Transcript Sample presentation slides (Teal feathered clouds design)

Michael M. Kocet, Ph.D., LMHC, NCC
Healing Circle Leader, Comfort Zone Camp
Associate Professor & Department chair,
Department of Counselor Education
Bridgewater State University
Bridgewater, Massachusetts
[email protected] @drmichaelkocet (508) 531-2721
Social media has played a significant and
influential role in society today, impacting ways
people communicate and develop social
communities. The use of social media is also
witness to what can be called "Cybergrieving."
Through tools like Facebook, Twitter, Hello Grief,
online condolence books, virtual support groups
and virtual memorials, children and adolescents
are expressing their grief in new ways using
technology.
Children experiencing grief and loss may be
afraid to turn to traditional forms of help, and
due to disenfranchised losses (such as suicide
and homicide)will seek out virtual communities
and resources online for support. This
interactive presentation will provide
practitioners with tools to assist children in
expressing their grief in healthy ways using
social media.
1) To help participates integrate traditional, as
well as post modern theories of grief into their
grief counseling with clients and children from
diverse backgrounds and contexts.
2) To discuss ways that children express their
grief online, such as through Facebook, Twitter,
online condolence books, and virtual funeral
services, and other social media and to identify
ways counselors can help those who grieve use
social media as a positive coping method.
3) Explore the interventions counselors can use
with grieving children and adolescents, such as
virtual memorials and online bereavement support
groups, including the potential risks and benefits of
using social networking sites, blogs, and other
technologies to express feelings of grief and loss
and possible risks of doing this difficult work in the
public domain.
Learning how to meet them where they are at,
one tweet at a time...
Every minute of the day:
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100,000 tweets are sent;
684,478 pieces of content are shared on Facebook;
2 million search queries are made on google;
48 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube;
47,000 apps are downloaded from the App Store;
3,600 photos are shared on Instagram;
571 websites are created
$272,000 is spent by consumers online (Pring, 2012).
Facer and Selwyn (2010) urge educators to focus their attention and research efforts
to social media networking sites, as they provide a venue for identity construction.
Oftentimes, we may get a sense of
children experiencing grief and loss,
based on what they are posting or
discussing online.
By participating in social networking sites after
experiencing a loss, children may reduce their
sense of disconnection and create valuable
connections to peers and others, including the
deceased.
“Posting comments on another person’s profile
can help deepen an association between
individuals, thereby making relationships feel
more intimate” (Hieftje, 2012, p.32).
Physical Effects of Bereavement
Behavioral Effects of Bereavement
Interpersonal Effects of Bereavement
Cognitive Effects of Bereavement
Emotional Effects of Bereavement
Spiritual Effects of Bereavement
Clinical Interventions
-Challenge the notion of linear grieving.
-People don’t grieve in formal stages; we must
be flexible with utilizing traditional models of
grief.
Postmodern paradigms of grief emphasize bond
with the deceased can be a resource to enrich
one’s capacity for living.
Traditional models/theories emphasize the
importance of separation or severing bonds with
the deceased, while the new postmodern theories
believe in the continuing bonds with the
deceased.
I. To accept the reality of the loss (Not believing)
II. To process the pain of grief (Not feeling)
III. To adjust to a world without the deceased:
External adjustments: Living daily without
the person.
Internal adjustments: Who am I now?
Spiritual adjustments: Reframe assumptive
world.
IV. To find an enduring connection with the
deceased while embarking on a new life
Grieving involved reconstructing and
restoring a personal sense of meaning and
direction in life.
Feelings have a function and are signals to
making meaning in our lives.
Bereavement causes one’s identity to be
constructed and reconstructed.
There is no “normal” way to adapt to the loss of
the significant person (Neimeyer, Laurie, Mehta,
Hardison & Currier, 2008)
. . . In the midst of dealing with profound loss in
our lives, the ability to prescribe meaning to a
changed world through spiritual transformation,
religious conversion, or existential change may be
more significant than the specific content by
which that need is filled (Marrone, 1998).
Continuing a connection to a loved one beyond
death through memories, recording/sharing
stories, or continuing their legacy may be
beneficial responses to their loss (Neimeyer,
Laurie, Mehta, Hardison & Currier, 2008)
When working with children – normalizing,
accepting, exploring, and other issues (Sanger,
2009)
When working with children from any
culture, it is paramount that the
expression of grief is authentic – keeping
in mind our own ethnocentricities
(Rothaupt & Becker, 2007).
Western culture urges a “get over it”
pressure. This contradicts the idea that
continuing bonds is a healthy, normal part
of healing (Doughty, 2009).
Complicated grief reactions require more complex
therapies than uncomplicated grief reactions.
Adjustment disorders, major depression, substance
abuse, and even PTSD are some of the common
problems of complicated bereavement.
Extended length of time of the symptoms.
Intensity of the symptoms.
Interference caused by the symptoms.
Unresolved grief may appear as a complete absence of
grief or mourning, an ongoing inability to experience
normal grief reactions, delayed grief, conflicted grief,
or chronic grief.
