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Grief Counseling Training Program Article on Corporate Bereavement Policies

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Grief does not consider careers or work schedules.  It comes regardless of project deadlines or important meetings.  Individuals who depend on their job need time to not only mourn the loss of their loved one but they also need to know their employer is there for them, supplying not only job security during tragedy but also emotional understanding and support.

Employees experiencing loss need support and security from their employer. Please also review AIHCP’s Grief Counseling Training Program

 

The article, “It’s Time to Rethink Corporate Bereavement Policies” by Mita Mallick looks closer at corporate policies for bereavement.  She states,

“While many organizations are rushing to rethink parental leave policies, wellness benefits, and extending our world of remote working past this pandemic, bereavement policies probably haven’t been at the top of many lists. Maybe this is because many of us are uncomfortable embracing death, grief, and loss in the workplace.  But this is the right time to consider bereavement leave. How can organizations better help grieving employees? ”

To read the entire article, please click here

Bereavement over the lost of a loved one is a difficult time and it is important that employers and corporations make that time easier. Please also review AIHCP’s Grief Counseling Training Program and see if it meets your needs and goals.

 

Grief Counseling Training Program Article on Depression and Fatigue

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Many individuals experience fatigue and tiredness.  It is not necessarily a sign for alarm, but in some cases,  chronic fatigue can point to a deeper issue.  Fatigue and lack of energy is also closely correlated with depression.  Numerous depressed individuals find themselves fatigued and tired without realizing fatigue is a physical symptom of depression.

Is your fatigue potentially a symptom of depression? Please also review AIHCP’s Grief Counseling Training Program

 

The article, “When Being Tired Is Actually Depression” by Catherine Pearson looks at how fatigue sometimes can be a sign of depression.  She states,

“Depression may be among the most common mental health issues in the United States, but it is still often misunderstood. Many people assume that the condition manifests itself in really overt sorrow and hopelessness. But the symptoms tend to be much broader, and often more subtle. Including fatigue”

To read the entire article, please click here

If a client expresses chronic fatigue, it may be time to explore the possibility of depression.  Please also review AIHCP’s Grief Counseling Training Program.  Licensed counselors, as well as non counselors can become certified in grief counseling and utilize it in care.  Only licensed counselors can work with others regarding depression. It is important that certified grief counselors who are not licensed counselors also refer their clients to licensed counselors if they suspect depression.

 

Grief Counseling Certification Article on Women and Depression

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Depression in women is unique and different from men.  One in ten women face depression and during it they express more hopelessness and loneliness.  Their eating and sleeping habits are sometimes altered and they move away from activities that they enjoy.  Many women express how they feel differently then men.

Depression strikes one in ten women. Please also review AIHCP’s Grief Counseling Program and see if it meets your academic and professional goals

The article, “A Depressed Mom’s Tips: What You Need to Know in Order to Help” by Kimberly Zapata looks deeper into how depression affects women and how they can better cope with it.  She states,

“While living with — and parenting through — depression is tough, it is not impossible. In fact, with proper care and support, many individuals go on to live rich and fulfilling lives. Know you matter. Your life matters, and feelings are not facts. There is help and there is hope.”

To read the entire article, please click here

Please also review AIHCP’s Grief Counseling Certification and see if it matches your academic and professional goals.  The program is independent study and online leading to a four year certification and is open to qualified professionals seeking certification

 

Grief Counseling Certification Article on Suicide Grief and Grieving

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Making sense of suicide is difficult.  Loved ones who lose family to suicide suffer immensely in the days and months and years after.  Questions swirl around their minds.  What could one have done better, or why did one say this or that, or why was one not paying attention to the signs.

Processing the loss of a loved one to suicide is a very difficult process. Please also review AIHCP’s Grief Counseling Certification

 

Regret, guilt and intense grief can follow.  The very fact that suicide is a taboo subject can also intensify the grieving process.  Suicide grief hence has all the prerequisites and ingredients for a possible complication emotionally for the family.

The article, “Making sense of suicide grief” by Susan Quenelle looks deeper at suicide grief for family members trying to make sense out of the senselessness.  She states,

“September is National Suicide Prevention Month. This designation helps to serve as a reminder to all of us of the many people who struggle with emotional issues on an ongoing basis. But another related area of concern is those who are left behind after someone has committed suicide.”

