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Working Together: Grief Therapy for Suicide Loss

Working Together: Grief Therapy for Suicide Loss

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Earn 1 Credit for Orientation Module toward
Certification in Grief Therapy Suicide Bereavement,
Offered by the Portland Institute.

Presented by

John Jordan, PhD

Licensed Psychologist

Rebecca Ladd, MA

Educator & Artist

USD$99 for 3-hour module

The loss of a loved one to suicide can be devastating, and healing sometimes requires the support of a skilled mental health clinician.  In this two-module series, a grief therapist who specializes in working with suicide loss survivors and a mother who lost her young adult son to suicide will together describe their journey through her mourning process.  This module focuses on the psychological work that suicide loss survivors typically need to do to recover from the loss.  The therapist must work with the client to accomplish the following clinical tasks: develop a strong alliance, contain the trauma, create a narrative about what happened and why it happened, develop a “coping toolbox”, repair the relationship with the deceased, and find meaning in the suicide.  Ms. Ladd will describe in her own words what was helpful (and not helpful) about this therapy process.  She will also discuss some of the changes in her grief that occurred over the course of her sessions.  Video clips of the therapeutic techniques will also be shared, including EMDR, guided visualization, and Induced After Death Communication (IADC).  Time will be allotted for questions and comments from the audience.

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LEARNING OBJECTIVES

  • Describe the main tasks that survivors must accomplish in order to integrate the loss into their life narrative;

  • Identify the important characteristics of the relationship between therapist and client that foster healing; and 

  • Summarize at least three clinical techniques that may be of use in helping suicide loss survivors achieve their goals of adapting to this uniquely challenging form of loss.

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Note:  Completion of this program and return of the Responsive Journal satisfies 1 Orientation Module required for Certification in Grief Therapy for Suicide Bereavement.

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PROGRAM CONTENT

This program contains the following video segments:

  1. Integrating Suicide Loss:  Goals of Treatment (42 mins)

  2. Containing the Trauma:  Creating a Narrative (48 mins)

  3. Self-Regulation and Sense-Making:  Creating a Toolbox (37 mins)

  4. Repairing the Relationship:  Toward Posttraumatic Growth (41 mins)

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COURSE PACK CONTAINS...

  • A PDF copy of the presentation slides;

  • The tasks of loss integration after suicide;

  • Attachment-informed grief therapy with suicide loss survivors;

  • Special challenges and techniques in grief therapy;

  • Impact on the caregiver of working with suicide bereavement; and

  • The Responsive Journal that, upon completion and return, confers 1 Orientation Module required for Certification in Grief Therapy for Suicide Bereavement.

GRIEF TRAINING FACULTY​

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Guest Presenters

John (Jack) Jordan, PhD is a licensed psychologist in private practice in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, where he has specialized in work with survivors of suicide and other traumatic losses for more than 45 years.  He served as the Clinical Consultant for the Grief Support Services of the Samaritans in Boston, Massachusetts, and was the Professional Advisor to the Loss and Healing Council of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP).  He also served as the Co-Chair of the Survivors of Suicide Loss Task Force of the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention.  In 2015, this Task force released postvention guidelines for the United States, titled Responding to Grief, Trauma, and Distress After Suicide: U.S. National Guidelines.  For over 45 years, Jack has also provided training nationally and internationally for professional caregivers, and has helped to lead many healing workshops for suicide loss survivors.  Jack has published over 50 clinical and research articles, chapters, and full books in the areas of the practice of grief therapy, bereavement after suicide, support group models, the integration of research and practice in thanatology, and loss in family and larger social systems.  He is the co-author of four books: After suicide loss: Coping with your grief (2nd ed.) (2015, self-published); Grief after suicide: Understanding the consequences and caring for the survivors (Routledge, 2011), Devastating losses: How parents cope with the death of a child to suicide or drugs (Springer, 2012); and Attachment-informed grief therapy: The clinician’s guide to foundations and applications (Routledge, 2016).

John (Jack) Jordan, PhD

Jack - Photo.jpeg

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Rebecca Ladd, MA is an educator, artist, classical musician, and dog lover.  She spent 30 years as a reading specialist.  After the suicide death of her son in 2010, she has slowly transformed into a new person.  She embraced the deep grief and the changes that have come.  She is now focused on sharing her story and the tools used for the evolution.  She welcomes all questions and feels she has many skills to help others both understand the trauma of violent death and the steps needed for healing.  She sings classical music, creates all types of art, especially woodturning and mandala making, and she is attuned to the natural world, adores all dogs, and loves the absurd.

Rebecca Ladd, MA

Becky - Photo.jpg

USD$99 for 3-hour module

For other enquiries, simply email Carolyn.

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