2016 International Death, Grief and Bereavement Conference
Blue Ribbon Care: Hospice and Mental Health
Providing the best evidence-based holistic care to the dying and the grieving
June 6-8, 2016 | La Crosse, Wis.
Pre-conference Workshop: June 5, 2016
www.uwlax.edu/conted/dgb
toll-free 1.866.895.9233
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
1725 State St.
La Crosse, WI 54601
UW-La Crosse is an affirmative action/equal opportunity
employer and is in compliance with Title IX and Section 504.
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CONFERENCE TOPICS:
• Best practices and contemporary therapies for grief
• Mental health and spirituality of the dying and grieving
• Caregiving for diverse populations
• Children’s grief
• Conflict management and communication during grief
• Managing caregiver stress
• Social justice and grief
I N T E R N AT I O N A L
Death, Grief and Bereavement Conference 2016
Blue Ribbon Care: Hospice and Mental Health
Providing the best evidence-based holistic care to the dying and the grieving
• Nurses
• Social workers
• Educators
• Individuals dealing with personal loss
• General public
June 6-8, 2016 | La Crosse, Wis.
Pre-conference Workshop: June 5, 2016
June 6-8, 2016 | La Crosse, Wis.
Pre-conference Workshop: June 5, 2016
WHO SHOULD ATTEND:
• Palliative care providers
• Hospice providers
• Funeral service directors
• Program directors
• Case managers
• Counselors
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Presents
Why should you
attend the 2016
International Death,
Grief, and Bereavement
Conference?
• Share in intimate and
transformative educational
experiences
• Foster new relationships and
connections to stay with you
through your career
• Gain insight and grow to new
levels both personally and
professionally
“It was a spiritual and uplifting
experience, because, besides
the excellent material shared
at the conference, there was
a special bond among the
attendees who came from
different places.”
– Ligia Houben, MA, FT,
FAAGC, CPC, CHT, The Center
for Transforming Lives,
Miami, Florida
www.uwlax.edu/conted/dgb
Recognized by the following for continuing education CE credit/hours/units:
• American Psychological Association (APA)
• University of Wisconsin-Extension
• Association for Death Education and Counseling®
• National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC)
CO-PROVIDERS:
Gundersen Health System, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Center
for Death Education & Bioethics and Continuing Education and
Extension
CONTRIBUTING SPONSOR: Centering Corporation
Continuing Education Units/Hours for 2016 conference
This educational offering is recognized by the following for continuing education units/hours:
• Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are a means of recognizing and recording satisfactory participation in non-degree
programs. University of Wisconsin-Extension (UW-Ex) awards one CEU for each 10 contact hours in a continuing education
experience. Actual contact hours are recorded. CEUs are offered at no additional charge, through the UW-Ex. In order to
receive a certificate, participants need to sign up for CEUs at the time of registration.
o UW-Ex CEUs fulfill continuing education requirements for many professionals, agencies and organizations. Professional
associations may have specific licensing requirements. Individuals should contact their licensing association before
assuming UW-Ex CEUs will fulfill all requirements.
• The Association for Death Education and Counseling® (ADEC) has deemed this program as counting toward continuing
education requirements for ADEC CT and FT programs.
• University of Wisconsin-La Crosse (UWL) is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to sponsor
continuing education for psychologists. UWL Continuing Education and Extension maintains responsibility for the program
and its content.
• UWL has been approved by the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC) as an Approved
Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6303. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are
clearly identified. UWL is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
• Chaplains: The provider of this educational event has designed the program so that it may be
considered by participants for use as continuing education to enhance the professional knowledge
and pastoral competency of chaplains certified through the Board of Chaplaincy Certification Inc.,
an affiliate of the Association of Professional Chaplains.
www.uwlax.edu/conted/dgb
Providing the best evidence-based holistic care to the dying and the grieving
Blue Ribbon Care: Hospice and Mental Health
Death, Grief and Bereavement Conference 2016
I N T E R N AT I O N A L
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Presents
2016 International Death, Grief and Bereavement Conference
Blue Ribbon Care: Hospice and Mental Health
Providing the best evidence-based holistic care to the dying and the grieving
PRE-CONFERENCE
SUNDAY, JUNE 5, 2016
7:30-9 a.m.
8:30-10 a.m.
