Young widows, who are typically defined as being 50 years old or younger, confront many unique complexities that warrant attention.  Much of the clinical literature about widowhood is derived from older widows; it does not fully capture the experiences of young widows, who usually face an untimely and traumatic loss.  In this module, we will share our research with young widows to provide an overview of their common struggles and experiences.  Impacts upon their identity are usually multilayered and vast, stemming from the loss of embodied and co-constructed roles, routines, and rituals.  Their sense of self is also frequently impacted by shifts in their financial and social standing.

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Notably, the loss of their sexual partner is often a vital, identity-defining, and disenfranchised aspect of young widows’ experience.  Many experience widows’ fire, an intense surge in sexual desire, which is unwelcome, alien, shameful, and difficult to navigate.  We will explore its roots in their longing for their partners, their need for comfort and physical intimacy, their life force as survivors, and their nascent, embodied process of identity reconstruction.  Case examples from our research will illustrate the complex implications and embodied nature of identity reconstruction as seen in widows’ fire and will highlight the need for heightened education and tailored support for young widows.​

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Note:  This 3-hour CE module focuses on topics related to psychological practice, education, or research other than application of psychological assessment and/or intervention methods that are supported by contemporary scholarship grounded in established research procedures.

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LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• Identify the distinct experiences and struggles faced by young widows, including shifts in identity, roles, and assumptive worlds;

• Explain the phenomenon of "widows' fire," its emotional, psychological, and embodied roots, and its impact on the grieving and identity reconstruction process for young widows; and 

• Describe the embodied process of identity reconstruction inherent in widows' fire.

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Note:  Attendance of this Live Online Training session confers credit of 1 Orientation Module required for Certification in Grief Therapy as Meaning Reconstruction, Certification in Family-Focused Grief Therapy or Certification in Grief Therapy for Non-Death Losses.

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COURSE PACK PROVIDES

• A PDF copy of the presentation slides;and

• Common clinical issues of meaning-making disruption in widow's fire; and

• Core clinical principles for working with widows experiencing widow's fire.

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TARGET AUDIENCE

• Psychologists, social workers, counselors, art / music / expressive arts therapists, pastoral care personnel, healthcare professionals, bereavement volunteers

• To qualify for the 3 CE Credits, please kindly note that:

  • Full attendance of the entire session is required to receive CE credits.  No partial credit is awarded.

  • You are required to complete a CE quiz after the session.  An overall score of 75% or higher within three attempts is required to obtain CE credits.

  • The certificate of CE credits will be issued to you upon your submission of a participant evaluation form.

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INSTRUCTIONAL LEVEL

• Intermediate

 

PROGRAM SCHEDULE

This program contains the following segments:

• An Understudied Loss:  Young Widowhood and Its Complexities (20 min.) 

• Multilayered Impacts:  Loss of Identity and the Assumptive World (30 min.)

• Widow's Fire:  Definition and Origins (40 min.)

• Mourning and Meaning:  Illustrative Case Studies (30 mins.)

• Toward Holistic Care:  Implications for Practice (30 mins.)

• Closing:  Integration and Discussion (30 mins.)

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WEBINAR TIMING

• 9am-12pm, PST, Portland, OR, that corresponds to 12-3pm in Eastern Time, 5-8pm in Greenwich Mean Time and 6-9pm in Central European Time.

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Note:  The Zoom link and learning materials will be emailed to the registrants in due course.

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Disclosure Statement

This recorded module is not supported financially by a manufacturer of any commercial product and there is no sale of any product or publication during the live training session.  There is no known conflict of interest for this CE module or the presenting faculty.