A grief caused by a death that is either objectively
or subjectively perceived to be traumatic,
The child has significant PTSD symptoms, including
loss and change reminders that segue into trauma
reminders that bring forth avoidance and numbing,
PTSD symptoms prevent the child from completing
the tasks of bereavement (Cohen et al., 2002 as
cited in Searles McClatchy, Vonk, Palardy, 2009)
A. The individual experienced the death of someone with whom
he or she had a close relationship.
B. Since the death, at least one of the follow symptoms is
experienced on more days than not and to a clinically
significant degree and has persisted for at least 12 months after
the death (in adults) and 6 months (for children):
1. Persistent yearning/longing for the deceased.
2. Intense sorrow and emotional pain in response to death.
3. Preoccupation with the deceased.
4. Preoccupation with the circumstances of the death.
C. Since the death, at least six of the following
symptoms (12 months after death for adults, 6
months for children):
1. Marked difficulty accepting the death
2. disbelief or emotional numbness over loss
3. Difficulty with positive reminiscing about
the deceased.
4. Bitterness or anger related to the loss
5. Maladaptive appraisals about oneself in
relation to the deceased (self-blame)
6. Excessive avoidance of reminders of the loss.
7. A desire to die in order to be with deceased.
8. Difficulty trusting other individuals since the death.
9. Feeling alone or detached from others.
10. Feeling that life is meaningless or empty.
11. Confusion about one’s role in life, diminished
sense of identity.
12. Difficulty or reluctance to pursue interests since
the loss or plan for future.
D. The disturbance causes clinically significant distress
or impairment.
E. The bereavement reaction is out of proportion to
or inconsistent with cultural, religious, or ageappropriate norms.
The loss of a partner (within an affair)
Ex spouses/partners
The loss of a same-sex partner killed in war/miltary
combat
The loss of a pet
The ending of a long-term friendship
Abortions
Online Condolence Books
This Guest Book will remain online until 12/18/2013 courtesy of Akron Beacon Journal.
Adrienne L. Ryba, 19, passed away Saturday, December 15, 2012. She was born in Akron, Ohio on June 29, 1993. Adrienne
graduated with honors from Highland High School in 2011 and was attending Kent State University majoring in interior
design. She was vibrant, artistic, very creative, and loved playing volleyball. Adrienne was a wonderful, loving daughter
and sister. She loved and valued her many friendships and was always there to help.
Adrienne plunged 50 feet to her death after falling through the roof of a decaying, abandoned warehouse where she and
her boyfriend had gone to view the city's lights. Adrienne Ryba was scaling the roof of a former manufacturing plant in
Akron, Ohio with her boyfriend and another pair of friends just after midnight on Saturday when the section she was on
gave way. Her friends frantically called 911 and first responders forced their way into the building, but Ryba was
pronounced dead at the scene after multiple blunt force traumas from the fall. Lt. Rick Edwards from Akron police said it
appeared that the group had been drinking alcohol.
:
Provide training about loss and bereavement to
teachers, administrators, directors, supervisors, and
others who work with grieving clients and students.
Encourage counseling staff to get specialized training.
Provide grief groups, workshops, and educational
materials to students and clients about grief and loss.
Establish bereavement policies.
Be sensitive to cultural differences in grief and
mourning practices, especially when creating
bereavement policies.
Offer tangible support
Refer as necessary
1. What do you need right now to help you
get through this?
2. What don’t you need right now?
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Benefits to Cyber
Grieving
Ample Resources
Clients can grieve with
a perceived level of
anonymity if they so
chose
Allows clients to
express their
emotions and cope
with significant losses
Offers support from a
wide variety of
individuals
Risks involved in Cyber Grieving
• False informationcounterproductive to one’s wellbeing and grieving process
• Ethical and legal implications
• All that is posted become public
knowledge
• Clients may rely heavily responses
and input of their peers
• Clients experiencing psychiatric or
mental health issues may need
professional intervention
Acknowledge the loss.
Express and share feelings.
Encourage sharing and offer to listen.
Allow for differences in the needs of grieving people.
Share memories of loved ones to help in healing.
From Walsh-Burke (2006)
1. Public Facing
(Blogs, Articles, etc.)
2. Private Side
-Smaller communities
-Forums
-Campers can reconnect with Little or Big
Buddies
-Can serve as a transition from Hello Grief to
Facebook
The purpose of Hello Grief is to build a virtual
community for grievers.
It can be considered an extension of the
Comfort Zone Camp experience.
Some people, however, have never been to CZC.
Groups are typically small, 5-10 people, fosters
tight knit group.
Has public and private settings.
Hello Grief Blogs
Music & Grief (posted 2 years ago but still
current)
Fitness & Grief (Runners & Grief)
Hello Grief™ is maintained & closely monitored
by professionally trained Comfort Zone Camp
staff.
When someone posts something that is
questionable or potentially a suicidal threat or
gesture, Hello Grief administrators will turn
information over to Comfort Zone Camp for
intervention and follow-up.
Safety Alerts – are set up to identify and target
key words or phrases that alert system
administrators.
http://forums.grieving.com/
http://navigatingcyberloss.wordpress.com/
http://www.onlinegriefsupport.com/forum
http://www.healthfulchat.org/bereavemen
t-chat-room.html