Debra Alvis – Mindful Grief: Mindfulness Techniques to Address Avoidance and Improve Emotional Regulation in Grief Treatment

Outline

Models and Types of Grief

• The uniqueness of grief
• Mapping the journey
• Grief as a spiral staircase
• Diagnostic criteria
• How to identify and adapt to individual grief styles

Mindfulness Strategies to Address Grief Avoidance

• Resolve ambivalence in grief with “find middle ground exercises”
• A sacred memory walk – combine talk therapy with mindful movement
• Move beyond the waterfall of grief with compassionate non-judging
• The Mustard Seed – metaphors for loss

Mindful Body Awareness and Body-Based Approaches:
Shift Clients from High-Alert and Shut Down Reponses Following Traumatic Loss

• The neurophysiology of grief
• How grief interrupts normal brain functioning
• How to serve as a safety and connection anchor
• Exercises to strengthen resiliency
  • A Heart-Opening Playlist
  • Precious Memories Altar
  • Colors for Grounding and Calm
  • Muscle tension releasing – exercises to counter fight or flight responses

Calming and Grounding Techniques for Grief Related Anxieties

• A grief triggers chart
• Grounding exercises and sample scripts
• Guided meditations to disempower intrusive thoughts following loss
• Self-soothe with calming words and imagery
• 5 effective exercises to help clients breathe through anxiety

Finding Meaning After Loss

• Find new meaning and purpose with “tobe” lists
• Grief as love – continuing the relational bond after death
• Help clients find meaning through traditions

The Mindful Grief Practitioner

• The latest research on therapists who practice mindfulness
• Cultural sensitivity and individualizing your approach
• Compassion fatigue resiliency strategies
• When practitioner grief arises – body/mind cues for presence
• Research, limitations and treatment risks