CPD training: a guide to facilitating a bereavement support group

CPD course for counsellors and psychotherapists: a guide to setting up and facilitating a bereavement support group.

This course will take you on a creative journey through initial considerations, setting up and holding space in the group, finding content and considering potential challenges.

The combination of presentation, experiential exercises, discussion and examples will hopefully leave you with clear actions to get your group up and running.  

Counsellors and psychotherapists have a skill set that is transferable to facilitating support groups, and this guide aims to support your professional development to facilitate a helpful, supportive space for your community. There is also an opportunity to learn insights and considerations about working with grief that will hopefully aid your future client work.

Although this course is specific in content to facilitating a bereavement support group, you could use the group framework and set-up principles for other types of support groups.

Content

Here is a list of the things covered in the course:

Chapter 1: initial set-up

• Practical considerations: venue, duration, frequency, group type.
• Admin: including a PDF contact sheet with GDPR considerations.
• Advertising the group and sending reminders.
• Ethical considerations: boundaries, confidentiality, support not therapy.

Chapter 2: the group session

• Create an agenda (sample PDF included) for the group.
• Grounding exercise (script PDF included for your use).
• Check-in.
• Opening content.
• Content: experiences, quotes, psychoeducation.
• Closing content.
• Grounding exercise (script PDF included for your use).
• Check out.
• Ending: reminders, next group date.

Chapter 3: content

• Researching your content. 
• Use of content. 
• Quotes and experiences. 
• Psychoeducation. 
• Poetry. 
• Themes: calendar-based, topics, suggestions.

Chapter 4: potential challenges

• Making space for everybody to talk. 
• The choice to share. 
• Managing conflict. 
• Awareness of difference and holding a safe, accepting space for all. 
• Safeguarding.
• Different losses.
• Dual relationships: working one-to-one with group attendees.
• Managing contact between group meetings.
• Bringing the group to an end – another loss. 

Chapter 5: resources

• References.
• Bibliography. 
• Contact details. 

At the end of each chapter, there will be a task to complete. These tasks will encourage self-reflection, help set up your group and aim to prepare you for potential challenges or ethical dilemmas.

With this course, you will get:

• A 1-hour 20-minute video presentation, discussion and examples.
• 38 slides, including signposting for content resources.
• 2 PDF scripts for opening and closing grounding exercises.
• A PDF sample group agenda.
• A PDF sample contact sheet.
• 5 exercises to encourage self-reflection, research and preparation.
• Certificate for a total of 5 hours CPD (please note this is for attendance, not competence or qualification. Terms and conditions apply).

Contact the host to book.