COURSE INFORMATION
Perinatal loss is one of the most profound and often misunderstood forms of grief. This CE course offers an in-depth exploration of the emotional, psychological, relational, cultural, and ethical dimensions surrounding miscarriage, stillbirth, and neonatal death. Students will learn how perinatal bereavement uniquely impacts parents, siblings, extended family, and care providers, and why these experiences are often disenfranchised or minimized.
Through a combination of evidence-based research, case examples, reflective practice, and trauma-informed strategies, this course equips learners with the knowledge and skills needed to provide compassionate, developmentally appropriate, and culturally attuned care. Emphasis is placed on effective communication, supporting continuing bonds, recognizing trauma responses, navigating complex medical and ethical decision-making, and understanding how grief intersects with identity, mental health, and family systems.
Students will also explore creative and expressive approaches to healing, including narrative work, legacy-building, ritual, art-based interventions, and meaning-making—ensuring they can support bereaved families with sensitivity, confidence, and competence. By the end of the course, learners will be prepared to engage in supportive, holistic, and inclusive care for individuals and families navigating the heartbreaking journey of perinatal loss.
Course Code: GC 780
Contact hours of continuing education = 35.
Instructor/Course Author: Kailey Bradley Ph.D., LPCC-S, NCC, FT
Instructor Resume: Access Here
TEXTBOOKS: There is one (1) required textbook for this course.
Hope and Healing After Stillbirth And New Baby Loss by Kevin Gournay (Author), Brenda Ashcroft
Link to Purchase on Amazon.com: click here
TIME FRAME: You are allotted two years from the date of enrollment, to complete this course. There are no set time-frames, other than the two year allotted time. If you do not complete the course within the two-year time-frame, you will be removed from the course and an “incomplete” will be recorded for you in our records. Also, if you would like to complete the course after this two-year expiration time, you would need to register and pay the course tuition fee again.
GRADING: You must achieve a passing score of at least 70% to complete this course and receive the 35 hours of awarded continuing education credit. There are no letter grades assigned. You will receive notice of your total % score. Those who score below the minimum of 70% will be contacted by AIHCP and will be permitted one more attempt to retake the online examination.
BOARD APPROVALS: The American Institute of Health Care Professionals Inc: is an Approved Provider for Continuing Education by the South Carolina Professional Counselors, Marriage & Family Therapists and Psycho-Educational Specialists licensing board, Provider # 4637.
AIHCP is an approved provider of continuing education by the American Institute of Health Care Professionals (The Provider) is approved by the California Board of Registered Nurses, Provider number # CEP 15595 for 35 Contact Hours. Access information
This course, which is approved by the Florida State Board Of Nursing (CE Provider # 50-11975) also has the following Board of Nursing Approvals, for 35 contact hours of CE
The American Institute of Health Care Professionals Inc: is a Rule Approved Provider of Continuing Education by the Arkansas Board of Nursing. CE Provider # 50-11975.
The American Institute of Health Care Professionals Inc: is a Rule Approved Provider of Continuing Education by the Georgia Board of Nursing. CE Provider # 50-11975.
The American Institute of Health Care Professionals Inc: is a Rule Approved Provider of Continuing Education by the South Carolina Board of Nursing. CE Provider # 50-11975.
The American Institute of Health Care Professionals Inc: is a Rule Approved Provider of Continuing Education by the West Virginia Board of Examiners for Professional Registered Nurses. CE Provider # 50-11975.
The American Institute of Health Care Professionals Inc: is a Rule Approved Provider of Continuing Education by the New Mexico Board of Nursing. CE Provider # 50-11975.
Course Refund & AIHCP Policies: access here
ONLINE CLASSROOM RESOURCES AND TOOLS
- Examination Access: there is link to take you right to the online examination program where you can print out your examination and work with it. All examinations are formatted as “open book” tests. When you are ready, you can access the exam program at anytime and click in your responses to the questions. Full information is provided in the online classrooms.
- Student Resource Center: there is a link for access to a web page “Student Resource Center.” The Resource Center provides for easy access to all of our policies/procedures and additional information regarding applying for certification. We also have many links to many outside reference sites, such as online libraries that you may freely access.
- Online Evaluation: there is a link in the classroom where you may access the course evaluation. All students completing a course, must, without exception, complete the course evaluation.
- Faculty Access Information: you will have access to your instructor’s online resume/biography, as well as your instructor’s specific contact information.
- Additional Learning Materials: some faculty have prepared additional “readings” and /or brief lecture notes to enhance your experience. All of these are available in the online classrooms.
COURSE OBJECTIVES: Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:
- Define and differentiate types of perinatal loss (miscarriage, stillbirth, neonatal death) and describe their psychological, relational, and medical implications.
- Explain the developmental, cultural, spiritual, and societal factors that shape how individuals and families experience and express grief after perinatal loss.
- Identify common trauma responses associated with perinatal loss and apply trauma-informed principles when supporting bereaved parents and families.
- Demonstrate effective communication skills, including compassionate presence, validation, and non-stigmatizing language during and after perinatal loss events.
- Assess risk factors for complicated grief, perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, and other mental-health concerns following a loss.