal of
Art Therapy, 24, 71-86.
Neimeyer, R. (2000). The language of loss: Grief therapy as a process
of meaning reconstruction. In R. Neimeyer (Ed.), Meaning reconstruction and the experience of loss (pp. 261-292). Washington
D.C.: The American Psychological Association.
Cumberland C
The Use of Biblical and Rabbinic Texts as
Tools for Healing in a Bereavement
Support Group
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Religious/Spiritual
Introductory
Arshinoff, Rabbi Rena, RN, BA, MHSC, MAHL
University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
In our death averse and death denying society, mourners often feel
very alone. In their lonely and painful journey of grief, some individuals
experience a spiritual crisis. This sense of despair and questioning of
faith and life may contribute to their isolation and loneliness. Friends
and relatives are often at a loss as to how to help. While we each
grieve in our own way, connecting with others who are also grieving
www.adec.org
can be very supportive and comforting in a bereavement support group
that becomes a safe “community.”
Jewish mourning practices are grounded in Torah, other Biblical writings, Talmud, and Midrash. Such texts tell of stories of despair and
hope and illustrate the struggles of ordinary people concerning grief,
the reality of human frailty, questioning, anger at God, and ultimate
healing. These themes serve as the impetus for discussion of personal
reactions to loss and spiritual challenges. We read in the Ethics of our
Fathers (Pirkei Avot) 3:3 “when two people sit and words of Torah pass
between them, the Divine Presence rests between them”. Text study in
a bereavement support group allows mourners to identify their own
feelings as they personally interpret the texts, address their personal
spiritual crisis issues, find strength framed in their faith tradition, and
ultimately support others in the group.
This session presents the use of specific Biblical and Rabbinic texts in
a Jewish bereavement support group as an adjunct to discussion in
addressing spiritual challenges, moving from despair to hope, and
finding meaning to loss within the tradition of Judaism that sanctifies life
through memory, love, and healing.
Objectives:
1. Describe the value of using Biblical texts with individuals who are
bereaved
2. Discuss the importance of providing grief support in ways that
relate to culturally appropriate norms and rituals
3. Apply relevant Biblical texts to the mourning practices of their own
faith tradition
References:
Ariel, D.S. (1998). Spiritual Judaism. Restoring heart and soul to Jewish life. New York, NY: Hyperion.
Brook N & Blair, P. (2007). I wasn’t ready to say goodbye. Naperville,
IL: Sourcebooks.
Brener, A. (2001). Mourning & mitzvah. A guide journal for walking
the mourner’s path through grief to healing. Woodstock, VT: Jewish
Lights Publishing.
Cutter, Rabbi W. (2007). Healing and the Jewish imagination. Woodstock, VT: JEWISH LIGHTS Publishing.
Friedman, Rabbi D.A. (Ed.) (2005). Jewish Pastoral Care. Woodstock,
VT: Jewish Lights Publishing.
Kumar, S.M. (2005). Grieving mindfully. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications, Inc.
Levine, Rabbi A. (1994). To comfort the bereaved. Northvale, NJ:
Jason Aronson Inc.
Levine, S. (2005). Unattended sorrow. Emanus, PA: Rodale.
Practice Report
Cumberland H
Same Time Next Year: Ritualized Remembrances of World AIDS Day
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Intermediate
HIV Arts Network, New York, NY, United States
Since 1987, the world of AIDS activism, healing-helping-caregiving
communities have instituted a global commemoration of those lost to
HIV/AIDS by observing World AIDS Day (December 1st). This event
has afforded many cultures to put their imprint on how best to remember the struggles of those lost to AIDS. The meaning(s) of these ritualized remembrances wil be explored at this presentation.
91
Highlights will focus on commemorating the over 2.3 million Americans
how have died from AIDS and the individuals [every 3 seconds daily
who are being HIV-infected]. Inspite of pharmaceutical successes with
the HIV virus, the rise of deaths continue to increase today. Many are
not responding to the anti-viral medications and they now have to
prepare themselves and their survivors to the dying process.
From the conventional funerals and cremations - common to the masses,
AIDS survivors have creatively and globally instituted many forms
of commemorated the deceased from AIDS. Highlights of culturallydifferent ways of honoring those lost to AIDS on World AIDS Day; from
the traditional reading of names, candle-lighting, moments of silence
to “life celebrations”, block parties, week-end crusies, community
acknowledgements, tree plantings, Mardi-Gras-style marches, dancemovement-yoga-healing circles, and poetry-creations. These unique
methods of honoring the deceased and their clinical implications will
be discussed.
Objectives:
1. Recognize the unconventional and unique ways in which persons
lost to AIDS are honored on World AIDS Day
2. Discuss how the stigma from AIDS death still nessecitates different
post-bereavement venues and rituals
3. Discuss clinical grief counseling framework on how World AIDS
Day rituals utilize different and unique clinician-client interactions
References:
Badahdah, A.M. & Alkhder, O.H. (2006). Helping a friend with AIDS:
A test of Weiner’s attributional theory in Kuwait. Illness, Crisis &
Loss, 14(1), 43-54.
Meris, D. (2005). AIDS commemorations: Analysis of media coverage
over two decades. ADEC Proceedings 2005, p. A-20.
Miller, R. L. (2005). An appointment with God: AIDS, place and spirituality. Journal of Sex Research, 42(1), 35-45.
Simoni, J.M., Martone, M.G. & Kerwin, J.F. (2002). Spirituality and
psychological adaptation among women with HIV/AIDS: Implications for counseling. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 49(2),
139-147.
Practice Report
Cumberland I
End-of-Life Care:
Recognizing and Resolving Ethical Conflicts
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Professional Issues
Intermediate
Advocate Lutheran General Hospital, Des Plaines, IL, United States
Professionals working in the field of end-of-life care frequently encounter conflicts between values and principles involved in ethical decisionmaking. There is a need to recognize such conflicts and their place in
ethical decision-making with patients, families, and others. Through the
use of case studies, participants will work together to examine the possible tensions within such cases and attempt to resolve of those tensions
across a variety of issues.
Professionals working in the field of end-of-life care frequently encounter conflicts between values and principles in ethical decision-making
around such issues as autonomy, decisional capacity, goals setting, surrogate decision-making, and withholding and withdrawing treatment.
These values and principles make particular demands on all involved
in the decision-making process. In order to address these conflicts, it
is necessary to prioritize those values/principles that might hold sway
over others as well as constructing a justification for such prioritization.
92
It is necessary to be able to recognize such conflicts, their place in the
ethical decision-making process with patients, families, and others as
well as the necessity for ethical reflection regarding decision-making.
Through the use of a lecture and interactive discussion format, participants will be exposed to a number of end-of-life case studies and
encouraged to work together to recognize the tensions between values
and principles present within such cases. A further discussion will consider possible resolutions for these tensions in a manner that attempts to
acknowledge and honor a priority and attempt to come to some resolution of those tensions across a variety of ethical issues.
Objectives:
1. Define terms and approaches used in the process of ethical
decision-making
2. Recognize and evaluate principles/values that pertain to the ethical
question present in case presentations
3. Discern conflicts between these principles/values and establish
priorities as a way of working toward a possible resolution
References:
Quante, M. (1999). Precedent autonomy and personal autonomy. Kennedy Institute of Ethics Journal 9 (4), 365-381.
Richman, K.A. Ethics and the metaphysics of medicine: Reflections on
health and beneficence.
G. McGee & A. Caplan, (eds.). (2004). Basic bioethics. Cambridge,
MA: The MIT Press.
Cassell, E.J. (1991). The nature of suffering and the goals of medicine.
New York: Oxford University Press.
