Bereavement Education
The death of a loved one is part of every person’s life, but adjusting to loss is a difficult and complicated process that is different for every individual, family and culture. Bereavement educators can support grieving people, teach coping skills, and help them tap into the transformative potential of their experience.
Through the study of grief and trauma and how they affect each life stage, educators can also help other professionals better serve the needs of those affected by loss, and illuminate the often unacknowledged impact of grief on quality of life.
What You’ll Learn
The Certificate in Bereavement Education covers fundamentals in the theory of attachment and bereavement, how death impacts each developmental stage, spiritual and philosophical issues, and variables and risks that affect trauma and grief.
Bereavement educators will learn how to respond to the needs of grieving individuals, facilitate grief groups, teach other professionals and volunteers in grief support, and explain the impact of loss in the workplace and to the public.
Note: the completion of this program does not imply competency to conduct psychotherapy.
Program Overview
Program Length
12 – 24 Months
Format
Online with Blended Elective Options
Class Size
Under 30 Learners
Course Duration
Each Course is 7-weeks
Effort
3-6 Hours Per Week
Total Investment
$4,375 + HST
($875 per course)
Compulsory Courses (Take All 6)
The death of loved ones and adjusting to those losses will be a part of every person's life. The dynamics of loss will affect each individual in similar but also in many different ways. This course will provide an introduction to attachment, to the history & theories of bereavement. In learning the tasks and phases of mourning, the student will be able to understand the process of grief.
View CourseIn the many roles we play in our private as well as our professional lives, it is important to recognize that death and the losses that accompany death impact on people of all ages. This course examines bereavement during each developmental stage in a progression from early childhood through latency, pre-adolescence, adolescence, and adulthood including how losses affect the aged.
View CourseA consideration of the various philosophical and religious understandings of death and bereavement. Topics will include the definition of spirituality, the meaning of life, immortality and resurrection, and the ethical issues related to the care of the dying and the bereaved. Comparisons between spiritual traditions will be made.
View CourseMany factors influence how a person grieves. The dynamics of loss will affet each individual in similar but also in very different ways. The many variables affecting risks will be identified. The psycho-social exploration of the internal and external environments of bereaved individuals will also include an examination of the impact of sudden violent deaths, such as homicide, suicide and accidents. High risk factors associated with other types of death including long term illness are also examined. Personal attributes as well as life experience will be explored.
View CourseThis course examines the family system, the multiple issues, which determine the impact of loss within the family. Specifically, the impact on the family, of the death of one of the family members. We will focus on perinatal loss, the loss of a child, the loss of a sibling, the loss of a parent and the loss of a grandchild and how this may affect the family unit.
View CourseOne day of this course will be dedicated to investigating the special losses that individuals, families and couples may experience. These will include miscarriage, abortion, infant loss, elder loss and other losses that are not as supported in society.
View CourseWho Should Enroll in this Program
This certificate has no formal prerequisites, but applicants should be working in occupations that support people in grief.
Most Commonly Related Occupations
Physicians and Nurses
Hospice and Hospital Volunteers
Clergy
Mental Health Practitioners
Funeral Directors
Ready to Enroll or Have Questions?
We’re ready to support your continuing education journey. Contact us today to find out whether this program is right for you.
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