Living with Grief Since COVID-19 (Self-Study)

Course overview

The coronavirus pandemic has contributed to an unprecedented level of loss since March 2020. Non-death losses as well as deaths both due to and unrelated to COVID-19 have shattered the assumptive world, the view that the world is reasonably safe, benevolent, and predictable, and have created a sense of collective trauma and grief. As of mid-January 2021 over 400,000+ people have died in the U.S. due to COVID-19 (CDC) and the number continues to rise. A recent study has found that approximately nine people are impacted by a single COVID-19 death (Verdery, 2020). Combined with other causes of death (which have also increased during this period) and mounting non-death losses such as isolation, employment, routine, and sense of safety, those experiencing grief in the U.S. alone is conservatively in the millions. Through an expert panel discussion and live and recorded interviews, Living with Grief Since COVID-19, will help professionals effectively respond to the onslaught of pandemic-related grief and bereavement needs in their communities and equip them with tools to support counseling, treatment, stabilization, and posttraumatic growth. Acknowledging that healthcare and grief professionals are coping with their own losses and the exposure to trauma related to the pandemic, this program will address ways to empower professionals to employ self-care techniques and suggest ways that employers can help. Finally, recognition of the grief and bereavement challenges the pandemic has posed will enable professionals to better support those who need help with their grief, reflect upon and safeguard their own mental health and wellbeing, and identify opportunities for improvement in grief support. +Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2021). CDC COVID data tracker (maps, charts, and data provided by the CDC). Retrieved Jan. 21, 2021 from https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#cases_casesper100klast7days