Registration and Continental Breakfast
Pre-conference Workshop
Techniques of Grief Therapy:
Creative Practices for Counseling the Bereaved
Robert Neimeyer, is a professor in the Department
of Psychology, University of Memphis, where he
also maintains an active clinical practice. Since
completing his doctoral training at the University
of Nebraska in 1982, he has published 30 books,
including Techniques of Grief Therapy: Creative Practices for
Counseling the Bereaved and Grief and the Expressive Arts: Practices
for Creating Meaning, the latter with Barbara Thompson, and serves
as Editor of the journal Death Studies. The author of nearly 500
articles and book chapters, he is currently working to advance a more
adequate theory of grieving as a meaning-making process, both in his
published work and through his frequent professional workshops for
national and international audiences.
As contemporary models of bereavement have become more nuanced and
empirically informed, so too have the practices available to grief counselors
and therapists. This workshop offers in-depth training in several of these
techniques, nesting them in the context of current meaning-oriented theories
and research that provide flexible frameworks for intervention. Making
extensive use of actual clinical videos as well as how-to instruction in the use
of numerous therapeutic tools, we will discuss and practice several methods
for helping clients integrate the reality of the loss into the ongoing story of their
lives, while also reconstructing their continuing bond to their loved one.
Part I: Processing the Event Story of the Death
Particularly when death is sudden and traumatic, survivors often struggle with
making sense of what has happened, at levels ranging from the practical to
the existential. In this presentation we will consider techniques for helping the
violently bereaved process the “event story” of the death itself, anchoring such
work in both contemporary meaning reconstruction and dual process models
and related research. Drawing on clinical videos of clients contending with
losses through homicide, sudden accident and suicide, we will learn to listen
between the lines of the stories clients tell themselves and others about the
death to grasp more fully the unvoiced meaning of their grief, and how we can
help them integrate the event story of the death into the larger narrative of their
lives.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
• Implement restorative retelling and situational revisiting procedures for
mastering the event story of the loss
• Differentiate between forms of directed journaling that foster self-immersion
and self-distancing to modulate emotions evoked by the death
• Describe narrative techniques for accommodating loss in literal and
figurative ways into the changed narrative of the client’s life
10-10:15 a.m.Break
10:15-11:45 a.m.Part I Continued
11:45-12:45 p.m.Lunch
11:45-4 p.m.
Bookstore & Exhibitors — Hosted by Centering Corporation
12:45-2:15 p.m. Part II: Accessing the Backstory of the Relationship
Death may end a life, but not necessarily a relationship. Drawing on
attachment-informed and two-track models of bereavement, we will begin by
considering grieving as a process of reconstructing rather than relinquishing
our bonds with those who have died. Clinical videos bearing on the death of
parents, children and spouses will sensitize participants to various impediments
to revisiting and reorganizing the “back story” of the ongoing relationship with
the deceased, as well as to several techniques that can help move such work
forward.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
• Describe two procedures for detecting obstacles to accommodating the loss
deriving from invisible loyalties to the loved one
• Practice two techniques for consolidating a constructive bond with the
deceased as the client transitions toward a changed future
• Choreograph imaginal dialogues between the client and the deceased to
reaffirm love and resolve residual conflicts and disappointments
2:15-2:30 p.m. Break
2:30-4 p.m.
Part II Continued
5:30-8 p.m.
Optional Evening Event
Shrine of Our Lady Guadalupe Tour and Dinner
(additional $28 fee required)
MONDAY, JUNE 6
7:30-9 a.m.
8 a.m.-5 p.m.
8:15-8:30
8:30-9 a.m.
9-10:30 a.m.
AT-A-GLANCE
Registration and Continental Breakfast
Bookstore & Exhibitors — Hosted by Centering Corporation
Welcome & Announcements
Storytelling
Keynote Address:
Honoring a Life Lived: The Social Value of Ceremony for the Bereaved
Bill Hoy, Ph.D., DMin, M.Div
Gathering with others helps manage our experience with death and begin the
process of adapting to the loss. Perhaps that is why there is virtually unanimous
support for funerals among leading clinical scholars, the respected specialists who
have dedicated their lives to counseling the bereaved, studying how bereavement
affects people, and teaching others how to care effectively. The ceremonies we
observe when a loved one dies accomplish several important purposes, not only
for the immediate family but for the entire community of friends and associates.
