The Touchstone Institute

Upon completion of this workshop participants will be able to: 

Day 1: Laying the Foundation
● Describe why relationship-centered care is key to providing quality bereavement care.
● List the three core tasks grieving parents face
● Describe the therapeutic effects of practicing mindfulness, curiosity, compassion, and holding space with parents
● Describe the value of accepting and connecting with parents with the pitfalls of protecting and directing parents
● Identify and differentiate grief, trauma, and postpartum mood and anxiety disorders
● Describe the nuances of working with marginalized populations
● Identify and describe intersectionality
● Describe how to think about supporting parents where there is grief and trauma
● Explain why being aware of their own experiences of loss and trauma is key to forming therapeutic relationships and holding space for parents 
● Identify their implicit assumptions and name their beliefs about marginalized populations
● Identify biases in systems and discuss why understanding intersectionality is an important component of providing quality care 
● Describe and have strategies to address symptoms of burnout
● Describe the importance of recognizing one’s own callings, strengths, and limitations, and how this fosters self care, which boosts resilience and wards off burnout

Day 2: The Parent’s Painful Journey

● Describe why perinatal bereavement is so hard for parents to endure
● Describe the ebb and flow of grief and mourning, and the value of grieving
● Describe how perinatal trauma affects parents’ brains
● Explain the chaos and craziness of the first months or year after a baby’s death
● Identify the relationship between a parent’s sense of control and painful feelings of anger, guilt, failure, or vulnerability
● Describe the special challenges fathers or non-gestational parents may face as they grieve and process trauma
● Describe the value of meaning-making and how to support parents in doing this
● Describe the difference between “moving on” and “living in remembrance” and discuss which option is more realistic and therapeutic than the other
● Describe a variety of therapeutic approaches that support healing and integration
● Differentiate between top-down and bottom-up treatments for trauma

Day 3: Medical Decision, Neurobiology, The Importance of Social Connection and Support, Couples, Families, and the outside world
● Identify ways to support parents in making peace with agonizing decisions

● Explain the therapeutic benefits of affirming the baby, parenthood, enduring bonds, and decisions made
● Describe common challenges couples face as they grieve and mourn 
● Describe strategies to suggest to couples in order to support their efforts to maintain connection and strengthen the relationship
● Describe common challenges parents face with their own parents (the baby’s grandparents) and strategies to strengthen those relationships
● Describe common challenges parents face with their older children
● Describe strategies parents can employ for supporting their older children 
● Describe common challenges parents face with friends and acquaintances 
● Describe strategies parents can employ for dealing with others
● Discuss how relationships and social connections are healing for parents
● Describe the common challenges parents face as they decide whether or when to try to get pregnant again
● Identify why the “best advice” for timing subsequent pregnancy is to support parents in making their own informed decision
● Describe and normalize the common emotional challenges parent face during subsequent pregnancy, birth, and parenting
● List and describe therapeutic approaches for supporting bereaved parents during subsequent pregnancy and parenting