Date: Thursday February 5th, 2026 - Sunday February 8th, 2026

Times: Training is being held 9am-5:30pm Thursday-Saturday & 9am-12pm Sunday

Location: In person at Donor Network of Arizona, 2010 W Rio Salado Pkwy, Tempe, AZ 85281

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Registration Deadline: Friday January 30th, 2026

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Grief therapy, especially in the context of traumatic loss, often presents unique challenges for clinicians, particularly when bridging the gap between the fields of thanatology and psychotherapy. This 4-day certification training introduces the 8 Tenets of Grief Affirming Practice®(GAP)—an innovative, integrative approach designed to address the emotional, psychological, and relational complexities of traumatic grief in a clinical setting.

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The training, approved for 24 CEs, will provide an in-depth exploration of these eight core tenets, including their theoretical foundations, research support, and practical applications. Grief Affirming Practice®(GAP) offers a non-pathological framework that emphasizes the importance of responding to grief in a way that honors the individual’s unique experience while providing a safe, supportive, and empowering therapeutic space. Participants will learn how to implement these tenets in clinical practice to enhance outcomes for those who are grieving traumatic losses.

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The 8 Tenets of Grief Affirming Practice®:

1. Anti-Oppressive: Addressing systemic issues of power and privilege in grief therapy to ensure that all clients, regardless of their background, receive equitable care.

2. Grief Informed/Responsive: Recognizing grief as a natural, multifaceted, and deeply personal process that arises from the universal human experience of attachment and connection.

3. Trauma Informed/Responsive: Understanding how traumatic experiences impact a person’s emotional and physical well-being, and integrating trauma-sensitive approaches into grief therapy.

4. Individualized/Eclectic: Tailoring interventions to the specific needs, history, and preferences of the client, acknowledging that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to grief.

5. Non-Pathological: Viewing grief through a lens of resilience rather than pathology, focusing on the client’s strengths and coping mechanisms.

6. Mindfulness Based: Using mindfulness techniques to support grieving clients with attunement to the present moment, reduce distress, and cultivate affect tolerance.

7. Humanistic/Existential & Person-Centered: Acknowledging the client as the expert in their relationship with grief, respecting their autonomy, and supporting them in finding meaning and purpose in their own time and on their own terms.

8. Attachment Based: Exploring the influence of attachment on the emotional experience of grief, supporting clients through awareness of their attachment style, primary attachment figures, and attachment to their beloved(s) who have died.
    

Learning Objectives:

Upon completion of this training, participants will be able to:

1. Explain the Need for Integrative, Non-Pathological Approaches to Grief Therapy:

   • Participants will understand why traditional grief therapy models may not fully address the complexities of traumatic grief and how non-pathological, trauma-sensitive, and grief-informed approaches can offer better support.

   • Learn how these approaches connect to broader trauma/grief-informed care models, ensuring that grief is seen as a process of adaptation rather than a disorder.

2. Describe the 8 Components of Grief Affirming Practice® (GAP):

   • Participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of the eight tenets of GAP, including their theoretical roots, empirical support, and clinical relevance.

3. Integrate the 8 Tenets of Grief Affirming Practice® (GAP) into Clinical Practice:

   • Participants will acquire practical skills to incorporate GAP into their therapeutic work with traumatically bereaved clients. This will include learning specific intervention strategies, developing client-centered treatment plans, and adapting approaches based on the client’s individual grief needs.
      

Format & Structure:

This certification training spans four full days of intensive learning, combining lectures, group discussions, case studies, and experiential exercises. Participants will have opportunities to engage with the material, ask questions, and practice integrating the tenets of Grief Affirming Practice® into clinical scenarios.

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Day-by-Day Breakdown:

Day 1: Introduction to Grief Affirming Practice® and Anti-Oppressive, Grief Informed/Responsive Approaches

Day 2: Trauma Informed/Responsive and Individualized/Eclectic Tenets

Day 3: Non-Pathological, Mindfulness-Based, and Humanistic/Existential Approaches

Day 4: Attachment-Based Tenet and Integrating the 8 Tenets into Clinical Practice
 

Who Should Attend:

This training is ideal for mental health professionals, including therapists, counselors, social workers, and grief specialists, who work with individuals experiencing traumatic grief. It is also suitable for those interested in deepening their knowledge of grief therapy approaches and expanding their therapeutic toolkit to better support bereaved clients.

By the end of this training, participants will be equipped with a comprehensive, research-backed framework to guide their work with clients coping with traumatic grief, enabling them to provide compassionate, effective, and empowering therapeutic support.

Content Level: Intermediate level of training content. No prior education in grief is required before taking the course. 

Fee & registration: Registration can be found at www.swigts.com. Cost is $1200 and includes CE credit. Cancellations must be received 72 hours prior to the training to receive a refund.

Course material includes: defining grief/bereavement, theories of grief models, theories of grief interventions, research about what is most helpful for the traumatically bereaved, and use of grief specific supports and therapeutic actions that align with Grief Affirming Practice ®.

Course completion & CE info: Participants will be provided with their CE certificate at the end of the training presentation after completion of the course evaluation and signing out at the end of the training.

Outline with specific times and breaks: Course is 24 hours of didactic learning with slides, clinical discussion amongst colleagues, and examples of use of skills presented. 

Amount of CE credit offered:  24 Total CEs that include 3 Cultural Competency and 3 Ethics as required by the Arizona Board of Behavioral Health Examiners

CE Approval Granted by: Associate of Social Work Boards (ASWB) approved continuing education ACE

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Southwest Institute for Grief and Trauma Studies (SWIGTS), 1913, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 05/06/2025-05/06/2028. Social workers completing this course receive 24 continuing education credits.

QUESTIONS? For questions, concerns, or to request special accommodations, please contact: twaibel@swigts.com

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