Grief Counseling for Non-Death Losses
Coping with Life's Unexpected Changes
- Speaker:
- Erica H Sirrine, PhD, LCSW, FT
- Duration:
- 1 Hour 05 Minutes
- Language:
- Presented in EN, subtitles in EN and FR, handouts in EN and FR
- Format:
- Audio and Video
- Copyright:
-
Apr 16, 2026
- Product Code:
- POS150664
- Media Type:
- Digital Seminar - Also available: Digital Seminar
Description
While grief is most often associated with death, people mourn a wide range of non-death losses and changes, including divorce, changes in relationships, illness, aging, infertility, relocation, and experiences of trauma, abuse, or neglect. Even life events or transitions that are typically celebrated, like graduation, marriage, retirement, the birth or adoption of a child, or becoming an empty-nester, can carry an unexpected undercurrent of grief.
Since grief is frequently minimized or overlooked, clients may find it difficult to recognize and process their emotions following non-death losses. And clinicians may feel ill-equipped to support their clients navigating these unique experiences of grief. This workshop moves beyond a traditional, linear model of grief counseling to offer clinicians a deeper understanding of the nuanced challenges associated with unexpected changes, losses, or life transitions. Participants will gain tools to engage in grief-informed practice and empower their clients to integrate non-death losses into their lives in meaningful and adaptive ways.
Credit
Speaker
Erica H Sirrine, PhD, LCSW, FT Related seminars and products
Dr. Erica Sirrine is a licensed clinical social worker with over 25 years of experience in the field of death, dying, and bereavement. She earned a PhD in social work and has been awarded the distinction of Fellow in Thanatology by the Association for Death Education and Counseling. Dr. Sirrine has conducted and published research on grief and bereavement, including a study on college student experiences of loss amid the COVID-19 pandemic that was published in OMEGA: Journal of Death and Dying and featured in TIME magazine. She maintains a blog on grief and is the author of Sammy’s Story, an anticipatory grief counseling book for young children experiencing the serious illness of a parent.
Dr. Sirrine has extensive expertise providing individual and group therapy to children, adolescents, adults, and families experiencing illness and loss. She has implemented numerous interventions and programs aimed at improving the emotional health of clients and currently serves as the director of social work at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Dr. Sirrine frequently presents seminars on bereavement and loss throughout the United States and is known for her interactive and engaging workshops.
Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Erica Sirrine has employment relationships with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. She receives royalties as a self-published author and a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Erica Sirrine is a member of the Association for Death Education and Counseling, the Association of Pediatric Oncology Social Workers, the National Alliance for Children’s Grief, and the National Association of Social Workers.
Alternate Options
Additional Info
Program Information
Access for Self-Study (Non-Interactive)Access never expires for this product.
For a more detailed outline that includes times or durations of time, if needed, please contact cepepesi.com
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Objectives
- Integrate an understanding of non-death losses into clinical assessment and practice with grieving clients.
- Appraise the emotional, social, physical, and spiritual responses commonly associated with non-death grief experiences.
- Apply contemporary grief counseling models to support clients navigating non-death losses and life transitions.
- Evaluate the impact of non-death losses on a client’s experience of disenfranchised grief.
Outline
- Identify and describe various types of non-death losses and life changes that may contribute to a client’s grief experience
- Learn how to incorporate a loss-line tool to evaluate a client’s unique history of loss, change, and grief
- Examine the distinctions between commonly misunderstood grief concepts, including secondary loss, ambiguous loss, and disenfranchised grief
- Evaluate the impact of non-death loss or change on a client’s experience of disenfranchised grief
- Consider the emotional, social, physical, and spiritual reactions commonly experienced in response to non-death losses
- Enhance your ability to support clients in integrating unexpected changes and losses into their lives in healthy, adaptive ways.
Target Audience
- Counsellors
- Social Workers
- Psychologists
- Psychiatrists
- Nurses
- Marriage and Family Therapists
- Other Mental Health Professionals
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