10:30-11 a.m. Break
10:30- 11 a.m. Poster Sessions
The Dark Side is Not as Dark as You Think
Vicki Scalzitti, B.A.
Mortality Risk and Loneliness
Ellen Rozek, Ph.D.
11 a.m.-
Concurrent Sessions
12:30 p.m.Bereavement and Mental Health: Creating Faith Community Partnerships
to Support the Mental and Spiritual Health of the Bereaved
Thom Dennis, D.Min, LCPC, CT and
Joshua Magariel, D.Min, LCPC, CT
Shattered Dreams and Other Metaphors of Grief and Bereavement
Ted Bowman, MDiv
Red, White, and Blue – Providing Four Star Care for Veterans
Amy Kitsembel, M.Ed. CSW. CT
12:30-1:30 p.m.Lunch
1:30-3 p.m.
Keynote Address:
Playing in the Ruins: An Arts Based Approach to Care of the Dying
Irene Renzenbrink, B.A.
A focus on pain and symptom control and the disease process can leave dying
patients feeling that “all of me is wrong” as reported by Dame Cicely Saunders,
founder of St Christopher’s Hospice, London, UK. Art Therapy provides
opportunities for patients to engage in activities that lift their spirits and restores a
sense of capacity. This is what Stephen Levine refers to as “playing in the ruins.”
The process of decentering into an imaginal realm from a problem saturated
environment is a hallmark of expressive arts therapy.
3-3:15 p.m.
Break
3:15-4:45 p.m. Concurrent Sessions
Tangled Webs and Loose Ends: Mental Health Counseling With the Dying
and Their Families
Susan Adams, Ph.D., LPC-S, NCC
Dignity Therapy
Janet McCord, Ph.D., FT
The Effectiveness of 2015 Camp Oz in Children’s Grief Process
Eunhye Cho, B.A. & Sarah Sifers, B.A.
6-8:30 p.m.
Optional Evening Event
Paint and Sip with All Glazed Up
(additional $40 fee required, light hors d’oeuvres provided, beverages
available for additional purchase)
TUESDAY, JUNE 7
7:30-9 a.m.
8 a.m.-5 p.m.
8:15-8:30 a.m.
8:30-9 a.m.
9-10:30 a.m.
Registration and Continental Breakfast
Bookstore & Exhibitors — Hosted by Centering Corporation
Welcome & Announcements
Storytelling
Keynote Address:
Bereaved parents with pre-existing mental health challenges:
Discernment and intervention skills for caregivers
Deborah Rich, Ph.D., LP, CPLC
Taking a guided participation approach to development of patient and caregiver
competencies, addressing evidence-based risk factors, caregiver intervention
strategies, and recommendations for organizations and systems of care.
Break
Story Corner — Rev. Leonard Capobianco
Concurrent Sessions
Growing Resilient Children through the Grief Experience
Vicki Scalzitti, B.A.
Managing Conflict
Neil Thompson, Ph.D., Dlitt
How Can We Ease Caregiver STRESS in End of Life Circumstances?
An Exploratory Look into Work-Leave Programs and Bereavement
Leave Policies
Laurel Hilliker, Ph.D.
12:30-1:30 p.m.Lunch
1:30-3 p.m.
Keynote Address:
“I Could Never Do What You Do!” Why They Ought to Give You the
Blue Ribbon: Stories on the Edge of My Mind
Harold Ivan Smith, DMin, FT
10:30-11 a.m.
10:30-11 a.m.
11 a.m.-
12:30 p.m.
In a death-phobic culture which emphasizes facts, graphs, charts, percentages,
obituaries string facts: date of birth, date of death, graduations, and weddings
details which are not likely to capture the particular-ness of an individual. Our
society needs to rediscover active storying, particularly during the dying and
the living.
3-3:15 p.m.
Break
3:15-4:45 p.m. Concurrent Sessions
When Families are the Challenge
Marcia Williams, R.N., LPC
Passed and Present: Keeping Memories of Loved Ones Alive
Allison Gilbert
Loss upon Loss: Grief and End of Life Care Concerns for the
Homeless
Anne Duffek
7-8:30 p.m.
