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.

In 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.

A 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.

Many 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.

This 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.

One 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.