Those left behind suffer the most and it is important to help them understand their grief.  To read the entire article, please click here

To learn more skills to help others through the process of losing a loved one to suicide, then please review AIHCP’s Grief Counseling Certification

 

Grief Counseling Certification Article on How Your Loved One Died

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Death of a loved one is difficult by itself.  It takes time to recover from the loss and re-adjust to the life without them.  While we re-adjust, some say we never truly recover completely and that is fine.  However, when we lose someone and the death is complicated because of the nature of the death or how we ended it with a particular person, then complications can emerge in our recovery process.

Looking back the death of a loved one can be painful. Sometimes it can bring back certain things about the death or how we reacted to it. Please also review AIHCP’s Grief Counseling Certification

 

Sometimes one may regret how they handled the death of a loved one.  Maybe the last words were not pleasant, or the one felt conflicted during the person’s illness.  Other times, one may regret not discussing or doing this or that with the person.  In other cases, the nature of the death itself can cause extreme distress.  Many deaths via suicide or through a particular disease can become disenfranchised.  Individuals suffer far greater in these types of sudden and unnatural deaths.  They raise questions and cause embarrassment in some cases.

These types of complications can lead to an array of issues for the recovery process and turn simple grieving into a complicated form of grief that may not reside on its own.

The article, “Struggling with How a Loved One Died” from “Whats Your Grief” looks at how one can overcome these conditions of a death of a loved one.  The article states,

“It’s very important to note, revisiting events like these can bring up many distressing thoughts and emotions. When thinking about the death, some people may actually re-experience intense emotions like panic, terror, and fear. In an effort to not feel this way, the person may actively avoid anything that could bring up these memories which, in the long run, may cause them to cut themselves off from important people and places and to possibly live in a state of hyperarousal.”

To review the entire article, please click here

To look back at a loved one’s death is natural.  There is nothing wrong with it, but when the death is more complicated or we regret how the process played out, then we may feel stronger emotions that can haunt us.  It is important to face those emotions and deal with them.

If you would like to become a certified Grief Counselor then please review the American Academy of Grief’s Grief Counseling Certification and see if it meets your academic and professional goals.

 

Grief Counseling Training Article on Grief Myths

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Improper ideas on grief can cause delayed and prolonged mourning.  It can also lead to complications in the grief support process.  It is important to understand false concepts regarding grief and loss to be able to grieve in a healthy way.  Grief is a painful experience but it also a life experience and needs to be understood properly to proceed through it’s process.

Grief myths can prolong the grieving process and complicate it. Please also review AIHCP’s Grief Counseling Training Program and see if it meets your needs

 

The article, “These Myths About Grief Could Be Interrupting Your Healing Process” by Catherine Adams looks at grief myths that may be causing issues with one’s grieving process.  She states,

“Unfortunately, I’ve had a lot of experience with grief in my short 25 years. When I look at this year and speak with my loved ones, I see grief all around me. Grief can be such a shocking experience, and I’ve found there are many harmful expectations surrounding how grief and healing should look. These expectations pigeon-hole us into pain and stagnancy, and can bar us from actually getting to the healing.”

To review the entire article, please click here

Grief myths can cause damage to the grieving process and also create erroneous views on life itself.  If you are interested in learning more about grief, then please review AIHCP’s Grief Counseling Training Program and see if it matches your academic and professional goals.

 

7 reasons why healthcare professionals should achieve certification

Posted on by Joseph Gerard

CERTIFICATION CONCEPTWritten By Miranda Booher

Hypnosis. Legal case management. Grief counseling. Stress management. Meditation. Spiritual counseling. There are many different areas of specialization when it comes to the vast realms of the healthcare industry.

Some allied health professional jobs require specific certification and others do not. However, if you happen to work in one of those positions that do not require specialized certification, do you really need it? 

You are the only one who can make that decision for your career, but we are going to present you seven reasons why healthcare clinicians should achieve certification.

1. Gain advanced knowledge and skills in a healthcare sub-specialty

Physicians, nurses, and other allied healthcare professionals often get into the field because they have a passion or interest in a certain field of healthcare. Perhaps you are a nurse who has always been interested in the area of spirituality. Even if you are not currently practicing as a nurse in this field, you can increase your knowledge and skills to learn more just for curiosity’s sake, or to set yourself up for an opportunity to work in that specialty in the future. 

