Description
Even as a grief expert, David was unprepared for the sudden death of his son, who died at age 21. People asked him, “What’s it like for the grief expert to lose his son?â€
David Kessler – David Kessler: Finding Meaning: The Sixth Stage of Grief
He would answer, “The grief expert did not lose his son, the father did.†Everything he knew about grief turned out to be true. David had to go through the five stages of grief but found himself left wanting more from the experience – he wanted to find meaning in his life after such a terrible loss. He learned that broken heart syndrome is real and he realized he would either die of it or live with it, and that healing occurs not when grief gets smaller, but when life gets bigger. This led to the discovery of the 6th stage of grief – finding meaning.
Based on David Kessler’s newest book, Finding Meaning: The Sixth Stage of Grief, this seminar recording is designed to help professionals guide people through life’s worst moments to find meaning after loss. All types of loss will be covered, including betrayal, loss of a parent or family member, and loss due to addiction, mental illness and suicide.
After attending this seminar recording, you will be able to enhance your work with those who have dealt with any kind of loss. It will fill you with new insight, tools, strategies, and inspiring information, leaving you looking forward to the next day… so you can immediately begin to use all you have learned!
Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from one of the world’s leading grief experts – purchase today!
“People always want to know if there is life after death for their loved ones. I believe there is, but more importantly, there is life after death for the living. I want to help them find meaning that honors their loved ones. Sometimes when we are at our worst, we can find our best.†-David Kessler
David is honored to have received permission from The Elisabeth Kübler-Ross Family and The Elisabeth Kübler-Ross Foundation to add a sixth stage to her renowned 5 stages of grief.
Handouts
Manual – Finding Meaning: The Sixth Stage of Grief (2.36 MB) 46 Pages Available after Purchase
Outline
The Sixth Stage of Grief: Finding Meaning
Why the stages were never meant to be linear
What is making meaning in grief?
Types of meaning making
How meaning can help remember the person who died with more love than pain
Why a sixth stage is the key to recovery from grief
Keys to finding acceptance and moving into the sixth stage
Witnessing vs “Fixing†Grief
Mirroring techniques
The cost of trying to “fix†those who are grieving
Go beyond active listening skills to connect
The consequence of trying to find meaning too early
Help Clients Change Their Thinking Around Loss
Strategies to address guilt, shame and stigma in grief
How to increase resilience after loss
Use positive psychology to increase the possibility of post traumatic growth
Understand the “meaning†we attach to the traumatic loss or death
How to decrease catastrophizing after loss
Learn ways to instill good memories instead of painful ones
Complicated Grief
Simplifying grief models and exploring new models, including resiliency and Option B
Meaning making as a new tool for dealing with murder, multiple losses, Alzheimer’s
Techniques for strength-based grief counseling
Post traumatic growth vs Post traumatic trauma
Techniques for releasing the obsessive replaying of the trauma/death
Help Bereaved parents
Understand the impact of child loss
Learn ways to be comfortable with treating this type of loss
Techniques for helping parents who are often grieving differently
Learn ways to help sustain the marriage through tremendous loss
Ways to help parents deal with the discomfort of living and loving again
Address intimacy issues that may come up in grief
The Grief of Suicide
Tools for dealing with the “what if’s†and “if only’sâ€
Understand the true “why†of death by suicide
Ways to help others find peace again
Loss by Addiction
Meaning making for healing self-blame
How to help loved one’s sort through the shame and isolation
Understand the roles they did and didn’t play in an addiction death
Shootings and Other Disasters
Shootings/hurricanes/earthquakes and terrorist’s acts
Techniques for approaching horrific crime and/or disaster scenes
The impact of natural vs. manmade disasters
Healing Grief in Divorce
Use meaning to reframe divorce and heal shame
Heal after betrayal by understanding its meaning
Understand the true meaning of marriage after it ends
Interpret the meaning behind negative reoccurring patterns
Negative meanings we make after a relationship ends
Healing Complicated Relationships after Death
Learn techniques to heal a relationship after death
Understand patterns that can heal that relationship and help in all future relationships
Learn ways to help your client find peace in difficult relationships
Meaning and the Afterlife
Effective and ineffective models of continuing connections for living a full life
Use the model of continuing bonds and connections for healing
Learn ways to normalize client experiences around continued connections with loved ones that have died
