Grief Webinar - The Art of "Companioning" the Mourner: Caring Versus Curing

The community is invited to this informative workshop to help enhance your knowledge and skills related to supporting people experiencing grief and loss. The webinar will be offered in-person in the UPMC Altoona Rotunda (6th floor) or virtually.

Anchored in Dr. Alan Wolfelt’s “companioning” model of grief care, there will be a recognition of how grief and mourning are normal and necessary experiences that are fundamentally a journey of the heart and soul. A critical distinction between caring versus curing will be outlined. You will go away with a wealth of knowledge surrounding the transformative nature of grief.

This workshop will be helpful to anyone who wants to learn more about essential caregiving principles for caring for grieving persons. It will be particularly helpful to counselors, social workers, clergy, chaplains, nurses and lay ministers.

Among the content areas to be explored in this workshop are the following: exploring a broader framework for loss/grief, how our culture values “cure” over “care,” understanding the concepts of “sanctuary” and “hospitality,” defining a model for “complicated grief,” exploring inappropriate socio-cultural assumptions about grief, challenging the “resolution wish,” introduction to the tenets of “companioning” the mourner and advocating for the slow grief movement.

Dr. Alan Wolfelt has been recognized as one of North America’s leading death educators and grief counselors. He has written more than 50 books that have sold more than a million copies worldwide and have been translated into many languages. He serves as Director of the Center for Loss & Life Transition and is on the faculty of the University of Colorado Medical School’s Department of Family Medicine. He is known around the world for his compassionate messages of hope and healing as well as his companioning philosophy of grief care. Dr. Wolfelt speaks on grief-related topics, offers trainings for caregivers, and has written many bestselling books and other resources on grief for both caregivers and grieving people.

Registration is required for the in-person or virtual option. RSVP to Heather Giavedoni at R2lhdmVkb25pSCB8IHVwbWMgISBlZHU= or 814-552-0561 by Dec. 3. If participating virtually, please provide an email address to receive the Microsoft Teams invitation.

Continuing education credits are available for nurses, social workers and other healthcare professionals. To receive CEUs, create an account at the Center for Continuing Education and register for the course “The Art of Companioning the Mourner: Caring Versus Curing.”

This webinar is funded in part by the Home Nursing Agency Foundation.

Also check out other Workshops in Altoona, Virtual events in Altoona.