Holidays And Anniversaries: Helping Grievers Get Through Days That Hurt

Certain days on the calendar can overwhelm those who experienced a death with a flood of emotions such as confusion, sadness, and irritation. As anniversaries, birthdays and holidays approach, strong emotional reactions are often connected to environmental cues such as leaves starting to fall, a warm breeze coming in or the smell of lavender.

Environmental cues are so connected to memories and can often affect grievers outside their awareness, in ways they don’t recognize. Additionally, accessing cheer during the holidays can be very challenging. Expectations of togetherness and celebration can increase the loneliness and frustration of grief. While others seem to be cheerfully planning the days ahead, those who have experienced a death struggle to share in this spirit and frequently end up feeling like outsiders.

Clinicians can play a crucial role in helping grievers identify and address these reactions. If clinicians can correctly identify these reactions, they can help clients understand them and assist them with finding ways to cope. Strategies discussed in this training will include identifying and educating clients on grief reactions, incorporating creative arts expression, and the role of ritual.

3 CEs are available for NYS LMHCs, LMSWs, LCSWs, LMFTs, LCATs, NYS Licensed Psychologists and NYS Licensed Psychoanalysts upon completion of training.

Objectives:

At the conclusion of this training, participants will be able to:

-identify common challenges grievers face during birthdays, holidays, and anniversaries.

-provide psychoeducation to grievers on anniversary reactions.

-describe the use of ritual to grievers.

-understand how to properly utilize therapeutic interventions with grievers.

In accordance with the NY State Department of Education guidelines, in order to receive continuing education contact hours, a participant needs to be present for the duration of the workshop/training. Therefore, participants who arrive late or leave the event early will not be granted a certificate of completion.

​Cancellation Policy: Refunds will be provided for cancellations made in writing up to the day before the event.

Accommodations and Accessibility: HVPD welcomes participants with diverse abilities. Please contact us at info@hudsonvalleyprofessionaldevelopment.com to request accessibility accommodations. Accommodation requests are considered in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.

Maria Georgopoulos, LMHC, FT, is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Fellow in Thanatology, whose work focuses on grief, loss, and trauma. She obtained her Master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling from New York University’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Development and received additional clinical training through The Institute for Contemporary Psychotherapy’s Psychoanalytic Training Program and The Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Institute.

Formerly the Director of Bereavement Services at Calvary Hospital, she was responsible for overseeing 33 bereavement support groups across three sites in Brooklyn, the Bronx, and Manhattan that serve hundreds of adults, children, and teenagers each year; led a team of 8 bereavement counselors and spearheaded Calvary’s efforts to expand their professional learning programs in the New York area. She also worked with grieving families at The American Red Cross of Greater New York after 9/11.

Ms. Georgopoulos values raising awareness about death and dying in our communities. To support this endeavor, she has taught as an adjunct professor, contributed chapters in various publications for the Hospice Foundation of America and participates in different committees with the Association for Death Education and Counseling and the National Alliance for Children's Grief. She has worked with countless individuals experiencing trauma and loss over the length of her career, conducts trainings and seminars for mental health professionals nationally, and maintains a private practice in New York.

For the full calendar of upcoming Continuing Education trainings, visit our website: www.hudsonvalleyprofessionaldevelopment.com