Taylor, J.S. (Ed.) Personal autonomy: New essays on personal autonomy and its role in contemporary moral philosophy. Cambridge,
United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press. 2005
Practice Report
Cumberland K
Past and Present:
The History of Death as Death Education
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Death Education
Intermediate
Cruz, Laura, PhD
Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC, United States
This session will outline a freshmen level, general education course
on the History of Death taught for the past five years at a mid-level
regional comprehensive university. While most universities offer
undergraduate courses in death, few, if any, do so in the history
curriculum and this session will evaluate the effectiveness of studying
death through history. Chronologically, the course covers historical
attitudes towards death from the earliest civilizations to the present day.
The critical framework comes from Phillipe Aries’implicit question, did
people in the past die better than we do today? The course was initially
designed to treat death objectively, as a tracer of historical change,
and not subjectively as an object of moral reflection, but after two
years the instructor reversed these positions and introduced a series of
experiential learning activities designed to confront students with their
own mortality. The session will model these activities, some gleaned
from other instructors of thanatology and some from the instructor’s own
mixing of historical objectives with death education. Using pre- and
post- death anxiety scales and focus groups and one-on-one interviews,
the researchers captured the impact of the switch for just over 300
students. The empirical data strongly suggests that the changes made
in this course provides a strikingly effective and largely unexplored
model of death education. The session will cover course design, lesson
design, project design, course management, lessons learned, future
implications and possible applications outside of history.
www.adec.org
Objectives:
1. Evaluate the significance of historical perspectives in death education
2. Conceptualize goals for death education for specific disciplines
3. Plan and create new approaches to death education using examples from the history classroom
Research Report
References:
Basu, S., & Heuser, L. (2003). Using service learning in death education. Death Studies, 27 (10), 901-27.
Edgerton, S., Holm, G., Daspit, T., & Farber, P. (2004). Vampires on
campus: Reflections on (Un)death, transformation, and blood knowledges in the addiction. Imagining the Campus 1(4), 231-246.
Cruz, L. (2005). Morbid fascination: Teaching the history of death.
Academic Exchange Quarterly, 115-122.
Heuser, L. (1995) Death education: A model of student-participatory
learning. Death Studies, 19 (6), 583-90.
Rapke, Jennifer, MA
Research Report
Cumberland A
Africanisms: Death and Mourning Rituals of
the Gullahs of the Sea Islands
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Death Education
Introductory
Swift, Diane, MA
Swift and Associates, Kansas City, MO, United States
This presentation will uncover the Africanisms found in the death and
mourning rituals of the Gullahs. They area descendents of slaves from
Sierre Leone and other West African countries. The slaves were brought
to Georgia and South Carolina, but have maintained 300 years of
African burial, mourning rituals and superstitions. Oral traditions have
been the primary method of recording the practices of this group. A
film based on mourning traditions and the connection to their African
ancestors will be shown.
The presenter traveled to the Sea Islands to study the Gullah traditions
and the correlation to the Four African Philosophies. Their ancestors
brought their time-honored funeral and burial rites from Africa. The
presenter will take a multi-dimensional approach to this presentation.
Included will be an art installation of actual burial traditions, excerpts
from films and other media, and selected interviews from both the Gullahs and informants from West Africa.
Objectives:
1. Decipher the relationship between Africanisms and their connection
between West African and Gullah death and mourning traditions
2. Describe the parallel between two distinct cultures upon viewing
film
3. Explain the installation of material culture that connects the slaves
of West Africa and the Gullahs of the Sea Islands
References:
Blockson, C.L. (1986). Sea changes in the Sea islands. National Geographic, 172, (5): 735-763.
Dash, J. (2003). Daughters of the dust. The New Press.
Holloway, K. (2003). Passed on: African American mourning stories.
Duke University
Gullah Images: The Art of Jonathan Green. (1966). University of South
Carolina Press.
www.adec.org
Cumberland J
A Preliminary Study of Hospital-Based
Bereavement Care in American Hospitals
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Larger Systems
Intermediate
Advocacy & Support Center, Shepherdsville, KY, United States
As increasingly more individuals die in hospitals each year, the need
for bereavement care of patients and their families multiplies. Hospitalbased bereavement programs are a relatively new phenomenon with
inception being traced to 1985 at St. Mary’s Medical Center in Minnesota. With much of the needs of the bereaved currently being served
by Hospices and palliative care services, studies find that there are not
enough programs to serve the current needs of the bereaved. Several
countries have pioneered the field of hospital-based bereavement care,
including the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. Despite
the success of bereavement programs globally, the 7,569 hospitals
in the United States have varied levels of bereavement programming.
Some professionals have called for a standard of care in the field in order to insure quality bereavement care is being provided to all patients,
families, and employees. Prior to a standard of care being developed,
it is important to know the current state of the field and relative success
of existing programs. Although prevalence and comparative studies
have been conducted for Hospice and palliative care programs, no
such study was found specifically addressing bereavement care in
hospitals. The current study, sponsored by the ADEC Hospital-Based
Bereavement Program Networking Group SIG, surveyed a representative sample of hospitals in the United States to determine the prevalence
and comprehensiveness of services provided. Data from the study will
be reviewed in this session and initial conclusions will be postulated. It
is hoped that the data from this study will then serve in the development
of a standard of care for hospital bereavement services.
Objectives:
1. Recognize patterns in hospital-based bereavement programs offered in the US
2. Identify mediating and moderating variables that contribute to the
development of hospital bereavement programs
3. Develop preliminary recommendations for a standard of bereavement care in hospital settings
References:
American Hospital Association. (2004, October 24). Resource center:
Fast facts from AHA hospital statistics. Retrieved July 4, 2005, from
http://www.aha.org/aha/resource_center/fastfacts/fast_facts_us_
hospitals.html
Billings, J.A., & Pantilat, S. (2001). Survey of palliative care programs
in United States teaching hospitals. Journal of Palliative Care, 4,
309-314.
Broche, T.A. (2007). A grief team within a healthcare system. Dimensions of Critical Care Nursing, 26, 21-28.
Wolfe, B. (2001). A hospital-based grief support center: The nuts and
bolts of development. In Weeks, O.D., & Johnson, C. (Eds.), When
all the friends have gone: A guide for aftercare providers (pp.155172). Amityville, NY: Baywood Publishing.
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Concurrent Session XII – Saturday, April 18, 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Practice Report
Cumberland L
Creative Interventions for Children
Experiencing Traumatic Grief
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Traumatic Death
Intermediate
Private Practice, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Traumatic grief refers to a condition in which both unresolved grief and
PTSD symptoms are present. Children who suffer from traumatic grief
are dealing with both trauma and loss, and require treatment that addresses trauma symptoms as well as traditional grief therapy.
Saturday, April 18, 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Invited
F
Participants will come away with a better understanding of grief theory,
and many new and innovative counseling techniques.
Objectives:
1 Cite the symptoms and reactions of childhood traumatic grief
2. Apply at least 5 new techniques in sessions with bereaved children
3. Identify ways to involve children’s caregivers in counseling sessions
References:
Toronto: Champion Press.
Webb, N.B. (2002). Helping bereaved children. A handbook for practitioners (2nd ed.). New York: Guilford Press.
Hodas, G. (2006). Responding to childhood trauma: The promise and
practice of trauma informed care. Harrisburg: Pennsylvania Office of
Mental and Substance Abuse Services.
Goldman, L. (2005). Raising our children to be resilient: A guide to
helping children cope with trauma in today’s world. New York, NY:
Brunner-Routledge.
94
The Role of Funerals in Healing Grief
Symposium
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Intermediate
Worden, J. Williams,1; Sofka, Carla, MA, PhD, BS2; Doka, Kenneth,1; Weeks, O. Duane,1; Hoy, William,3
1
3
This training will combine theoretical material with practical techniques.
A brief overview of childhood traumatic grief will be presented, i.e.
definition, symptoms and reactions, risk and resilience factors. Innovative activities will be presented to help bereaved children address
trauma symptoms, process grief reactions, commemorate the deceased,
and strengthen healthy coping. Activities will also be presented on
special issues such as suicide and homicide. Since research highlights
the importance of positive parenting for bereaved children, ideas for
enhancing caregiver-child relationships will be discussed.
