COURSE INFORMATION

This online CE course covers a comprehensive overview and review of normal grief reactions and the grieving process. It then explores in depth the issues of complicated and abnormal grief reactions and processes. Students learn the signs/symptoms of complicated and abnormal grief as well as criteria for referrals and counseling interventions that support clients needing more intense and higher level therapies.

Course Code: GC 500.

Contact hours of continuing education = 25.

This course is particularly designed for those who are already or were recently certified by the American Academy of Grief Counseling, and are seeking continuing education to meet re-certification requirements.

Instructor/Course Author: Dominick L. Flarey, Ph.D, MBA, RN,BC, GC-C

Link to Resume: Resume

TEXTBOOKS: There is one (1) required textbook for this course.

Grief: Normal, Complicated, Traumatic. by: Linda J. Schupp, Ph.D. PESI Health Care;Eau Claire, Wisconsin: 2004. ISBN# 0-9722147-2-0.

You are required to order your own copy of the textbook. Please be sure to order your book as soon as possible so that you can begin your course of study.

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 25 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.  Access information

The American Institute of Health Care Professionals (The Provider) is approved by the California Board of Registered Nurses, Provider number # CEP 15595 for 25 Contact Hours.

The American Institute of Health Care Professionals, Inc. is an Approved Provider of Continuing Education by the Florida State Board of Nursing  Provider # 50-11975.

OTHER STATE BOARDS OF NURSING

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 Kentucky 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 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:

• Understand and discuss the nature of grief
• Identify and review various definitions related to the concept of grief
• Define three types of grief and describe feelings associated with grief.
• Discussed the concept of a model and how this applies to various models of grief.
• Define and discuss the psychophysiological and immunological impact of grief.
• Defining and discuss normal grief.
• Define, understand and discuss types of complicated grief.
• Discuss the concept of traumatic grief.
• Identify major issues for assessment of clients who are experiencing grief and bereavement.
• Define and discuss differential diagnosis between grief, depressive episodes, and posttraumatic stress disorder.
• Identify at- risk populations for grief.
• Understand and use principles and concepts to conduct an emergency grief interview.
• Identify and discuss issues related to suicide, including interventions for prevention.
• Define and discuss the “safe therapeutic relationship” in working with clients experiencing grief.
• Identify and discuss physiological techniques that promote emotional healing for clients experiencing grief.
• Discuss specific modalities for working with grief clients on a physical basis, including nutritional therapy and stress reduction therapies.
• Identify and discuss psychological and therapeutic techniques that may be used in grief counseling sessions.
• Define and discuss the use of cognitive behavioral therapy in working with greeting clients.
• Define various non- verbal grief facilitation techniques.
• Discuss the use of Jess called therapy in grief counseling.
• Identify and discuss a common treatment plan for complicated grief.
• Identify and discuss a common treatment plan for dramatic grief.
• Discuss the concepts of memorials and how they may be used therapeutically in grief counseling.
• Discuss the issues of false comforts and words that may actually wound clients in counseling sessions.
• Define the use of animal therapy in its effectiveness and promises in grief counseling.
• Define and discuss specific techniques for special populations of people who are experiencing grief and bereavement

COURSE CONTENT:

A brief abstract of content:

• The nature of grief
• Definitions of grief
• The functions of grief and the feelings of grief
• Various types of grief
• Models of grief in the grief journey for survivors
• Psychophysiological and immunological impacts on grief
• Normal grief, complicated grief, traumatic grief
• Psychosocial assessment for clients experiencing grief
• Differential diagnosis for grief, Major depressive episode, and post-traumatic stress disorder
• At risk populations for grief/bereavement
• The emergency grief interview
• Support systems for those experiencing grief
• Suicide ideation and prevention
• Working with survivors of suicide
• Making referrals for clients in grief counseling
• The safe therapeutic relationship
• Physiological techniques promoting emotional healing
• Sleep in the cortisol surge
• The use of medications in clients experiencing grief
• The use of nutritional support, exercise and vitamin/mineral therapies
• Using breath work, relaxation, massage and meditation in grief counseling
• Psychological and therapeutic techniques for use in grief counseling
• Cognitive behavioral therapy interventions in grief counseling.
• Interventions of non–verbal grief facilitation.
• Gestalt therapy, EMDR, Emotional Freedom Techniques, preferential Sensory Modes
• Treatment modalities for complicated grief and dramatic grief
• The use of memorials in grief counseling
• Avoiding false comforters and words that wound
• The use of animal therapy in grief counseling
• Special interventions and techniques for special populations, including bereaved parents, survivor children, terminally ill, elderly, cultural groups and health care professionals.