2.  Healthcare employers require certification more frequently

Healthcare facilities’, hospitals’, and other companies’ policies about continuing education requirements are constantly evolving. Some employers who never required a certification for their employees in the past have changed their practices and now make certification mandatory for a variety of reasons. Furthermore, there can also be laws made at the state level meant to keep the public safe that require allied health professionals to obtain and hold certain credentials. 

3. Advance or expand your healthcare practice

Maybe you are a physician who wants to expand your current general practice roster of patients. Perhaps you want to offer specialized services to a certain segment of the population. Certification opens up doors as a healthcare provider to expand your practice and services to meet a wider range of patients and treat specific conditions and ailments. 

4. Gain a competitive edge and increase your marketability

Perhaps one of the biggest reasons healthcare professionals obtain a certification is to increase their employability and gain a competitive edge in the industry. Having the certification itself does not guarantee job placement, however it can definitely give you an advantage when you apply for a job in the medical industry. Even if the particular job you are applying for does not require certification, having one related to the healthcare sub-specialty, i.e. intensive care unit (ICU), geriatrics, etc., shows your dedication and demonstrates your level of expertise.

5. Be viewed as a credentialed expert in your practice specialty

Certification in a certain area exerts yourself as an expert in the field. When you are nationally-recognized for the attainment of knowledge and skills by meeting specific predetermined criteria, it demonstrates your competency as an allied healthcare professional. This recognition may help you personally or professionally, it just depends on whether it means something to you to be viewed as an expert, or if you plan on taking that position to advance your healthcare career. It can also be a combination of both. You might also use this recognition to become a part of a professional group or network with other certified healthcare specialists that practice in your specialty.

6. Show employers you stay up-to-date

By its intrinsic nature, the medical field is an industry that is constantly changing. In fact, all of the changes that have been ushered in since the beginning of this pandemic are testament to this very fact. In order to stay on your toes, it’s important to keep up with all the changes the best you possibly can. Healthcare certification is the perfect way to do just that. Most certifications not only require the base of knowledge and skills to obtain the credential, but they also include a certain number of continuing education hours annually in order to renew it. This demonstrates to employers that you are a healthcare professional who cares about continuing education and keeping up with the best practices in the industry. If you were the employer, would you not prefer to hire someone who has proven expertise in the field?

7. It speaks to who you are as a clinician

Certification in healthcare is so much more than a piece of paper. It demonstrates who you are as a person and an allied healthcare professional. It shows that you are committed to the practice, your career, and to providing the very best patient care possible. Employers look for those qualities when they are considering hiring anyone in the healthcare industry. 

Want to learn more about healthcare certification?

The American Institute of Healthcare Professionals is committed to providing opportunities for clinicians to expand their skills and knowledge base to advance their career in healthcare. You can learn more about each of the different types of certifications they provide by clicking on one of the links below. 

 

How has COVID-19 changed the grieving process

Posted on by Joseph Gerard

Woman in mourning arranging flowers and candles on the gravestoneWritten By Miranda Booher

Many people have lost their lives to this pandemic which leaves behind many loved ones to mourn. These people who have died from COVID-19, often do so under sad and isolated circumstances.

How has COVID-19 changed the way people grieve the death of loved ones? Keep reading to learn what COVID-19 means for the grieving process and how technology is adapting to the changes.

Losing a loved one in a hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic

Visitors to all hospitals and healthcare facilities have been greatly restricted due to COVID-19 in accordance with the recommendations that were set forth by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

As such, since the start of this pandemic, people who end up dying in the hospital often find themselves dying alone. They tell their loved ones final goodbyes on the cellphones of busy nurses who barely have the time to be in the patients’ room making the phone calls possible. One nurse name Heather who works in the emergency room of a community hospital in Northwest, Ohio said:

¨I am helping patients in the emergency room talk to their loved ones on Facetime to tell them their goodbyes. It’s drastically different from how it worked pre-COVID-19. The worst part to me is that we are actually seeing very few cases of COVID-19 in the hospital setting, but they are taking extra precautions, which has prohibited guests of any kind from visiting. I fear that the mental health effects of the lockdown will be worst than those of the actual disease itself.¨

Every hospital and healthcare facility will vary a bit when it comes to the exact policies regarding visitation. However, it’s pretty universally accepted that if the patient is positive for COVID-19, then they are allowed to have no visitors at all. It’s also the case in vast the majority of hospitals that visitors of any kind are restricted or only allowed to visit in specific circumstances.

