In the face of the bad news of being diagnosed with a terminal illness, patients often have to face both their own impending death and separation from their loved ones through different dying trajectories, which can be swift or protracted.  This complex emotional journey can trigger existential crisis, death anxiety and pre-death grief, in a way that calls for professional psychological attention.  In this module, we will examine terminal illness and its implications from the Tripartite Model of Meaning Reconstruction, and address the death anxiety, distress related to unfinished business with loved ones, and pre-death grief experienced by those diagnosed with a terminal illness.  Learners will become acquainted with relevant meaning-focused intervention tools to facilitate life review with these clients and support them as they learn to cope with their dying trajectory and face their eventual death.

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LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• Recognize the impacts of terminal illness from the meaning reconstruction perspective;

• Describe the key features of death anxiety and pre-death grief experienced; and

• Facilitate death preparation using Virtual Dream Stories and a life review using My Life Footprints.

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Note:  Completion of this module and return of the Responsive Journal satisfies 1 Orientation Module required for Certification in Grief Therapy as Meaning Reconstruction or Certification in Family-Focused Grief Therapy.

 

PROGRAM CONTENT

This program contains the following video segments:

1. Terminal Illness as a Crisis of Meaning:  Mapping the Trajectory of Loss (39 mins)

2. Confronting Suffering at the End of Life:  Risk Factors for Death Anxiety (43 mins)

3. Preparatory Grief and Unfinished Business:  A Call to Meaning Reconstruction (39 mins)

4. My Life Footprints:  Affirming Personal Legacies (53 mins)

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COURSE PACK CONTAINS...

• A PDF copy of the presentation slides;

• Practice guidelines for using Virtual Dream Stories to explore and facilitate death preparation;

• Detailed instructions for the use of My Life Footprints to facilitate a life review; and

• The Responsive Journal that, upon completion and return, confers 1 credit of Orientation Module leading to Certification in Grief Therapy as Meaning Reconstruction or Certification in Family-Focused Grief Therapy.