Grief Seminar
This year, Thomas McAfee Funeral Home’s Annual Grief Seminar will be back in person taking place at Brookwood Church in Simpsonville from September 16th – 17th. All session information, times and topics can be found below.
Due to the recent increase in COVID cases, we will now be offering a livestream option for all sessions through our website. For anyone who does not feel comfortable attending in-person, virtual sessions will be available by visiting our website during the designated session times listed below. Please note, if you are seeking CEU credit, in-person attendance will be required, and social distancing measures will be implemented to prioritize your health and safety. A separate room will be available for individuals that do not wish to be seated in the main area.
EDUCATORS SESSION
Spirituality: Can We Really Talk about that at School?
September 16, 2021 | 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Registration 4:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
No cost to attend | Light refreshments will be served
PUBLIC SESSION
Finding Meaning in a Sometimes-Meaningless World: Grief in Uncertain Times
September 16, 2021 | 6:45 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Registration 6:00 p.m. to 6:45 p.m.
No cost to the General Public | Light refreshments will be served
PROFESSIONAL SESSION
Making Sense of the Senseless: Spiritual Care in an Uncertain World
September 17, 2021 | 8:45 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Registration 8:00 a.m. to 8:45 a.m.
3 CE Hours
$25 Registration fee for professionals seeking CEU credit.
Session Descriptions
EDUCATORS SESSION
Spirituality: Can We Really Talk about that at School?
September 16, 2021 | 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Registration 4:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
No cost to attend | Light refreshments will be served
The term spirituality often frightens educators in the public-school setting. When understood correctly, however, spirituality is another word for meaning and the exploration of how we make sense of a death is a vital part of helping students grapple with their losses. And losses have piled up this year, haven’t they?
Join us as we discuss together some proven strategies for appropriately exploring how students are making meaning of their losses and using those newly found or renegotiated meanings to make their way through the experiences of grief.
Objectives. At the conclusion of this seminar, participants will be able to…
- Label the ways the renegotiation of meaning is an appropriate activity in school individual counseling and groups
- Utilize strategies and activities for engaging students in exploring the ways their belief systems, family traditions, and cultural values help them make sense of loss
Who should attend?
This seminar is designed for school professionals, teachers, nurses, social services, administrative staff, and ministers who care for bereaved children, teens and their families.
PUBLIC SESSION
Finding Meaning in a Sometimes-Meaningless World: Grief in Uncertain Times
September 16, 2021 | 6:45 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Registration 6:00 p.m. to 6:45 p.m.
No cost to the General Public | Light refreshments will be served
The last 18 months have been challenging to our senses on every level as the COVID crisis has complicated virtually every loss. More people have died and many of those losses have been completely unexpected. Then, we have grappled with the challenges of reduced and canceled family gatherings, churches that have been closed or entirely online, and the postponement of our expected memorial ceremonies. Altogether, this spells a tough challenge for grief. As we face these challenges, it is possible to find hope and meaning in the midst. Join us as we learn together proven strategies for making our way through grief by finding meaning in an era that has so frequently become meaningless.
Who should attend?
This seminar is designed for community members who are experiencing stress in their life as a side effect of the death of someone close to them. This session is also for those who want more information and understanding on how to help those who grieve.
PROFESSIONAL SESSION
Making Sense of the Senseless: Spiritual Care in an Uncertain World
September 17, 2021 | 8:45 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Registration 8:00 a.m. to 8:45 a.m.
All caregiving professionals know well the importance of assessing for the importance of faith community involvement in a dying or bereaved individual’s experience. Where we become unsure is in how to proceed with the information we discover. What are the big questions people face related to death, loss, and grief? Can I really engage in spiritual conversations with clients/patients when I am not a chaplain? How can I help individuals find a pathway to spiritual discovery without “proselytizing?”
Join us as we learn together about how to help our patients and clients make sense of the senseless when the world is so uncertain.
Objectives. At the conclusion of this workshop, participants will be able to…
- Describe the key components of appropriate spiritual care
- Outline the role of spiritual care professionals and the limits to the interventions of other professionals and volunteers
- Discover how best to connect the dying and bereaved to care that is spiritually and culturally appropriate
Who should attend?
This seminar is designed for: Physicians, Nurses, Social Workers, Child Life Specialists, Counselors, Educators, Psychologists, Hospice Personnel, Clergy, Chaplains, Ministers, and others who care for bereaved children, teens and their families. This seminar is open to all licensed funeral directors and embalmers in South Carolina and North Carolina.
Continuing Education Information
In person attendance is required for continuing education credit.