Cumberland K
Rosemead School of Psychology; 2Siena College, Albany, NY, United States;
GriefConnect, Inc., Crawford, TX, United States
The literature in our field is overwhelmingly positive about the importance of funerals and other immediate post-death rituals. Funerals and
other memorial services in the early days of grief help confirm the
reality of the death, help family and community remember the life of
the deceased and his/her impact on the bereaved, find solace in faith
and life values, and say goodbye to the dead. In this concurrent session, participants will hear some of our field’s leading voices interact
about the role of funerals and memorial services, learn from them what
works and what doesn’t in helping the bereaved, and discover possible
pitfalls and needed improvements to enhance their effectiveness.
Objectives:
1. Explain key findings from clinical research and experience on the
value of memorialization in healing bereavement
2. Communicate the practical value of memorialization in the grief
process
3. Describe examples of creative funeral and memorial services that
meet needs experienced by bereaved individuals, families, and
communities
References:
Doka, K. J. (1984). Expectation of death, participation in planning
funeral rituals, and grief adjustment. Omega: Journal of Death and
Dying, 15, 119-130 (2002). The role of ritual in the treatment of
disenfranchised grief. In K.J. Doka (Ed.), Disenfranchised grief: New
directions, challenges, and strategies for practice (pp. 135-147).
Champaign, IL: Research Press
Hoy, W. G. (2006). Why we gather: Healing and the funeral. Deerfield, IL: Selected Resources. (2008). Road to Emmaus: Pastoral care
with the dying and bereaved. Dallas: Compass Press.
Laderman, G. (2003). Rest in peace: A cultural history of death and
the funeral home in twentieth-century America. New York: Oxford
University Press.
Manning, D. (2001). The funeral: A chance to touch, a chance to
serve, a chance to heal. Oklahoma City, OK: InSight Books
Sofka, C. J. (1997). Social support “internetworks,” caskets for sale,
and more: Thanatology and the information superhighway. Death
Studies, 21, 553-574. (2004). What kind of funeral: Identifying and
resolving family conflicts. Generations, 28, 21-25.
Weeks, O. D. (2004). Comfort and healing: Death ceremonies that
work. Journal of Illness, Crisis, and Loss, 12, 113-125. (2005).
A pre-death ritual for Mable. The Forum, 31 (October-December),
9-10.
York: Guilford. (2008). Grief counseling and grief therapy: A handbook for the mental health practitioner. New York: Springer.
Zulli, A. P. & Weeks, O.D. (1997). Healing rituals: Pathways to wholeness during prolonged illness and following death. In K.J. Doka &
www.adec.org
J. Davidson (Eds.), Living with grief: When illness is prolonged (pp.
177-191). Washington, DC: HFA Press.
Cumberland B
The Creative Use of Therapeutic Games With
Bereaved Children
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Intermediate
Private Practice, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Game therapy is a form of play therapy that utilizes formal, organized
games as psychotherapeutic tools. Games provide an effective means
for therapeutic work with children who, by virtue of their developmental
needs or their treatment issues, are difficult to engage in traditional
play or “talking” therapy. Games are not only a source of fun and
enjoyment for children, but they can be used to facilitate physical,
cognitive, emotional, and social growth. Through lecture and activity
demonstrations, this workshop will provide theoretical information,
creative techniques, and practical guidelines for the use of therapeutic
games with bereaved children and their families. More specifically,
the history and value of game play will be discussed. The criteria for
game selection will be presented. The process for presenting games
and debriefing after the games will be outlined. Strategies for dealing
with challenging client behaviors will also be reviewed. A number of
innovative therapeutic games will be presented to help children and
families process grief reactions, commemorate the deceased, and
facilitate coping.
Objectives:
1. Identify the therapeutic value of game play
2. Identify the process of presenting games, and how to debrief after
games
3. Use at least 5 new and creative games in individual, group, or
family sessions with bereaved children and familiest
References:
Toronto: Champion Press
Schaefer, C.E., & Reid, S.E. (2001). Game play: Therapeutic use of
childhood games. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Webb, N.B. (2002). Helping bereaved children: A handbook for practitioners (2nd ed.). New York: Guilford Press.
Reddy, L., Files-Hall, T., & Schaefer, C.E. (2005). Empirically based
play interventions for children. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
www.adec.org
Cumberland C
Visions, Dreams, and Metaphors of the Dying:
What They Mean and How We Can Help
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Religious/Spiritual
Intermediate
Atkins, Martha, MA, LPC-S
University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United States
Deathbed Phenomena (DBP), such as visions and dreams soon before
death, have been recorded since the 15th century. While little empirical research has been compiled, anecdotal evidence documenting
these experiences is substantial and crosses religious, cultural, and
socioeconomic stratums. This workshop will not debate why deathbed
phenomena occur or if they are real. The author postulates that the
experiences are real to clients and caregivers and therefore a rich opportunity for study.
Recent research indicates healthcare providers and those in a position
to counsel the dying and bereaved are likely to ignore signs of deathbed phenomena. Visions, dreams, and the use of metaphors by the
dying may be disregarded as functions of a dying brain or attributed to
medication. Further research suggests some professionals feel hesitant
and ill equipped to discuss deathbed phenomena because these experiences fall into the realm of spirituality. When deathbed phenomena are
ignored or not addressed because of fear or lack of knowledge, the
dying and their caregivers may be unnecessarily burdened.
Based on Bugental’s meaning making framework, this experiential
workshop will focus on: (1) defining deathbed phenomena, (2) the
experience of deathbed phenomena for the dying, (3) the experience
of deathbed phenomena for the witness (family members or caregivers
at the bedside of the dying), (4) how counseling and healthcare professionals can facilitate these meaningful exchanges. Relevant research
will be presented as well as opportunities to practice techniques for
addressing deathbed phenomena.
Objectives:
1. Recognize deathbed experiences
2. Discuss inclusion of deathbed experiences into grieving process
3. Address spirituality and deathbed experiences for clients and those
providing care
References:
Bering, J. M. (2006). The folk psychology of souls. Behavioral and
Brain Sciences, 29, 453-498.
Callanan, M., & Kelly, P. (1992). Final Gifts. New York: Bantam Books.
Ethier, A. (2005). Death-related sensory experiences. Journal of Pediatric Oncology Nursing, 22, 104-111.
Fenwick, P., Lovelace, H., & Brayne,S. (2007). Deathbed phenomena
and their effect on a palliative care team: A pilot study. American
Journal of Hospice & Palliative Medicine, 23, 17-24.
Fox, M. (2003). Religon, spirituality and the near-death experience.
London: Routledge.
Kubler-Ross, E. (1999). The tunnel and the light: Essential insights on
living and dying. New York: Marlowe and Company.
O’Connor, D. (2003). Palliative care nurses’ experiences of paranormal phenomena and their influence on nursing practice. Paper presented at the Making Sense of Dying and Death Inter-Disciplinary
Conference, Paris, France, 2003.
Osis, K., & Harroldsson, E. (1977). Deathbed observation by physicians and nurses: A cross-cultural survey. The Journal of the American Society for Psychical Research, 71 (3), 237-259.
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Stafford, B. (2006). Are they hallucinations or are they real? The
spirituality of deathbed and near-death visions. Omega, 53 (1-2),
37-49.
