I really liked the session and learned a lot about myself throughout this experience. I learned a lot of practical skills and strategies that I can use for myself or even for my clients in between and during sessions.
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This program aims at equipping helping professionals and supporting practitioners with the essential skills and knowledge needed to provide compassionate and effective support to individuals and families grappling with the aftermath of suicide, overdose, and other forms of violent and traumatizing deaths.
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Note: All the above components can be taken in either online or Onsite versions, in any combination and any sequence the learner desires.
Note: Completion of all the required components leads to Certification in Grief Therapy for Traumatic Loss (GTSB).. All licensed or registered counselors or therapists completing GTSB Certification will be listed on the Portland Institute website as part of our Global Provider Network.
The suicide of a significant other often has a profound and at times devastating impact on the bereaved survivors who in turn require a level of support that goes beyond general grief counselling. These Orientation Modules cover a) the unique psychological impact of suicide on the survivors and common themes in their bereavement; b) relevant research findings about these survivors’ needs; c) the tasks of loss integration and recovery required for these survivors; and d) principles of longer term clinical work with them. Special attention is given in one of these modules to the unique challenges and needs of children and adolescents who are survivors of suicide loss. Learners are required to complete four Orientation Modules for GTSB Certification.
Each module is focused on specific therapy tools or techniques that may be delivered through Onsite workshops, live online training or recordings. Learners briefly practice particular methods during the Onsite workshops or live training. Among the techniques featured are Restorative Retelling – a narrative exposure method tailored to violent death bereavement, Analogical Listening – a somatic experiential method for exploring and mastering the impact of suicide grief on the body, and arts-assisted methods for expressing and transforming the wordless grief that often accompanies suicide bereavement. In the recorded training modality, learners are invited to reflect on these methods in their Responsive Journals. Learners are required to learn six Techniques for GTSB Certification.
Each Case Study module consists of client interview or video-recorded clinical session to provide a framework for understanding the clinical tasks required for suicide bereavement and client’s reflection on changes occurred during or over the course of therapy sessions, as well as what was helpful and not helpful about therapy. Live dialogues with survivors of suicide loss, as well as recorded modules capturing these interactions, engage learners in the lived experience of these clients. Learners are required to complete two Case Studies for GTSB Certification.
Learners form small groups and practice Meaning Reconstruction skills for suicide bereavement cases, with Portland Institute faculty serving as coaches, for role-play in a shared language. Each session includes practice with learners taking turns in the role of the therapist, client or observer, followed by feedback and processing. Learners are required to complete four Studio sessions for GTSB Certification.
Learners are required to fulfill at least three 1-hour individual Mentoring sessions in Grief Therapy for Traumatic Loss with one of the Portland Institute faculty in a shared language. These sessions may be conducted in face-to-face mode, or via phone or videoconference.
Following the completion of all the above Components, learners need to submit one 50-minute video recording of an application of Meaning Reconstruction in grief therapy in an actual session or in role play, along with a transcript of the session. The session is then evaluated for demonstration of competency in working with clients suffering from suicide loss from a meaning-making perspective. Learners then either receive extensive written feedback or schedule a 1-hour feedback session with one of the Portland Institute faculty in a shared language.
By no means. Although PI organizes major training events in its home city, it also sponsors training in every major world region, and you can choose workshops in the location or locations that work for you. And of course online training modules are available anywhere, at any time.
Absolutely. You can participate in any component of PI training simply as a professional continuing education experience, without pursuing certification.
Yes. Payment of the Enrollment Fee is required to establish you as a Certification learner, and to set up a personal Progress Tracker to help you monitor completed requirements toward certification. If you decide to pursue multiple Certification tracks sequentially or simultaneously, Enrollment is required separately for each.
No. You can take nearly any course or module you wish, in any order, with the exception of a few Practicum Studio modules that presume completion of a specified Techniques Module as a prerequisite. Although many learners find the Core Courses a logical and helpful place to begin regardless of the Certification Track they are pursuing, others prefer a different path through the curriculum.
That depends on the specific training event of interest, as well as your professional discipline. Just see pages devoted to the specific events on the PI site for the relevant details.
Not at the present time. All of our Onsite events routinely carry APA CE approval, but APA does not directly certify programs that it does not own or co-own. So, you would need to check with your state board about its CE status, as many states have Category 2 credits or a similar designation that readily confer credit for high quality training even when it does not carry the APA imprimatur.
I really liked the session and learned a lot about myself throughout this experience. I learned a lot of practical skills and strategies that I can use for myself or even for my clients in between and during sessions.
It was great learning and reinforcement of the value of making meaning for one’s posttraumatic growth. I really like the way you model validation and reframing in your case studies. Meeting a client where they are and then facilitating with one of interventions you’ve given, in their moment of readiness. Teaching and modeling this is very helpful to watch unfold.
I appreciate so much how Dr. Neimeyer and Dr. Ng explain, present and model the use of the techniques throughout the workshop. Both Drs. Neimeyer and Ng are top in their field. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting so many other faculty at the retreat–all of whom are experts in this field. I look forward to participating in the certificate program.
I enjoyed the whole seminar – very informative and well organized.
Deeply moving, well-supported with theory and research, extremely useful and inspiring. The slides were beautiful and engrossing. I’m sure we were all looking closely and deeply, in a parallel process with the screen and within ourselves.
I was very moved by the instructor sharing her personal experience as well as her art. Having her client present to share her loss and her art was also powerful and impactful. The learning from this class was deep and sustaining.
I truly loved everything. I particularly enjoyed the combinations of lecture and experientials.
The entire retreat was amazing. It was perfectly paced for learning and creating. It was both personally powerful and professionally. I loved the Lunch and Learn.
I am extremely impressed by this conference. The topics, the presenters. It was well worth the time and money.
Thank you for a beautiful retreat. I was moved to tears several times and it has set me on a course of deeper discovery. The presenters were all top notch, knowlegeable, and engaging. The activities allowed us to discover many things about ourselves and sharing the experience with others was invaluable. Those interactions will stay with me for a long time.
Honored & grateful for the PI team. Such a wealth of knowledge, expertise & compassion for humanity & healing suffering. I cannot wait to engage further with the PI trainings!
This is my first experience with PI and now I have found my go-to place for ongoing learning, mentoring & connection! I’m so excited for more!
Well done! Appropriate breadth & nice depth of skills covered. Appreciate the experiential approach. Knowledgeable & supportive faculty. Looking forward to doing more with PI in the future.
PI’s Grief Therapy Learning Retreat offered a safe holding space for grief professionals to gather in a beautiful setting & learn with prominent leaders in the field of thanatology. Professional yet warm, rigorous yet invigorating — I’m leaving with a sense of renewal to meeting clients where they are.
The retreat, the attendees, the faculty, the leaders and the offerings (learning opportunities) were really off-the-charts amazing. Thank you for creating an event that has been transformational for me.
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