Statement of Purpose:
This two-day course is designed to provide participants with information, skills and resources to understand the grief process following a loss. Emphasis will be placed on the somatic (physical) aspects of grief and loss and explaining the mind-body-spirit connection, including the new field of psychoneuroimmunology. After this course participants should be able to determine if referral or treatment is necessary and will learn conventional and alternative treatment methods for treating the grief response following a loss.

Loss is a common experience that every person encounters at sometime during his or her life; it does not discriminate for age, race, sex, education, economic status or nationality. Grief is the reaction to the loss. A grieving person can undergo both significant and subtle changes impacting their physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual states. They may experience a variety of somatic complaints: fatigue, insomnia, pain, gastro-intestinal symptoms, chest pressure, palpitations, stomach pains, backaches, panic attacks, or increased anxiety; these potentially medically serious complaints require a through evaluation to exclude potentially serious medical disorders, before a grief response or depression can be diagnosed. Additionally depressive manifestations and symptoms of distress can be part of a normal grief response following a loss.

The participants for this course are those interested in advancing their knowledge about grief and loss—social workers, clergy, police, nurses, and psychologists. It is open to health and mental health professionals working in a variety of settings with those facing loss and grief. This course fulfills a requirement for the UC Berkeley Extension’s Professional sequence in the Study of Loss and Grief.

Learning Objectives

• Define the common phases and stages of grief.
• Recognize the differences between various types of grief.
• Describe the common somatic aspects of grief and loss.
• Understand the basics of psychneuroimmunology and how this field has been used to explain the biology behind the mind-body-spirit connection, placebos and the healing impact of healers.
• Understand the basics of the mind-body-spirit connection and how this interchange may affect stress, depression and the grieving person.
• Recognize grief-related illnesses.
• Know several of the potential sequelae of complicated loss & grief
• Identify warning signs and symptoms that require further mental health evaluation.
• Learn about resources and coping strategies for aiding grieving clients/patients.
• Recognize the signs and symptoms of bereavement overload and professional burnout.
• Acquire resources to help the professionals—those dealing with grieving clients and patients—cope with the stresses associated with caring for the grieving.