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Cumberland G
The Wisdom and Comfort of a Suicide
Bereavement Group
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Professional Issues
Intermediate
Kosoy, Marjorie, EdD; Levin, Sheryl, MEd
Private Practice, Bellaire, TX, United States
No family is exempt: Suicide claims more than 1,000,000 lives each
year. Those who have survived the suicide of a loved one must live with
the lonely clamor of their pain. Survivors of suicide struggle to make
sense out of their loved one’s choice. Feelings of guilt, shame, anger
and deep sadness often isolate these mourners. A video of a therapist
led group of survivors of suicide illustrates how members learn to gently
peel back the layers of their pain and to connect to one another. Again
and again they re-visit the trauma with the group as their support. Little
by little they reclaim parts of their lives. Members of this group illustrate
their commonalities and differences in the grieving process. There
are those who lived with a mentally ill family member and others who
never suspected that their loved one had a problem which would result
in suicide. There are those who are alone in their grief and others who
worry about the effects of the death on other members of the family.
Presenters will provide materials and opportunities for an interactive
discussion following the video.
Objectives:
1. Observe the value of the connections formed in situation specific
group process as related to suicide
2. Recognize the differences in the grief process between those family
members who have experienced sudden unexplained suicide and
those who have experienced a suicide due to chronic mental illness
3. Understand the importance of allowing each person to describe his
grief narrative for as long as he needs and in as much detail as he
requires
References:
Balk, D. (2005). After suicide loss: coping with your grief. Death Studies, 29, 459-463.
Collins, J. (2007). Finding hope and healing in the wake of tragedy.
New York: Penguin Books.
Doka, K. (1996). Living with grief: After sudden loss, suicide, homicide, accident, heart attack, stroke. Hospice Foundation of America.
Fine, C. (1997). No time to say goodbye: Surviving the suicide of a
loved one. New York: Broadway Books.
Cumberland H
The Gift of Presence in Helping
Bereaved Individuals
Professional Issues
Intermediate
Harris, Darcy, MEd, RSW1; Hunter, Brad, BA2; Jeffrey, Kauffman,
MA, LCSW3
1
King’s College London, London, Ontario, Canada; 2private practice, London, Ontario, Canada; 3private practice, Upper Darby, PA, United States
Presence is often viewed as the most healing aspect of the therapeutic
encounter, as it is the “gift” that is offered to individuals through the
therapeutic alliance in helping relationships. In this workshop, the
concept of presence, or “being with” another will be explored through
the sharing of three experienced therapists who work with bereaved
individuals. Attendees will be invited to participate in exercises to help
increase awareness of presence through preparation, exploration, and
practice in the session.
Objectives:
1. Define and describe the conditions necessary for therapeutic presence
2. Participate in an exercise designed to increase awareness of presence in the therapeutic context
3. Discuss the relationship between personal awareness and the practice of presence with others
References:
Geller, S. M., & Greenberg, L. S. (2001). Therapeutic presence: Therapists’ experience of presence in the psychotherapeutic encounter.
Person-Centered and Experiential Psychotherapies, 1(1/2), 71-86.
Thomson, R. F. (2000). Zazen and psychotherapeutic presence. American Journal of Psychotherapy, 54(4), 531-548.
Hunter, P. B. (2006). Attention! The healing potential of mindfulness.
Psychologica, 26(2), 13-19.
Kauffman, J. (2007). Culture, socialization, and traumatic death. In D.
Balk (Ed.), Handbook of thanatology (pp. 255-261). Northbrook,
IL: Association for Death Education and Counseling.
Nichols, D. (2001). Social support of the bereaved: Some practical
suggestions. In J. D. Morgan (Ed.), Social support: A reflection of
humanity (pp. 33-43). Amityville, NY: Baywood.
Cumberland I
Meet God the Bully:
When Values and Beliefs Hurt
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Dying Process
Religious/Spiritual
Intermediate
Mercy College, Elgin, IL, United States
However a person packages his/her spirituality, values and beliefs
[with or without God ] the threat of bullyism is ever present. It comes
with might, is often disguised, and it compromises our grieving, our
healing and, for professionals, our ability to provide clinical support to
others.
Sometimes healthy beliefs of yesteryear just do not seem to grasp the
realities of the contemporary and will need reframing. That is one kind
of hurt.
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Few things in life or death are more spiritually challenging than our
dying or the dying of someone close to us. It becomes the determinant
for healthy spirituality or the exposure of the deep scars of abuse in the
framework of spiritual bullyism.
This workshop will, after a brief presentation paper, engage students
in exploring definitions (including their own), recognizing, framing and
responding to the evidence of spiritual/religious abuse, and how best
to respond personally and therapeutically without further bullying them
or ourselves.
Objectives:
1. Develop workable definitions of spirituality, religion and beliefs and
how to assess them in others
2. Develop strategies for stepping into these definitions in others and
to identify areas of hurt and abuse
3. Define specific intervention goals and tools while avoiding extending their victimization and ours
References:
Beattie, T. (1007). The new atheists: The twilight of reason & the war
on religion. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis.
Dowd, E.T. & Nielsen, S. (Eds.) (2006). The psychologies in religion:
Working with the religious client. New York: Springer.
Garces-Foley, K. (Ed.) (2006). Death and religion in a changing world.
Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe.
Gilbert, R., Lucke, G. & Barrett, R. (2006). Protestant approaches to
death: Overcoming death’s sting. In Garces-Foley, K. (Ed.) Death
and religion in a changing world. Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe.
Gilbert, R. (2008). Violence in the family: Spirituality/religion as culprit and comfort. In Stevenson, R. & Cox, G. (Eds.) Perspectives on
violence and violent death. Amityville, NY: Baywood, ch. 2.
Hood, R., Jr., Hill, P. & Williamson, W.P. (2005) The psychology of
religious fundamentalism. New York: Guilford.
Lewis, J. & Petersen, J. (Eds.) (2005). Controversial new religions. New
York: Oxford University Press.
Lines, D. (2006). Spirituality in counselling and psychotherapy. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Pergament, K. (2007). Spiritually integrated psychotherapy. New York:
Guilford.
Watts, J. (2007). Jesus & psychology. London, UK: Darton Longman
Todd.
Symposium/Panel Discussions
Cumberland J
Teaching That Matters:
On Texts and Teaching in Death Education
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Death Education
Professional Issues
Intermediate
Noppe, Illene, PhD1; Corr, Charles, PhD2; DeSpelder, Lynne, MA3;
Dickinson, George, PhD4
1
University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, Green Bay, WI, United States; 2The Hospice
Institute of the Florida Suncoast, St. Pete Beach, FL, United States; 3Cabrillo College,
Capitola, CA, United States; 4College of Charleston, Charleston, SC, United States
The main focus for this year’s “Teaching That Matters” Symposium is
on death education textbooks. The past three decades have seen an
evolution in materials available for death educators at institutions of
higher education. Death educators now have a number of materials to
choose, from edited sets of readings to disciplinary and interdisciplinary textbooks, some of which have now gone into their seventh and
eighth edition. Whether and, if so, how to effectively incorporate such
materials in the classroom is open to theoretical and empirical debate.
for this symposium, two authors will offer their experience and insights
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into the decision making process involved in selecting material for
textbooks, how these materials are designed to enhance the teaching
and learning process, and future issues for the inclusion of textbooks
in death education. The third presenter offers his insights on how he
uses box inserts and articles from an anthology of readings to enhance
student engagement and understanding. The final presenter will summarize themes presented by the other participants, discuss the value of
SoTL (Scholarship of Teaching and Learning) research on assessing the
effectiveness of textbooks in death education, and offer insights into the
differences between undergraduate and graduate textbooks.
Objectives:
1. Understand the goals and decision making processes involved
in the selection of material for textbooks for death education and
how such books can be effectively integrated into death education
courses in order to promote excellence in teaching
2. Develop a deeper understanding of special features of textbooks
and readings that can be used to enhance student engagement
and learning
3. Consider how the scholarship of teaching and learning model can
be used to assess the effective use of textbooks in death education
References:
Corr, C.A., Nabe, C.M. & Corr, D.M. (2009). Death & dying, life &
living (6th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.
DeSpelder, L.A. & Strickland, A.L. (2009). The last dance. Encountering death and dying (8th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.
