“Walking with Grief: Supporting Others Through Loss”

Duration: 4 Hours (including a 15-minute break)

Audience: Mental health professionals, community leaders, caregivers, educators, or anyone wanting to support grieving individuals more effectively.

🗓️ Workshop Agenda
0:00 – 0:15 | Welcome & Grounding

• Brief introductions (name, role, and what brings them to the workshop)

• Set group agreements: confidentiality, respect, self-care

• Overview of the agenda and learning objectives

Objectives:

• Understand the nature of grief

• Learn effective, compassionate ways to support others

• Avoid common pitfalls in grief support

• Apply practical skills to real-life situations
  
   

0:15 – 1:00 | Understanding Grief: What It Is and What It Isn’t
Topics Covered:

• Definitions of grief, mourning, and bereavement

• Types of loss (death, divorce, job loss, ambiguous loss)

• Grief models: Kubler-Ross, Worden’s Tasks of Mourning, Dual Process Model

• Myths about grief (e.g., “move on,” “be strong,” "stages are linear")
   

Activity:

• “Grief Timeline” reflection: Participants reflect on a personal experience with loss and sketch the emotional ups and downs over time (voluntary share)
   

1:00 – 1:45 | The Role of a Support Person
Topics Covered:

• Active listening and presence

• What helps vs. what hurts

• Holding space without trying to fix

• Empathy vs. sympathy

• The power of saying “I don’t know what to say”
   

Activity:

• Group role-play: Supporting a grieving friend or client using empathetic language

• Discussion: What made it feel helpful or not?
   

1:45 – 2:00 | Break (15 Minutes)

2:00 – 2:45 | Cultural and Individual Differences in Grief
Topics Covered:

• How culture, religion, age, and family systems shape grief expression

• Avoiding assumptions and stereotypes

• Grief in children, teens, adults, and elders

• Special topics: disenfranchised grief, trauma loss, collective grief
   

Activity:

• Small group discussion: “What grief norms did you grow up with?”

• Case vignettes: Discuss culturally sensitive grief support approaches
   

2:45 – 3:30 | Practical Tools and Boundaries in Grief Support
Topics Covered:

• Grounding techniques for emotional distress

• How to check in without overwhelming

• Referrals: When to encourage professional help

• Maintaining boundaries and managing emotional fatigue as a helper
   

Activity:

• Practice session: Grounding or co-regulation technique

• Worksheet: Creating your "Grief Support Toolbox" with do’s, don’ts, and resources
   

3:30 – 4:00 | Integration and Commitment
Topics Covered:

• Recap of key takeaways

• Reflective journaling prompt: “How can I be a healing presence in the lives of others?”

• Optional group share: One personal or professional commitment to support others through grief
   

Closing Ritual:

• Group reads a brief, affirming statement or quote about grief and healing
   

🧾 Materials Provided:

• Slide presentation

• Handouts: Grief models, toolbox worksheet, referral guide

• Pens, journals or note pads

• Optional: calming items (tissues, tea, stress balls, art materials)