Counseling for Grief and Bereavement Following a Sudden, Violent, or Traumatic Death

Presented by Jessica Hutchison, LCPC on 11-09-2017 at 9 a.m. Pacific (noon Eastern) to 11 a.m. Pacific (2 p.m. Eastern)

Helping individuals in therapy navigate their journey through grief and bereavement following a premature death can be both challenging and emotionally difficult. When the death of a loved one is sudden, traumatic, or violent, the survivor’s worldview can be severely altered. They may question things they once thought to be true and have little knowledge of how trauma can impact the bereavement process. Attempting to address these issues in therapy can leave clinicians feeling therapeutically stuck.

In this two-hour continuing education web conference, Jessica Hutchison, LCPC, will detail specific interventions to assist the newly bereaved with making sense out of what appears to be a senseless death. Jessica will also identify how this type of grief and bereavement is different than what is often experienced after a natural or expected death. 

Jessica will explain why past therapeutic efforts for counseling detachment to control thoughts and emotions in those experiencing grief, mourning, and bereavement are not as effective as once thought. She will detail how treatment interventions work best when they are tailored to the individual and are appropriate for where they are on their grief journey. Lastly, Jessica will provide practical tips for helping individuals in therapy cope with bouts of acute grief that may be triggered by events such as holidays, anniversaries, and other special occasions. 

This intermediate instructional level web conference is designed to help clinicians:

  1. Describe the differences between bereavement following a natural or expected death and bereavement following a sudden, traumatic, or violent death.
  2. Explain why the five stages of grief theory is no longer relevant for mourners.
  3. Identify how trauma impacts grief and the bereavement process.
  4. Develop a deeper understanding of why detachment is not effective for assisting the newly bereaved. 
  5. Apply effective interventions that address acute grief that is often triggered by holidays, anniversaries, and other special occasions. 

If you have any questions or concerns about this web conference or would like more information, please contact us here.

Continuing Education (CE) Information

Two CE contact hours will be provided by GoodTherapy.org for attending this web conference in its entirety. 

GoodTherapy.org is an Approved Education Provider by NAADAC, The Association for Addiction Professionals (provider #135463). Of the eight counselor skill groups ascribed to by NAADAC, this course is classified within counseling services. 

GoodTherapy.org is an NBCC-Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEPTM) and may offer NBCC-approved clock hours for events that meet NBCC requirements.

GoodTherapy.org, provider #1352, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. GoodTherapy.org maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 3/30/2022 – 3/30/2025. Social workers completing this course receive 2 clinical continuing education credits.

GoodTherapy.org is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. GoodTherapy.org maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

GoodTherapy.org, SW CPE is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #0395.

GoodTherapy.org, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed marriage and family therapists #MFT-0022 and for licensed mental health counselors #MHC-0031.

To receive CE credit hours for an archived event, you will need to complete a survey as well as a 12 or 15-question exam, verifying that you listened to or watched the event in its entirety. Archived CE events generally are considered "homestudy" by licensing boards.

Registration Information

Premium or Pro Membership with GoodTherapy includes access to this web conference at no cost. Not yet a Premium or Pro Member? Mental health professionals can attend this live web conference for $29.95 or access the homestudy recording for $14.95.

If the event is canceled by GoodTherapy, registrants who purchased the event will be notified and the charge for the event will be refunded

If you have any questions or would like information regarding disability accommodations, please contact us.

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Meet the Presenter

Jessica Hutchison, LCPC

Jessica Hutchison, LCPC

Jessica L. Hutchison is a licensed clinical professional counselor and certified family trauma professional specializing in grief and loss therapy for individuals, couples, and families. Her desire to assist those who are grieving and her dedication to educating current and future clinicians on the topic of complicated grief was heightened after losing her father to suicide in 2011. 

Jessica co-founded www.oursideofsuicide.com, a site dedicated to offering hope, comfort, and support to survivors of a suicide loss. She also speaks publicly to groups and the media about her personal experience with loss and has developed a number of continuing education programs on the topic of sudden, traumatic, and violent loss to educate clinicians on how the grief process can differ from that of a natural or expected loss.

Jessica consults with clinicians around the country through her website, www.jlhutchison.com. She is in private practice in Chicago, Illinois.

Continuing Education Provider Approvals

  • aceGoodTherapy.org is Approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. GoodTherapy.org maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
  • Logo GoodTherapy.org has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6380. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. GoodTherapy.org is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
  • Logo This course has been approved by GoodTherapy.org, as a NAADAC Approved Education Provider, for educational credits. NAADAC Provider #135463. GoodTherapy.org is responsible for all aspects of their programming.
  • aceGoodTherapy.org, provider #1352, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. GoodTherapy.org maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 03/30/2016 - 03/30/2019.
  • GoodTherapy.org, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0395.
  • GoodTherapy.org, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed marriage and family therapists #MFT-0022 and for licensed mental health counselors #MHC-0031.

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