Workshop 10 - GRIEF Approach: A Comprehensive Treatment Model for Traumatic Loss

Saturday, November 19, 2022

8:30 AM – 11:30 AM EST

Location: Gotham, 7th Floor

Earn 3 CE Credit

Keywords: Grief / Bereavement, Trauma
Level of Familiarity: Basic to Moderate
Recommended Readings: Rheingold, A.A. & Williams, J.L. (2018). A Module-based comprehensive approach for
addressing heterogeneous mental health sequelae of violent loss survivors. Death Studies, 42, 164-171. DOI: 10.1080/07481187.2017.1370798
Williams, J.L., Rheingold, A.A., McNallan, L.J.*, & Knowlton, A.W.* (2018). Survivors’
perspectives on a modular approach to traumatic grief treatment. Death Studies, 42, 155-163. DOI: 10.1080/07481187.2017.1370796 PMID: 29300145
Rheingold, A. A., & Williams, J. L. (2015). Survivors of homicide: Mental health outcomes, social support, and service utilization among a community-based sample. Violence and Victims, 30, 870-883. doi: 10.1891/0886-6708.VV-D-14-00026
Pearlman, L. A., Wortman, C. B., Feuer, C. A., Farber, C. H., & Rando, T. A. (2014). Treating traumatic bereavement: A practitioner’s guide. Guilford Press.
Bordere, T., Rheingold, A., & Williams, J. (2021). Grief following homicide. In H. L. Servaty-Seib & H. S. Chapple (eds.), Handbook of thanatology, 3rd ed. (pp. 388-416). Association for Death Education and Counseling.

Presenter(s)

Alyssa A. Rheingold, Ph.D.

Professor
Medical University of South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina
Joah Williams, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor
University of Missouri-Kansas City
Kansas City, MO

She was no longer wresting with the grief but could sit down with it as a lasting companion and make it a sharer in her thoughts. -G. Eliot

Grief Recovery with Individualized Evidence-Based Formulation Approach (GRIEF Approach) is a modular treatment for adult violent loss (homicide, suicide, traffic crash) survivors that integrates evidence-based cognitive behavioral strategies from existing trauma and grief interventions to address mental health problems associated with traumatic death. GRIEF Approach targets symptoms underlying three main mental health issues associated with traumatic loss: posttraumatic stress, depression, and prolonged grief. The model includes 8 modules encompassing cognitive, behavioral, and experiential techniques, including behavioral activation and therapeutic exposures. Module selection is guided by a thorough assessment of symptoms with a multicultural lens. GRIEF Approach is comprehensive and flexible, ensuring treatment is tailored to each survivor’s unique symptoms. This workshop offers an overview of responses to violent loss and latest research on recovery trajectories. Participants learn assessment driven conceptualization strategies to guide module selection as well as empirically supported techniques for working with violent loss survivors. Video demonstrations and real-time exercises designed to teach clinicians how to implement the treatment are provided.

Outline:
Grief terminology and definitions
Prevalence of violent loss
Grief trajectory
PTSD vs Prolonged Grief Disorder vs Depression after violent loss
Other clinical considerations
Grief and trauma interventions overview and limitations
GRIEF Approach overview
Grief and trauma assessment considerations
GRIEF Approach decision tree
GRIEF Approach Module 1: Psychoeducation
GRIEF Approach Module 2: Emotion Identification and Cognitive Restructuring
GRIEF Approach Module 3: Identifying and Building Strengths
GRIEF Approach Module 4: Managing Strong Emotions
GRIEF Approach Module 5: Building Positive Support Network
GRIEF Approach Module 6: Meaningful Behavioral Activation
GRIEF Approach Module 7: Revising Bonds
GRIEF Approach Module 8: Therapeutic Exposure
Putting it all together
Case Example
Discussion and Examples

Learning Objectives:

At the end of the session, the learner will be able to:

Identify common trauma and grief responses to traumatic loss (homicide, suicide, traffic crash) and how these reactions can appear differently in the context of individual and sociocultural factors.
Distinguish between prolonged grief, depression, and PTSD and 2 ways to assess each both within a clinical interview and self-report assessments.
List 3 existing evidence based interventions for PTSD, depression, and prolonged grief.
Describe 8 modules based on a tailor an individualized treatment plan based upon symptom presentation of a traumatic loss survivor.
Describe 3-4 evidence-based strategies (e.g., meaningful behavioral activation, therapeutic exposure, revising bonds) for trauma and grief difficulties.
Long-term Goal: Attendees will be able to synthesize literature from both the trauma and grief field into treatment conceptualization of violent loss survivors’ difficulties and walk away with specific empirically supported techniques for working with violent loss survivors.