Grief and Family Work

This workshop explores the impact on families of the grief associated with experiences of bereavement, mental illness, disability such as acquired brain injury, chronic illness, and the many other life events which lead to disenfranchised grief.

With very few exceptions, the family therapy literature has not attended well to issues of loss and grief; the grief literature is, by and large, focused on the individual. This workshop explores not only bereavement grief, but also the impact on families of the grief associated with experiences of mental illness, disability such as acquired brain injury, chronic illness, and the many other life events which lead to non-finite (disenfranchised) grief.

The workshop utilises a combination of theoretical input, filmed examples, and interactive exercises in considering the implications of grief in its various forms for family members and for family functioning generally. Demonstrations and small group activities are aimed at ensuring the material is relevant to you and your specific work context.

By attending this workshop, you will:

• Gain a conceptual knowledge of frameworks for understanding and working with families experiencing loss and grief
• Understand the concepts of disenfranchised grief and ambiguous loss
• Form ideas for tasks that can contribute to relational work in the area of loss and grief
• Develop a sense of what you can bring to this work and how to sustain yourself

Relevant audience