Dickinson, G.E. & Leming, M.R. (2009). Annual editions: Dying,
death, and bereavement (11th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.
Leming, M.R. & Dickinson, G.E. (2007). Understanding dying, death
and bereavement (6th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishers.
Noppe, I. C. (April 2007). Bridging research and teaching. Symposium on “What we have learned from death education.” 29th
Annual Conference of the Association for Death Education and
Counseling, Indianapolis, IN.
Witman, P.D. & Richlin, L. (2007). The status of the scholarship of
Teaching and Learning in the disciplines. International Journal for the
Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 1, http://www.georgiasouthern.edu/ijsotl
Cumberland E/F
How Did I Get Into and Become an Expert in
Thanatology: Thanatologists’ Narratives
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Death Education
Professional Issues
Introductory
De Rossiter, Cher, MBA1; Wada, Kaori, MA2
Walden University, Rhinecliff, NY, United States; 2McGill University, Montréal,
Quebéc, Canada
1
For students just coming into the field, and for others new to death and
dying, their view of the professions and understanding of the nature of
working in the field are limited. We believe that hearing personal narratives of experts and senior professionals will help those who are new
to the field draw lessons and meaning from these narratives. It will also
help them form a deeper understanding of the culture of the profession
and provide the possibility to form networks, perhaps even mentoring
relationships, with those whom they can emulate. In the interest of training and mentoring the next generation of death, dying, & bereavement
professionals, the ADEC Student Initiative Committee (SIC) will host a
informal roundtable discussion with the purpose of creating an opportunity for the sharing of experience and knowledge. Invited panelists will
be those who have established themselves in the field and ADEC, who
will address topics such as circumstances that led them to choose and
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stay in thanatology, challenges that they have encountered, and advice
for those new to the profession. In addition, an interactive component
of the discussion will provide the audience with the opportunity to
dialogue with the panelists.
Objectives:
1. Recognize different pathways that experts have taken in the profession
2. Describe lessons learned and advice given by the established
3. Identify various ways in which they can enhance their professional
development
References:
Dodgen, D., Fowler, R. D., & Williams-Nickelson, C. (2003). Getting
involved in professional organizations: A gateway to career advancement. In M. J. Prinstein, & M. D. Patterson (Eds.), The portable
mentor: Expert guide to a successful career in psychology. (pp. 221233). New York, NY: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers.
Jennings, L., Goh, M., Skovholt, T. M., Hanson, M., & BanerjeeStevens, D. (2003). Multiple factors in the development of the expert
counselor and therapist. Journal of Career Development, 30, 59-72
Ragins, B. R., & Kram, K. E. (2007). The handbook of mentoring at
work: Theory, research, and practice. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Wogrin, C. (2007). Professional issues and thanatology. In D. Balk, C.
Wogrin, G. Thornton & D. Meagher (Eds.), Handbook of thanatology: The essential body of knowledge for the study of death, dying,
and bereavement, (pp. 371-385). Northbrook, IL: Association for
Death Education and Counseling.
Cumberland L
Bereavement After Suicide and
Homicide: A Conversation About
Differences and Similarities
Category:
Indicator:
Presentation Level:
Traumatic Death
Professional Issues
Intermediate
Jordan, John, PhD1; Rynearson, Edward, MD2
Private Practice, Pawtucket, RI, United States; 2University of Washington, Bainbridge
Island, WA, United States
1
The suicide or homicide of a loved one is likely to elicit profound
trauma and complicated grief responses in the mourner. Nonetheless,
clinical experience and research literature suggest that there are also
differences in the two bereavement experiences. Drawing on their
extensive work with survivors of these two types of traumatic loss, the
presenters will discuss differences and similarities between suicide and
homicide bereavement from four different aspects: the psychological
impact on the survivor; including the assumptive world of the mourner;
the consequence of the loss for the social relationships of the mourner;
longer term developmental effects of the loss; and implications for
clinical work with survivors of each type of loss. The presentation
will include discussion of case examples from the authors’ practices,
conversation between the presenters, and discussion of the ideas with
audience members.
Objectives:
1. Identify several similarities in the response to suicide and homicide
of a loved one
2. Describe differences in the response to suicide and homicide
3. Identify several implications of these similarities and differences for
providing clinical services to survivors
References:
Jordan, J. R. (2001). Is suicide bereavement different? A reassessment
of the literature. Suicide and Life Threatening Behavior 31, 91-102.
Jordan, J. & McMenamy, J. (2004). Interventions for suicide survivors:
A review of the literature. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 34,
337-349.
Rynearson, E.K. (2001). Retelling violent death. Philadelphia, PA:
Brunner-Routledge.
Rynearson, E.K. (2006). Violent death: Resilience and intervention
beyond the crisis. New York, NY: Taylor & Francis Group.
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Category and Indicator Index
Category and Indicator Index for Keynote, Invited, Specialty Workshop,
Concurrent Session and Poster Presentations
Categories: Each Presentation specifies the category that is most
Indicators: Each presentation specifies the indicator that is most appropriate for the content of the presentation.
•
Assessment and Intervention: Includes information gathered,
decisions that are made and actions that are taken by professional caregivers to determine and/or provide for the needs of
the dying, their loved ones and the bereaved.
•
Contemporary Perspectives: Theoretical perspectives in death
and dying and the factors that have influenced the perspectives
from the 1980s to the present.
•
•
Death Education: Formal and informal methods of acquiring
and disseminating knowledge about dying, death, and bereavement.
Cultural/Socialization: The influence of cultural/ethnic and
social parameters on the experience of death and loss.
•
Ethical/Legal: Aspects of dying, death and/or loss that pertain
generally to determination of right from wrong and specifically
to the principles of medical ethics; legal issues refer to the
articulated laws of a society as they pertain to thanatology.
•
Family and Individuals: Social, cognitive and physical encounters and interpretations of dying, death and loss from the standpoint of the person, and the group of people with a relational
bond and long-term commitment who define themselves as
“family.”
•
Dying Process: The physical, psychosocial and spiritual experience of facing death, living with terminal illness, the dying
process, and caring for the terminally ill.
•
End-of-Life Decision-Making: The aspects of life-threatening
illness and terminal illness that involve choices and decisions
about actions to be taken, for individuals, families and professional care-givers.
•
Loss, Grief and Mourning: The physical, behavioral, cognitive and social experience of and reactions to loss, the grief
process and practices surrounding grief and commemoration.
•
Historical Perspectives: The historical context and historical
changes that played a role in the death experience, and the
theoretical paradigms in the field of thanatology up to 1980s.
•
Traumatic Death: Sudden, violent, inflicted and or intentional
death, shocking encounters with death.
•
Larger Systems: The social organizations beyond the individual
and family that affect the experience of dying, death and grief.
•
Life Span: The consideration of death and dying and developmental perspectives from infancy to old age.
•
Professional Issues: Factors that affect professionals’ training
abilities and responsibilities in providing care.
•
Religious/Spiritual: The relationship between religious and
spiritual belief systems and the reaction to and coping with
death.
•
Resources and Research: Involves materials, organizations and
groups of individuals who facilitate knowledge acquisition;
ideas and materials are based upon the finding of empirical
research and theoretical synthesis that add to the knowledge
base.
