Continuing Bonds Retreat April 7th-9th, 2025. Register by March 28, 2025.

Day 1- In-Person and Virtual 2 CEs
Speaker: Kelly Daugherty, LCSW-R, FT

Schedule:
2:00pm - 3:00pm: Welcome and Registrations
3:00pm - 5:00pm Foundations of Grief: Understanding Loss and Introducing Continuing Bonds
Types of grief and their implications for treatment/intervention
Differentiate between grief counseling vs. grief therapy
The process of death, dying and mourning

5:00-5:30pm: Check into Rooms 

5:30-6:30pm: Dinner 

7:00-8:00pm: Networking Reception and Grief Art Activity

Description:
This introductory session provides a foundational understanding of grief and loss, exploring key concepts and current models that shape contemporary grief therapy. Participants will gain insight into traditional and evolving perspectives on grief, with a focus on the continuing bonds model, which encourages ongoing connections with loved ones who have died. By examining these concepts, attendees will be prepared to build on this knowledge throughout the training as they integrate new tools and approaches for grief work.

Objectives:
1. Identify the key concepts and differences among traditional grief models, including continuing bonds, to establish a comprehensive framework for grief therapy.
2. Analyze the impact of continuing bonds on clients’ grief narratives, contrasting it with other grief models to understand its unique therapeutic benefits.

Day 2- In-Person and Virtual 7 CEs
Speakers: Kelly Daugherty, LCSW-R, FT, and April Hannah, LMHC
Schedule:
7:15-7:45 AM: Sound healing morning meditation
8:00-8:30 AM: Breakfast
8:45AM–10:45 AM: Grief-Informed Care: Tools and Techniques for Effective Therapy – Kelly Daugherty
-Intake assessment of grieving clients, including assessment for depression and suicide
-Interventions and strategies for grief therapy or counseling
-Boundaries of professional competence

10:50 AM – 12:15 PM: Creative Therapies for Grief: Engaging Clients Beyond Words – April Hannah
-Interventions and strategies for grief therapy or counseling
12:15 PM – 1:15 PM: Break/Lunch
1:15 PM – 2:15 PM: Continuing Bonds: Expanding the Grief Narrative – Kelly Daugherty
-Regret, forgiveness, and reconciliation
2:15 PM-2:30 PM: Break
2:30 PM – 4:00 PM: Exploring Religious and Spiritual Bias in Grief Work – April Hannah
-Multicultural and spirituality considerations
4:00 PM- 5:30 PM: Rituals in Grief Therapy: Connecting to Meaning- April Hannah and Kelly Daugherty
5:30-6:30 PM: Dinner
7:45pm- Bonfire- In-Person Participants Only

Description:
This day’s sessions provide a comprehensive approach to grief-informed care, emphasizing creative therapies, the continuing bonds framework, and the role of religious and spiritual beliefs in grief work. Participants will learn evidence-based tools and techniques to enhance their therapeutic practices, moving beyond traditional approaches to engage clients holistically. The evening session on rituals will deepen the exploration of meaning-making in grief, offering methods for integrating meaningful practices into therapy.

Objectives:
1. Apply core tools and techniques for grief-informed care to address the unique needs of grieving clients across diverse backgrounds and life stages.
2. Demonstrate creative therapeutic approaches, such as art, movement, and expressive therapies, to engage clients in nonverbal exploration of their grief.
3. Examine the concept of continuing bonds and differentiate it from traditional grief models, assessing how it can reshape clients' narratives and foster resilience.
4. Understand the role of religious and spiritual transference and countertransference in the therapeutic relationship.
5. Incorporate rituals and symbolic practices into grief therapy to help clients find meaning and connection, tailoring these approaches to fit individual beliefs and values.
6. Create a personalized framework for grief therapy that combines informed care, creative techniques, and ongoing connections, enhancing the therapeutic experience for clients managing loss.

Day 3: In-Person and Virtual 5.5 CEs
Speakers: Kelly Daugherty, LCSW-R, FT, and April Hannah, LMHC
Schedule:
8:00 AM-8:30 AM: Breakfast
8:30 AM – 10:00 AM: Incorporating Quick and Easy Mindfulness Activities in Therapy Sessions – April Hannah and Kelly Daugherty
10:00 AM-10:15AM: Break
10:15 AM – 11:30 AM: Grief Across the Lifespan: Continuing Bonds with Children, Teens, and Adults – Kelly Daugherty
-Special considerations for grief and loss across all developmental and life stages
-Ethical considerations, including working with the terminally ill, minors, families and end-of-life decisions
11:30 AM-12:00 PM: Case Study
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM: Lunch
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM: Moving Through Grief: The Role of Body and Movement – Kelly Daugherty
2:00 PM- 2:15 PM: Break
2:15 PM – 3:15 PM: The Power of Sound: A Therapeutic Approach to Grief and Reflection – April Hannah
-Self-care for the grief professional
3:15 PM – 3:45 PM: Closing Ritual

Description:
This day focuses on experiential techniques that enhance grief therapy, including mindfulness, movement, and sound. Sessions will provide practical methods for incorporating these therapeutic tools to support clients in processing grief across the lifespan. By the end of the day, participants will have a versatile toolkit to address grief’s physical, emotional, and sensory dimensions, fostering meaningful connections through continuing bonds. A closing ritual will conclude the day, integrating the concepts learned and allowing for personal reflection.

Objectives:
1. Apply quick and accessible mindfulness activities to help clients manage grief-related stress and find calm in therapy sessions.
2. Demonstrate movement-based techniques that address the physical aspects of grief, helping clients release and process emotions through body-centered activities.
3. Differentiate approaches to continuing bonds therapy for children, teens, and adults, adapting strategies to fit developmental needs.
4. Utilize sound as a therapeutic tool for grief and reflection, learning how to integrate music, ambient sounds, and rhythm to support emotional expression and connection.