Maria Helena Franco (Full-day)

Workshop Title
Grief Counseling and Grief Therapy after Disasters: Methods and Techniques for Individuals, Families and Communities.

Purpose/ Objective of Workshop
At the conclusion of this workshop, participants will be able to:

  • Identify grief and loss issues commonly faced after the traumatic experience of a disaster;
  • Describe strategies, skills and support options that are relevant to those affected by a disaster in light of current theory and practice in bereavement counseling
  • Understand the possibilities of psychological first aid in disasters.
  • Assess whether an individual is experiencing, or is at risk of experiencing, complicated grief.

Brief Description
The challenging reality of contemporary societies brings about different needs for grief counseling and therapy. This workshop will address methods and techniques for the practice by grief counselors and therapists, based on current theories, research and experience, with focus on the outcomes of disasters. The participants will be able to discuss and practice methods for implementing psychosocial and mental health programs for helping patients and clients to resume life after a disaster, with meaning reconstruction and rebuilding of the assumptive world shattered by the traumatic experience.

Target Participants (and any pre-requisite)
Counselors, nurses, therapists, psychologists and health professionals working with bereaved individuals or communities affected by disasters.

 

Facilitator Bio

Maria-Helena Franco is a Clinical Psychologist and Professor with a 35 year experience in lecturing in the university and a 30 year experience in grief and bereavement therapy, both in private practice and in community services. She is the founder and coordinator of the first grief center in Brazil, where more than a hundred professionals have been trained. Having facilitated many capacity building programs for bereavement counseling and therapy, in Brazil and abroad, Maria-Helena Franco is a member of IWG – International Work Group on Death, Dying and Bereavement, and has gathered.