It’s hard not being able to say your goodbyes in person

A lot of people find solace and closure in the final conversations they are able to have with a loved one right before they die. The distancing and isolation circumstances, whether that is at home or hospital, make it harder for people to get that same kind of closure when their loved one is dying.

Nurses and doctors are the ones who hold the hands of strangers as they conduct virtual meetings with the family and friends of dying patients who are not able to visit their loved ones in person. Clinicians who are suddenly thrusted into these positions are left to carry burdens of stress and sadness, even though they may not have any training in grief counseling.

Healthcare professionals who are adequately trained in end-of-life care, such as hospice and palliative care teams, are feeling overstretched beyond their capacity at the moment because of the rising need. The shortage is compounded by the fact that hospice nurses are already in short supply, as it takes a special kind of person to work in this field of nursing.

Loved ones actually begin the grieving process by being present with the person who they know is going to soon die. Many people use this time period to resolve any issues or messy emotions, such as feelings of denial and guilt, which are common. People who have been robbed of these quality moments before the end of life may feel a lack of closure.

Funeral bans make it hard to gather in tribute for the deceased

Funerals are also banned. Small gatherings are illegal in many states. For more information on the restrictions on small gatherings and funerals, you can see this list of coronavirus restrictions in every state from AARP.

The ban on gatherings and funerals means that many of the rituals associated with this level of the grieving process are being missed, such as:

  • Watching the casket be lowered into the ground
  • Holding a wake or sitting shiva
  • Having people visit your home and share memories about the departed

All of these therapeutic steps are being bypassed, and because of COVID-19, people need to learn new ways to mourn from home.

Creative technology solutions for social distance mourning

New ways of connecting with the community when a loved one dies are beginning to emerge as a result of the situation. Heart in Diamond is a company who allows people to send in some cremated ashes or hair from a loved one, and have it turned into a diamond. Creative memorials such as this help people who missed a funeral or other memorial pay tribute to their loved one.

We grieve together as we move into the future

All of us are grieving as we make it through this pandemic. Even those of us who have not and will not lose a friend or family member, we still experience the grief of losses. Whether it’s the loss of a job, the predictability of life day to day, or even the toilet paper, we grieve the life we once knew and hoped to live. We must be kind to ourselves and to others and recognize where these feelings of depression, rage, anxiety, and hopelessness are coming from.

There is no crystal ball that can show you how your journey with grief is going to be, but perhaps some of these new digital solutions can help us deal with death during COVID-19 and share memories in a new way

 

 

 

Please also review AIHCP’s  Grief Counseling Program and see if it matches your academic and professional goals.  The program in online and independent study and open to qualified professionals seeking a Grief Counseling Program

Grief Counseling Training Article on Depression and Physical Health

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Depression is a mental state but like so many mental states, it can affect our physical state as well.  The body and mind are tied together and stress, anxiety, and depression can negatively affect one’s overall health.  Depression has many negative side effects over time and it is important to understand how depression affects physical health and why it is important to get help.

Depression is a serious condition that not only affects the mental side of us but also the physical. Please also review our Grief Counseling Training program and see if it meets your academic and professional goals

 

The article, “Sick from Depression? It’s Not All in Your Head” by the health experts at Healthline discusses how depression can negatively affect the body.  The article states,

“Depression isn’t just in your head. It can affect your entire life, body and all. If you think you’re depressed just remember: You’re not alone. There are tons of resources that will help your mind and body feel better soon”

To read the entire article, please click here

Depression can play a dangerous role in one’s physical health in almost every system of our body.  It is important to remember that depression is a serious mental condition.  It does not mean you are weak or that it is all in your head.  It is important to treat depression as any other illness.  Your mental but also your physical well being depend on it

Please also review AIHCP’s Grief Counseling Training Program and see if it meets your academic and professional goals.

