Making Meaning of Bereavement: Integrating Grief and Loss

Bereavement - sustaining the loss of someone or something - is a fact of life, and how we grieve those losses matters. This workshop will unpack the physical, cognitive, emotional, behavioral, social, cultural and spiritual dimensions of bereavement. We will explore contemporary counseling modalities and tools that assist the client along this journey. In addition, we will examine several techniques for helping clients assimilate the reality of their loss into the evolving story of their lives.

Objectives: Participants who attend this workshop will be able to:

• Define the differences between anticipatory, normal, delayed, complicated, chronic, cumulative and masked grief.
• Explore the key losses associated with bereavement.
• Describe the dimensions of bereavement and how counseling can help each dimension.
• Explain at least 3 tools and techniques that help a client integrate their losses into their life narrative.

Presenter: Dr. Mita Johnson

Dr. Johnson has degrees in biology, counseling and counselor education and supervision. She has been a counselor for 30 years, consultant for 20 years, clinical supervisor for 15 years and higher learning educator for 10 years. She holds several credentials including licensed professional counselor, licensed marriage and family therapist, licensed addiction counselor, master addiction counselor, and certified telemental health professional. Dr. Johnson is a core faculty member at Walden University’s School of Counseling MS program. She teaches, trains, and speaks nationally and internationally on numerous topics including ethics, diagnosis, psychopharmacology, and substance use disorders. Dr. Johnson is the President-Elect and Ethics Chair of NAADAC. She is passionate about understanding how psychopharmaceuticals and illicit substances influence the body systemically.

Eligible for 2 hours Certificate of Completion