Optional Evening Event
Film Showing and Discussion with Edgar Barens “Prison Terminal:
The Last Days of Private Jack Hall”
(no additional fee required, runtime 40 minutes)
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8
7:30-9 a.m
8 a.m.-
12:30 p.m.
Registration and Continental Breakfast
8-8:45 a.m.
8:45-9 a.m.
9-10:30 a.m.
Memorial Service
Welcome & Announcements
Concurrent Sessions
QPR: Question, Persuade, Refer
Christine Hughes, LCSW
When There are No Words: Communication and Grief
Gerald Baldner, M.A.
“It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year…” Unless You are
Grieving! Compassionate Caregiving During a Gauntlet of Holidays
Harold Ivan Smith, DMin, FT
Bookstore & Exhibitors — Hosted by Centering Corporation
10:30-
10:45 a.m.
Break
10:45 a.m.
-12:15 p.m.
Keynote Address:
Exploring Social Justice Issues in Loss and Grief
Darcy Harris, Ph.D.
Most clinicians in end of life and bereavement care are trained with an
emphasis on the experience of the individual, often in isolation of the various
contexts in which their lives are socially situated. Very few clinicians have
been taught to explore the social (e.g., familial, cultural) and political (e.g.,
historical and contemporary policies and practices) underpinnings that exist
and inform their clients’ perceptions, experiences, and expectations.
12:15-
12:30 p.m.
Closing Ceremony
About La Crosse
La Crosse is a community of approximately 50,000 located in western
Wisconsin and lies on the Mississippi River, nestled between majestic bluffs.
It is often called “God’s Country” due to its picturesque beauty. Scenic
bluffs, coulees, woods and streams surround the city making it a favorite
stop for boaters and campers in the spring, summer and fall as well as
skiers and snowmobilers in the winter. La Crosse is a river town, with all the
charm and romance of the steamboat era. www.explorelacrosse.com
Register online:
www.uwlax.edu/conted/dgb
Fees include conference materials, continental breakfast, lunch and
refreshment breaks with the exception of lunch on Wednesday.
Early bird on/before 5/2/16
ATTENDEES:
Pre-conference workshop: Sunday, June 5
Full conference, June 6-8
Monday only, June 6
Tuesday only, June 7
Wednesday only, June 8
Regular
after 5/2/16
$160
$349
$190
$190
$80
$160
$449
$190
$190
$80
STUDENTS*:
Pre-conference workshop: Sunday, June 5
Full conference, June 6-8
Monday only, June 6
Tuesday only, June 7
Wednesday only, June 8
$80
$195
$95
$95
$40
$80
$195
$95
$95
$40
*copy of student ID must be presented at the check-in registration
OPTIONAL EVENING EVENTS:
Sunday, June 5:
• $28, Shrine of our Lady Guadalupe Tour and Dinner, 5:30–8 p.m.
Monday, June 6:
• $40, Paint and Sip with All Glazed Up, 6–8:30 p.m.
(space is limited; light hors d’oeuvres provided and beverages available for
additional purchase)
Tuesday, June 7:
• FREE, Film Showing and Discussion: Screening of Academy Award
nominated documentary Prison Terminal: The Last Days of Private Jack
Hall, followed by discussion with filmaker and Visiting Media Specialist
at Jane Addams College of Social Work, University of Illinois at Chicago
Edgar A. Barens. 7-8:30 p.m.
Accommodations
Radisson Hotel
Rooms are being held at the Radisson Hotel, 608.784.6680, 200 Harborview
Plaza, La Crosse, Wis. Please reference the International Death, Grief and
Bereavement Conference when making your reservation.
Room rates:
• $82 king bed, (per night)
• $112 two queen beds, (per night)
Rates do not include sales or room tax. The Radisson Hotel provides a
complimentary airport shuttle. Cutoff date for reservations is May 4, 2016.
Please refer to the hotels website or contact them directly for check-in and
check-out times, services and amenities, directions, parking/shuttle service
and other hotel information.
UW-La Crosse Reuter Hall
Conference participants also have the option to stay in the UW-La Crosse
Reuter Hall. Each suite has four individually locked bedrooms, a kitchen,
living room and shared bathroom. The rooms are air-conditioned.
Room rate: $40 (per night/per person)
Please indicate your reservation when registering for the conference.