Transforming self-blame for survivors of tragic loss including suicide, accidental overdose/illness and injury

Gain practical tools to help clients move through complicated grief and transform self-blame after traumatic loss with guided chair-work interventions.

Someone who loses a loved one to suicide is referred to as a survivor of suicide loss. Similar experiences are found in the context of accidental overdose/injury and illness. When survivors of such losses – whether a parent, family member, partner or friend – carry self-blame, the grief process can be complex, problematic or become stuck. Survivors can lose their internal connection with their loved-one and engage in problematic behaviors as a form of punishment or belief of reparation. When self-blame is deep, as is often the case with these types of losses, reassurance to lift self-blame is likely to be ineffective and can contribute to feelings of shame and isolation related to the experience.

In this training, led by industry expert Dr. Adele LaFrance, participating clinicians will be offered theory to guide their practice as well as step-by-step instructions and a script for an individual chair-work intervention for these purposes. A video demonstration will also be included in the workshop.

Learning objectives:

• Identify markers of self-blame narratives.
• Explain cognitive and emotional drivers of self-blame.
• Apply tools and techniques to transform problematic self-blame that is post-loss using experiential chair-work.

This training meets the criteria towards certification through the International Institute for EFFT, offering valuable professional development for clinicians working with survivors of tragic loss.