5th Fall Bereavement Conference

An estimated 1 in 14 children in the United States will experience the death of a parent or sibling before the age 18. Estimates in the State of Idaho are 1 in 15 children. If you add grandparents, extended family, or other types of losses such as divorce, incarceration, separation from parents, the number is even greater. What do we currently know about how to effectively care for and support children through these difficult life transitions? This seminar will provide a theoretical basis for supporting grieving children and teens. We will explore techniques that can be used in a variety of settings to offer support and care. We will discuss ethical considerations when supporting children, teenagers, and families who are grieving.

Objectives
1.  Attendees will learn techniques and new ideas for providing grief support to children, teenagers,
and their families.
2.  Attendees will be able to recognize the impact that grief has on the lives of children. 3. Attendees will be able to identify the ethical issues related to grief support care. 4. Attendees will learn ways to support families through the adaptive tasks of grief.

Andy McNiel, MA, author and trainer on topics related to grief, bereavement, and end of life, will be the presenter. He has been an advocate for healthy children, teenagers, and families throughout his career. He is a co-founder and an executive partner with The Satori Group, LLC, a national education, management, and consulting company, providing education, content development, training, and consultation in the area of grief and loss.  Andy has served in non-profit leadership and fundraising in a variety of non-profit settings. He has provided leadership for The National Alliance for Grieving Children, The Amelia Center at Children's of Alabama, and Hospice of Martin and St. Lucie (now Treasure Health) in South Florida. He has strong experience in leadership, fundraising, business development, building key relationships, and providing education and consultation in non-profit management. He is the co-author, along with Pamela Gabbay, of Supporting and Understanding Bereaved Children: A Practical Guide for Professionals. He has served as a consultant to non-profits across the United States, providing strategic planning, content development, fundraising support, board management, and organizational development. A highly experienced bereavement support group facilitator, Andy has facilitated numerous groups for bereaved parents, widows and widowers, children, and teenagers. He has also provided individual bereavement counseling to children, teenagers, and adults. Andy has lectured extensively on support group facilitation, grief and bereavement support, non-profit management, and leadership. He is a trainer for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and Boys and Girls Clubs of America. He is on the Board of Directors for the Association for Death Education and Counseling (ADEC) and is a member of the International Workgroup on Death, Dying, and Bereavement. Andy holds a Bachelor of Arts in Religion from Palm Beach Atlantic University and a Master of Arts in Counseling from The University of Alabama at Birmingham.