 

Grief Counseling Certification Article on Grief and the Pandemic

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

One of the most difficult challenge during the pandemic is helping the bereaved find the help they need.  Grief Counseling and other mental health aides became suddenly unavailable for many who needed the counseling and care.  The bereaved, those with mental illness, or substance abuse found themselves without the outside world and coping mechanisms.  Furthermore, those experiencing loss were left without the normal social norms to cope with grief.  Funerals were no longer public and many were left without the social support they needed to grieve a loss.  Others grieved the loss of normalcy in life.

The pandemic has prevented traditional ways of counseling the bereaved to be utilized.

 

The amount of loss during the pandemic from human life to simply losing a job cannot be underestimated.  Individuals grieved major losses but also minor losses.   Many felt ashamed to grieve the loss of simpler things when others lost jobs or even family  members.   Those who did lose loved ones were left without outlets to express their loss.  Many became disenfranchised with their losses.  Others became anxious in the uncertainty, lack of leadership, and unorganized response by government to the pandemic.  These anxieties also left many concerned and grieving.

In these uncertain times, things became available through other forms of connection.  Teleconferences with counselors became a new norm.  Telegrief services to help others manage their grief became extremely important and still are extremely important.  These services allow individuals to find validation in their grief when other social norms are not available.

With so much widespread grief, it was critical to be able to help isolated individuals and family units ways to express their losses, whether large or small, and telegrief and telecounseling became excellent ways to give isolated individuals the help they needed to express grief and find the help they needed.

This also opened new venues for grief counselors who may before had been tied to only one geographical location or area.  Grief Counselors can help individuals across the nation through skype or other online media services.  They can provide the professional grief counseling care needed to help individuals express their grief.   Those suffering from mental disorders or substance abuse issues are also able to find the much needed help they need from licensed professional counselors.

During the pandemic, many grievers are unable to find validation of their loss. They are left alone. Telegrief and the ability to contact individuals via skype or other forms of media have helped those experiencing loss find help

 

So while the pandemic created new problems for the grieving it also created new solutions and allowed technology to present answers to existing issues.

It is still important as the pandemic continues for those experiencing loss to seek help.  There are still thousands losing family members to COVID19.  They face situations where funeral arrangements become far more difficult to procure in public due to local restrictions.  Others are grieving loss of income and job or a standard of life they once enjoyed.  The simple loss of a dinner in public or the ability to go to the store without a mask is a hardship for many.   It is important not to degrade the small things during this collective loss.  It is important to acknowledge all losses and not to feel guilty over it.

Grief Counselors and licensed counselors can both help grievers through telegrief services find the help and guidance they need to confront these losses and move forward in the future recovery.  It is critical that noone is left behind in grief when the economy and public spheres become completely open again.   The only way for full recovery is to have mentally healthy individuals who can cope with the grief and the loss caused by the pandemic.

When helping those affected by COVID19, it is important for grief counselors to identify the loss and not marginalize it.  If it is not a smaller loss but a major loss, it is important for grief counselors to realize that collectively, the entire family may be dealing with the same loss and dealing with it in different ways.

Grief Counselors in school settings need to identify that many children are grieving the loss of a normal life.  Many are experiencing family losses,  change in qualify life at home due to parent’s job loss, as well as other ways of life.  It is important to try to validate children’s losses and allow them to express.  It is also important for families at home who face the losses to receive the education and information needed to cope.  This also has to be presented in a safe way that reduces the risk of transmission of the virus.  Many remote presentations may be needed in sharing information.

Whether children or adults, it is scary time.  Grief and loss and uncertainty tie the nation together in one anxious know. It is critical to help stabilize uncertain situations with solid plans that identify the issues, look for temporary solutions and promise eventual returns to normalcy.

The pandemic has forced behavioral healthcare providers as well as healthcare in general to look outside the box. Utilizing technology and applying good grief theory to the problems presented by the pandemic, grief counselors can help the grieving find the coping strategies, guidance and hope they need.

Even though the pandemic is still in its winter stages, there is a future. It is essential that grief counselors help the bereaved recover so society as a whole can recover. Please also review AIHCP’s Grief Counseling Certification

 

If you would like to learn more about grief counseling training or would like to become a certified grief counselor, then please review The American Academy of Grief’s, Grief Counseling Certification and see if it meets your academic and professional goals.