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Category and Indicator Index for Concurrent Sessions and Posters
Death Education
Creative Healing: Using Integrative Therapies to
Help Grieving Families ..................................................... 79
Techniques for Helping Overwhelmed Bereaved ..................... 37
Integrating Adlerian Theory and Techniques
With Crisis Intervention .................................................... 63
The Last Lecture: Staying Power or a Passing Fad? .................. 82
Grief, Loss and Healing in the Age of the Internet ................... 53
Creating Meaningful Memorials:
Six Elements of Effective Bereavement Rituals ...................... 41
Does Embalming Heal? ........................................................ 45
Death and Dying at a Children’s Mental Health Agency .......... 64
The Creative Use of Therapeutic Games
With Bereaved Children ................................................... 95
When Adults Grieve a Parent, a Second Look:
‘I’m Glad the Bastard’s Dead’ ............................................ 66
Larger Systems
Long Term Care Facilities: Are They Meeting the Needs of
the Elderly With Cancer and Their Families? ....................... 75
A Preliminary Study of Hospital-Based Bereavement Care in
American Hospitals .......................................................... 93
Funeral Home Aftercare: Helping Clients Live Beyond Loss ....... 51
Partnering for Children’s Grief Support:
A Highmark Caring Place Initiative .................................... 40
Life Span
Living, Lost and Losses:
The Flight of Shelter Dwellers in the Florida Keys ................. 69
Professional Issues
The Fall and Rise of a Palliative Care Consultation Team .......... 49
Using Narrative Therapy Processes With Grieving Families ...... 88
Metaphors as Meaning-Makers in Grief Therapy ..................... 78
How to Communicate at Difficult Times
Across the Cancer Continuum ............................................ 38
Using Drawings in Working With Children and Adults ............. 30
Gender Differences in Drug Responses to
End of Life Medications ..................................................... 35
Counseling Bereaved Families
During the Identification Process ........................................ 44
Public Health Team and the Experience of
the Very Ill at Home .......................................................... 63
Whose Grief? ...................................................................... 53
Life and Death Education in Japan ......................................... 56
Death and Grief Rituals: A Multicultural, Multispiritual Look ....... 65
Africanisms: Death and Mourning Rituals of
the Gullahs of the Sea Islands ............................................ 93
I Can’t Imagine...: Art for Teaching and Practice ...................... 58
The Legacy of Dr. Edwin Shneidman: A Review of His Literary
Works in the Field of Suicidology ....................................... 80
Past and Present: The History of Death as Death Education ....... 92
Life Span
When Death Darkens the Door: Supporting Children and Families
Facing the Death of a Parent ............................................. 69
Professional Issues
When They Die Here but Need to Go There:
Shipping the Deceased Home ............................................ 68
Strategies for Mind-Body Healing .......................................... 82
Death Education Online: Lessons Learned ............................... 56
Teaching That Matters: On Texts and
Teaching in Death Education .............................................. 97
Developing a Clinical Advancement Program for Bereavement .. 74
Incorporating Technology Into Death Education Practice:
Three Formats for Delivery ................................................ 88
A Training Course for Exquisite Witness Grief Care Providers .... 52
How Did I Get Into and Become an Expert in Thanatology:
Thanatologists’ Narratives ................................................ 97
Religious/Spiritual
Pastoral Care in Bereavement and Loss: A Guide for Helping ... 46
End of Life Care From Four Faith Traditions: Jewish, Hindu, Muslim,
Tibetan Buddhism ............................................................. 80
Teaching About Near-Death Experiences Using
‘The Day I Died’ ............................................................... 64
College Psychology Course Offerings on Death and Dying:
A National Survey ............................................................ 85
Religious/Spiritual
Visions, Dreams and Metaphors of the Dying:
What They Mean and How We Can Help .......................... 95
Funeral Homes Bereavement Services and
Interventions for Young Children ......................................... 59
Appreciating Research That Matters:
Foundations of Bereavement Research Literacy ..................... 33
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Dying Process
Death Attitudes and Anxiety Across Cultures ............................ 63
Giving Information: Latino and Chinese Families in Pediatric
Palliative Care ................................................................. 63
When a Person Dies at Home ................................................ 72
Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy Bereavement Support Group ....... 39
The Role of Funerals in Healing Grief Symposium..................... 94
Adolescents and Technology: Coping With
Loss in the Digital World .................................................... 39
Fragmented Answers: Recounting Lucy Grealy’s Story ............... 72
Poetic Elegy, Loss, and the Art of Grieving .............................. 42
Meet Me on Saturn: Working With Non-Ordinary States .......... 38
Meaning Making and Making Meaning: Moving Outside the
Circle of Grief .................................................................. 87
A Sacred Trust – Returning the Wartime Fallen ......................... 72
Companioning Model* of End of Life Care on an
Adult Bone Marrow Transplant Unit .................................... 44
End of Life on a Bone Marrow Transplant Unit – Body, Mind &
Transpersonal Experience .................................................. 86
The Struggle for Grace – Opportunities for Transformation of the
Dying and Ourselves ........................................................ 54
Larger Systems
Pricey or Priceless?: Hospital Care of the Dying Patient ............. 51
Professional Issues
How Will I Die? Understanding the Process and the Mystery ..... 47
Religious/Spiritual
Living Near Death ................................................................ 34
Meet God the Bully: When Values and Beliefs Hurt .................. 96
Mindful Mortality – Exploring the Spiritual Dimensions of
Death Awareness ............................................................. 32
Religion, Life History, Illness and Death: Experience of
Brazilians Families ............................................................ 64
Near-Death Experiences: Thirty Years of Scholarly Inquiry ......... 65
Professional Issues
Hearing the Patient’s Voice Through a Values History ............... 79
Moral Distress: The Elephant in the Room ................................ 54
Balancing on a Shifting Rug - Facilitating End of Life
Decision-Making............................................................... 76
End-of-Life Care: Recognizing and Resolving Ethical Conflicts .... 92
Same Time Next Year: Ritualized Remembrances of
World AIDS Day .............................................................. 91
Sudden Death, Grief and Counselors in the
Hispanic Community ......................................................... 48
The Moral Experiences of Bereaved Fathers ............................ 40
Cyber-Savvy Grief Interventions in a Youth’s World of
Social Networking ............................................................ 50
Bangladesh Project: Grief Born of Injustice; and Tools of Faith,
Hope, and Joy ................................................................. 48
Art Beyond Sight: Embodied Healing by Adults Living with
Vision Loss ....................................................................... 91
Continuing Bonds through Myspace: A New Venue for
Grief Explored ................................................................. 81
Ancient Egyptian, Modern Egyptian, and Current American Views
