Introduction
The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines “grief” as a “deep and poignant distress caused by or as if by bereavement.“ No dictionary description, however, can come even close to the pain that is associated with grief.
Nothing cuts the soul deeper than the pain of grief; yet in this time of utter anguish and blind pain, nothing drives friends and loved ones further away than the seeming inability to be of any help. Barely able to cope themselves, unsure of how to react, and sometimes unwilling to do what THEY think SHOULD be done, many a grieving person is left to her/his own devices.
In this course we will examine the nature of grief, the clinical models which have helped countless counselors assist those who are grieving, and also review some practical and hands-on suggestions for anyone who wishes to help someone who is suffering the pains of grief. We will examine in detail how children grieve differently from, yet in some ways similarly to, adults. Instead of focusing on the commonly experienced kinds of grief, such as the grief over losing a spouse, sibling or friend -- even though these are touched upon within the scope of this course -- the course will devote quite some time to the kinds of grief that are not generally accepted as “mainstream”, i.e. the grief experienced over the death of a pet, the loss suffered through an abortion, the devastation that accompanies child abuse, the death of a child, and also the death of a loved one by suicide or murder.
Each lesson will offer valuable resources to not only further the reader’s understanding of the material covered, but also to assist a reader who may need actual hands-on help with a personal issue of grief.
Lessons
Click here to see course syllabus
