The Grief Support Specialist Program is an 8 week, non-credit certificate program through Continuing Education and Workforce Development at NMU. This program evolved from the Grief Specialist Program at UW-Madison.
Participants will learn the principles and many practical tools and techniques to enhance their professional and personal life related to grief. Topics include: grief counseling theories and strategies, assessments, COVID and grief, recovery tools and intervention, attachment styles and grief, children and youth coping with grief, different age coping skills, grief groups for children, Vicarious Grief, Disenfranchised Grief, Complicated Grief coping with dying, legal issues & end of life decisions, spiritual, ethical, and culture issues, group therapy, self-care and career enhancement. Brief meditation and relaxation exercises are included during the synchronous instructions.
Participants could be, but are not limited to: Social Workers, Counselors, Psychologists, Clergy Workers, Funeral Directors, Teachers/Educators, Hospice, Health Care Workers and Nursing Home Employees.
The course involves detailed lectures/instruction, illustrative case studies and client stories, facilitated discussions and activities as well a project phase where participants can design a project of importance to their employer or for their own personal development.
This program is 8 weeks and online with asynchronous and synchronous components. Two weekend ZOOM sessions are included. Synchronous Full-Day Sessions on Zoom on Saturday March 5th, Sunday, March 6th, Saturday, March 12th & Sunday, March 13th - 9:00 to 4:00 EST with an hour for lunch.
All four weekend sessions are required.
Throughout the program, participants will have the opportunity to interact on forums and work on a project under instructor guidance.
Continuing Education and Workforce Development at NMU has evolved this program from the former Grief Specialist Program at University of Wisconsin-Madison.
- Teacher: Caroline Cheng