on Death and Bereavement ............................................... 35
Living Beyond Loss: Themes of Dying, Death and Bereavement in
Gospel and Blues Music .................................................... 60
When Hurricane Tragedy Strikes – Crisis and Grief Challenge
Resiliency ....................................................................... 84
Research and the Baby Boomers Life Experience Demand Changes
in Grief Support – How Do We Do That?............................. 46
Doggone Grief .................................................................... 36
Living Beyond Loss for People With Intellectual Disabilities ........ 58
Mythology and the Grief Healing Process ............................... 39
Comforting Terminally Ill Chinese: Cultural Understanding of the
Family’s Bereavement Process ............................................ 73
Understanding Bereavement Resilience: Integrating Family and
Cultural Perspectives ......................................................... 67
A Perspective on the Comprehensive Care of Donor Families..... 83
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Working With Children Who Have Lost a Loved One in
the Military – TAPS .......................................................... 70
Healing From Loss With Scents ............................................. 66
My Phantom Father: The Special Bereavement Experience of
War-Related Loss .............................................................. 57
Interface of Post Traumatic Stress and Post Traumatic Growth in
Bereaved Parent Narratives ............................................... 85
The Trauma Dialogues: Facilitating an Empowered Voice for
Homicide-loss Survivors ..................................................... 73
The Palm Still Waves: A Mother/Daughter Reunion .................. 50
Meaning Making of Family After Long Term Foster Care ........... 64
Who Let the Dogs Out? Utilizing Therapy Dogs With Grieving
Children and Teens ........................................................... 86
Importance of Whole System Support for the Grieving Family.... 68
Healing a 40+ Year Old Father-Loss Through Art Making .......... 36
Using Fiction and Memoir to Help Children and
Adults Who are Grieving .................................................. 65
Silent Grief: A Narrative Inquiry Into the Meaning Making
Processes of Bereaved Adult Siblings .................................. 89
A Life Giving Memorial ......................................................... 66
The Colorful Faces of Grief ................................................... 57
Footprints Family Support Group: A Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Family Bereavement Program ............................................ 35
And We Talk to the Animals: The Gift of Pets and
the Pain of Loss ................................................................ 36
How African American Novelists Have Depicted Racism-Caused
Grief in African American Families ..................................... 76
This Place: A Documentary About Memorial Places .................. 66
Treasured Moments in Time ................................................... 62
Cut it Out! This is Serious!: Laughter in Bereaved Families ......... 55
The Role of After-Death Communication Experiences in
Bereavement Resolution ..................................................... 71
Couple Relationships Following the Loss of a Child .................. 75
Pet Loss as a Portal to Significant Life Traumas and Losses ......... 78
All I Need to Know About Grief I Learned While I Was Born .... 41
Dallas, November 22: 1963:
A Death That Changed the World. Forever! ......................... 54
Larger Systems
An After School Program Grief Group With Middle Schoolers
Using the Expressive Arts: What Worked and What Didn’t .... 66
Grief in Workplace: Mending Body, Mind & Spirit of Your
Employees - Knowing Boundaries/Ethics ............................. 77
Fostering Multiple Losses in the Child Welfare System ............... 50
The Veteran’s Last Skirmish: Encountering Dying and Death ....... 32
Death and Disenfranchised Grief in Virtual Communities:
Challenges and Opportunities ............................................ 83
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Life Span
Grief Related to Pregnancy Loss: Understanding the Experience of
Losing a Child Before Birth ................................................ 65
‘No mother-of-the-bride?’: Differences in Developmental Milestones
for Parentally Bereaved Children ........................................ 42
Exploring the Impact on Individuals Who Have Experienced
Multiple Losses Through Death Over Time ............................ 37
What About Me? Young People Grieve Too: An In-School Grief
Support Program .............................................................. 65
Determinants of Conscious and Unconscious Death Anxiety Among
Bereaved Adults ............................................................... 62
Joy Through Movement: Using Yoga and Tai Chi Chih to Work
Through Grief .................................................................. 38
Professional Issues
Identity and Meaning Construction in Multiple Widowhood ...... 71
Predictors of Grief Reactions Among Dementia Caregivers ........ 90
The Gift of Presence in Helping Bereaved Individuals................ 96
GriefWork Network: Providing Support and Education for Providers
of Bereavement Services.................................................... 43
Bereavement Support Group? No Thanks. I’m Dating ............... 55
Eastern Body-Mind-Spirit Model for Accomplishment of William
Worden’s Four ‘Tasks of Mourning’ ..................................... 45
Beyond Gender: Understanding the Ways Men and
Women Grieve ................................................................ 31
The Wisdom and Comfort of a Suicide Bereavement Group ...... 96
Religious/Spiritual
The Spiritual Ramifications of Grief ......................................... 45
After-Death Communications in Popular Bereavement Narratives:
How Ghosts Heal ............................................................. 52
The Gifts of Grief – Life beyond Loss ....................................... 53
Robin Bush: A Political Family’s Lasting Grief for a Child ........... 38
Catching Your Breath in Grief: A Workshop for Caregivers ....... 30
A Natural Resource: Religious Coping in
Bereaved Adolescents ....................................................... 47
The Use of Biblical and Rabbinic Texts as Tools for Healing in a
Bereavement Support Group .............................................. 91
Why Would God? Helping Bereaved Parents Process
Hard Spiritual Questions ................................................... 82
Meaning-Making in Memories: A Comparison of Death and Low
Point Autobiographical Memories ....................................... 84
Psychometric Evidence for the Continuing Bonds Inventory ........ 74
Developing a Hospital Bereavement Program –
From Start to Success ........................................................ 35
Finding Sense and Significance in the Loss of One’s Child:
A Mixed Methods Study of Meaning-Making ....................... 88
Testing a Model of Prolonged/Complicated Grief .................... 36
www.adec.org
Traumatic Death
Mass Tragedy Funeral Challenges: What We Learned
From Katrina .................................................................... 90
Creative Interventions for Children Experiencing
Traumatic Grief ................................................................ 94
Resiliency in the Aftermath of Homicide, Suicide, and Multiple
Fatalities: A Client Centered Focus...................................... 43
Larger Systems
Multiple Fatalities and Grief Support: What We Learned
From Columbine ............................................................... 81
Psychosocial Role of the Death Penalty in the Death System ....... 87
Professional Issues
Death Notification: I’ll Never Forget Those Words .................... 77
Perspectives on Recovery from Parental Suicide in Childhood:
Insights and Preliminary Findings ........................................ 31
Bereavement After Suicide and Homicide: A Conversation About
Differences and Similarities ................................................ 98
Research That Matters - 2009: Childhood Traumatic Grief: Lessons
Learned From Research and Practice ................................... 55
When Safety Nets Fail: Social Support in Homicide
Bereavement .................................................................... 49
The Toll of Violence: African American Adjustment to
Homicide Loss .................................................................. 70
www.adec.org
103
Presenters Index
A
E
J
M
Adams, Susan 84
Affleck, William 40
Andrea R. Croom 37
Andrea, Walker 33
Antinori, Deborah 78
Arshinoff, Rabbi Rena 91
Atkins, Martha 95
Attig, Thomas 30, 56
Eckerd, Lizabeth 85
Edwards, Cheryl 50
Edwards, Daxon 50
Elmslie, Pamela 37
Jacqueline, Taylor 45
James, Libba 88
Jaworek, Joseph 91
Jeffrey, Kauffman 96
Jeffreys, J. Shep 52
Johnson, Catherine 51
Johnson, Vicki 15, 61
Jordan, John 55, 98
Joy, Barbara 38
Macdonald, Mary Ellen 40
Mackay, Michael 84
Manzella, Christiane 53
Markell, Kathryn 65
Markell, Marc 65
Marshall, Brenda 89
Martin, Terry 31
Matamura, Misato 56
McBride, Jennifer 81
McCune, Susana 35, 65
McDevitt-Murphy, Meghan 49, 70
McGoldrick, Irene 66
McGoldrick, Monica 14
McGunigall-Smith, Sandy 87
Mehr, Nita 73
Meris, Doneley 69, 91
Merriman, Christine 79
Miles, Rosemary 71
Miller, Jessica 40
Molaison, Valarie 55
Molaison, Valarie A. 28
Mondell, Amber 37
Mooney, Kim 77
Moore, Clint, III 49, 92
Moore, Jane 56
Moretta Guerrero, Brenda 63
Murray, Colleen 85
B
Bahti, Tani 47, 54, 76
Baratta, Jill 36
Barrett, Ronald Keith 30, 80
Barsano, Terry 39
Barton, Jane 54
Barton Ross, Cheri 78
Beck Irland, Nancy 41
Blakley, Theresa 73
Boelk, Amy 39
Boies, Patricia 50
Borgman, C. Jan 43
Bousso, Regina 63, 64
Brown, Brenda 36
Brucker, Nancy 40
Burke, Laurie A. 49, 70
Byock, Ira 14
C
Cabrera, Fernando 48
Cadell, Susan 40
Campagna, Heather 70
Caramela-Miller, Sandra 43
Carlson, Susan, MSW 58
Carst, Nancy 62
Chan, Cecilia 14, 45, 82
Chappelear, Ginny 46
Chapple, Helen 51
Childs, Annette 34
Coleman, Mirean 44
Corr, Charles 97
Cruz, Laura 92
Cumming, Tiffany 86
Currier, Joseph 88
D
Davies, Betty 63
Deangelis, Rose 57
De Rossiter, Cher 97
DeSpelder, Lynne Ann 30, 80, 97
Dickinson, George 97
Doka, Kenneth 31, 94
Dyana Reisen 67
104
F
Fajardo, Angelica 80
Fernandez, Ramona 65
Finton, Leslie 40
Flanagan-Kaminsky, Donnamarie
32
Ford, Khris 15, 61
Ford, Tim 32
Fowler, Kathleen 72
Friedrichs, Judy 77
Frogge, Stephanie 71
G
Gabbay, Pamela 80, 86
Gilbert, Kathleen 56
Gilbert, Richard 36, 66, 96
Gilbride, Margaret 58
Giles, Karen 72
Glasgow, Bob 82
Gomez, Michelli 15, 61
Goodman, Robin 55
Gorman, Eunice 56, 58
Graves, Karen 64
Guy, Thurman 59
H
Haggard, Geraldine 68
Harper, Jeanne 77
Harris, Darcy 56, 96
Harris Lord, Janice 77
Hayslip Jr., Bert 62
Hensley, Lisa 83
Hevelone, Jon Dale 46
Hieftje, Kimberly 81
Ho, Andy 67
Hogan, Nancy 33
Holden, Janice Miner 64, 65
Horan, John 81
Horsley, Gloria C. 53
Horsley, Heidi 53
Hoy, William G. 41, 94
Hughes, Mary 38
Hunter, Brad 96
K
Kilcrease, J. Worth 66
Knott, J. Eugene 29
Kondo, Taku 56
Konrad, Shelley 37
Kosminsky, Phyllis 87
Kosoy, Marjorie 96
Kramer Almquist, Heather 65
Krau, Stephen 35
Kwilecki, Susan 52
L
Lambrecht, Madeline E. 28
Lang, Betsy 44, 86
Larsen, Barbara 85
Lawrence, Carrie 64
Lawson, Katherine E. 49, 70
Leaver, Wayne 37
Levin, Sheryl 96
Lewis, Laura 58
Lewis, Mileva 79
Lichtenthal, Wendy 88
Lindwall-Bourg, Karen 68, 88
Loring, Paula 15, 72
Lowenstein, Liana 94, 95
Loy, Martin 39
Ludwick, Nancy 35
Lunsford, Beverly 80
Lybert, Maxine 57
N
Neimeyer, Robert A. 49, 70, 88
Nicholson, Joyce 48
Noppe, Illene 97
O
Oden, Kathryn 64
Olague, Laura 15, 61
Ott, Carol 90
P
Paula Loring 61
Piet, William E. 68, 72
Post, Michelle 83
R
Rapke, Jennifer 42, 50, 93
Rillstone, Pam 66
Rosenblatt, Paul 76
Ruffin, Diana 35
Rushforth, Nancy 87
Rynearson, Edward 98
www.adec.org
Presenters Index
S
V
Sagara-Rosemeyer, Miharu 56
Sandler, Irwin 55
Scarpino, Andrea 42
Schachter, Sherry R 28
Schoen Iii, Gerard L. 90
Schuurman, Donna 80
Serafim, Tais 64
Sewell, Kenneth W. 16, 62
Shapiro, Ester 33
Shen, Yih-Jiun 73
Shipers, Carrie 42
Silva, Lucia 63
Smith, Harold Ivan 38, 54
Smith, Ian 57
Smith, Jennifer L. 39
Sobonya, Nancee 53
Sofka, Carla 39, 82, 94
Stevenson, Robert 48
Stewart, Alan 71
Strickland, Albert 60, 80
Swift, Diane 93
Van Dyke, Jessica G. 49, 70
Vorsheck, Terese 40
T
Taylor, Glenn 86
Taylor, Sharon R. 57
Tedrick, Sara 63
Telger, Kathy 15, 61
Thompson, Debra 45
Thornton, Gordon 40
Toye, Lysa 69
Troup, Erin 50
www.adec.org
W
Wachter, Carrie 63
Wada, Kaori 56, 97
Wagener, Robert 79
Wang, Clarissa 67
Warnick, Andrea 69
Watkins, Becky 38
Weeks, O. Duane 94
Werth, James L. 16, 61
Wheat, Laura 88
Whiting, Peggy 88
Whittington, Heather 39
Wilkins, Michael 36
Winchester Nadeau, Janice 78
Woo, Ivan 45
Worden, J. Williams 94
Wortham, Jennifer 66
Wright, J. Brooke 47
Y
Yetter, Jamie 83
Yoneda, Asaka 56
105
Hyatt Regency Dallas Floor Plan
Exhibition Level
Lobby Level
106
www.adec.org
Hyatt Regency Dallas Floor Plan
Atrium Level
Third Level
www.adec.org
107
®
The Thanatology
gy Association®
ADEC 32nd Annual Conference
Dying, Death,
and Bereavement:
It’s All About
the Stories
April 7–10, 2010
Hyatt Regency Crown Center • Kansas City, Missouri USA
Keynote Speakers
Britt
Hysing-Dahl
Britt Hysing-Dahl
is considered a
pioneer within the
field of hospice
and palliative care
in Norway. She is currently a clinical
social worker at Bergen University
Hospital working with seriously ill and
dying patients. She is the CEO of the
Norwegian Society Western Norway,
CEO of the largest nursing home in
Norway and City Counsellor of Bergen.
Hysing-Dahl has been an active member
of IWG for 25 years. After a serious
cancer diagnosis, she is now a happy
pensioner working on her new book,
The Labyrinth of Life.
Thomas Lynch
Essayist, poet and
funeral director
of Lynch & Sons
funeral home in
Milford, Michigan.
He is regularly
featured on the op-ed page of
The New York Times, The Boston Globe
and The Times of London, as well as in
the pages of Harper’s and has appeared
on C-SPAN, MSNBC, the NBC Today
Show and the PBS series “On Our Own
Terms.”
Robert
Neimeyer, PhD
Professor and director
of psychotherapy
research in the
Department
of Psychology,
University of Memphis, editor of two
respected international journals,
Death Studies and the Journal of
Constructivist Psychology and a former
president of ADEC. The author of
over 300 articles and book chapters,
he is currently working to advance a
more adequate theory of grieving as a
meaning-making process.
Visit www.adec.org for more information.
L IVING
WITH G RIEF :
D IVERSITY AND E ND - OF -L IFE
C ARE
Live
-viaweb
and
cast
sate
llite
!
g
inuin
Cont tion
a
Educ
!
able
avail
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Moderated by Frank Sesno
Professor of Media and Public Affairs at
The George Washington University and Special Correspondent with CNN
SPONSORED BY
The Foundation for End-of-Life Care
IN COOPERATION WITH
Adventist Communications Network; Association for Death Education and Counseling;
Dignity Memorial Funeral Providers; National Association of Social Workers;
Department of Veterans Affairs Employee Education System
Featured Panelists
Samira K, Beckwith, LCSW, FACHE • Kenneth J. Doka, PhD, MDiv
Wanda H. Jenkins, MHS • Sandy Chen Stokes, RN, PHN, MSN
Richard Payne, MD • Paul Rosenblatt, PhD • Carlos Sandoval-Cros, MD
It’s Easy to Host a Site
Register online at www.hospicefoundation.org
or by calling 1-800-854-3402.
After registering with HFA, site coordinators
will receive a coordinator’s manual with
complete directions.
You supply a room for the audience, a video
monitor, and webcast viewing abilities or an analog
satellite that can receive C or KU-band frequencies.
Hosting A Site
• Increases awareness of your organization in
your community;
• Offers you an opportunity to build
relationships with other caregivers, advocates,
and community leaders;
• Helps frontline workers, family caregivers, and
advocates stay current on end-of-life topics;
• Provides low-cost continuing education credit
to clergy, nurses, social workers, and others.
Unable to host? • Attend a site near you!
Visit http://www.hospicefoundation.org/teleconference/findASite.asp
to find a site in your area. Contact the listed site coordinator for location and details.
For more information, visit www.hospicefoundation.org or call 1-800-854-3402.

2009 ADEC Final Program (full)

Transcription

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