Grief: From dark despair to new beginnings
This keynote will explore the dynamics of grief, the feelings that normally accompany loss through death and the mystery of inner re-adjustment that is part of the process. We will explore how the body-system functions during this time and how the body-system can be used in the healing process. We will explore as well the social dynamics of loneliness, re-integration and new relationships.

How Parents Parent After the Death of a Child
The death of a child has an overwhelming impact on a parent, as a tragedy of this magnitude assaults one's identity, challenges their world view, stresses the marital bond immutably alters the psychosocial landscape of the family and leaves its irrevocable imprint on the surviving children. There is a substantial body of research exploring the unspeakable catastrophe of parental bereavement, relatively little attention has been paid to the unique challenges and daunting responsibilities parents face in having to parent their surviving bereaved children. This workshop addresses the complex and delicate dilemma facing bereaved parents' namely in the midst of grief, how do you cease parenting the deceased child while simultaneously continuing in this role with surviving children.

Relearning the World after Traumatic Loss in Childhood
The death of a significant person represents one of the most powerful disruptions in all aspects of a child’s emotional life. When a death happens suddenly and traumatically, innocence is lost, replaced with the frightening notion that the world is an unpredictable and dangerous place.
In this workshop, Dr. Balmer will introduce participants to the private worlds of grieving children. Case examples, art-work, and video segments will be presented to illustrate the profound nature of traumatic loss in childhood, emphasizing the resiliency of children and adolescents as they struggle to make sense of their world after the death of a loved one.

Taking Care of the Heart - The Resiliency Map
This workshop will be based on work done as a component of the AIDS Bereavement Project of Ontario(ABPO) and will focus on the fact that workers(staff and volunteers) in human services experience losses through a variety of sources. For example: as a part of the work-bereavement support or a client dies, in one's own personal life and through organizational changes. It will demonstrate and explain an innovative tool to assess and enhance individual and organizational resiliency. This tool is called the "Resiliency Map". It is based on native practices and allows people to weave a narrative as they literally walk their journey with loss experiences. It gives an opportunity for one to identify stressors and their impact along coping strategies a sharing process from which new individual and organizational strategies can emerge based on shared purpose, motivation and commitment. This tool is also available in French.

Lunch and Learn Program Model
Bereaved Families of Ontario-Halton/Peel Affiliate has developed an innovative workshop to educate the public and private sectors about grief and bereavement. This activity includes strategies and coping skills to ease the burden of grief, effectively addressing issues of grief and bereavement in the workplace, illustrate to managers the reasonable expectations of grieving employees, guide the development of reasonable policies and procedures, and provide strategies to return to expected productively.

Suicide, Multiple and Violent Death Loss
This workshop will be based on the speaker's over 35 years as a grief counsellor and her extensive experience in the development of innovative suicide prevention/postvention, crisis response, telephone counselling programs and tragic events response protocols. It will also draw from her experience as the Executive Director of the "Distress Centres and the Survivor Support Program in Toronto".

Supporter Burnout
Burnout is an occupational hazard for anyone in a supporter role related to dying, death, bereavement, grief and other major losses. This workshop will facilitate understanding of "burnout" and how to provide compassionate support without burning out.

Understanding Grief in Pre/Post Natal Loss
Death is unavoidable, a natural part of the life cycle. However we live in a culture where death is a taboo subject and talking about death difficult. The death of a child seems like a perversion of nature as parents expect to predecease their children, not bury them. Grief following the death of a child during or shortly after pregnancy is often unrecognized or misunderstood by well meaning others. In this interactive workshop we will discuss perinatal death, grief and bereavement, with ways to assuage, rather than intensify the grief.

Military Loss
This workshop will give information on what happens when someone is killed during a military operation, the process for family members from initial notification, the repatriation ceremony, the funeral service and beyond. It will highlight the services provides through the military and their affiliates so professionals can work in partnership with these agencies. Military Widows who have experienced a loss of this type have expressed dissatisfaction when they seek service outside the normal military milieu that "the professionals just don't get it". It will give professionals the opportunity to gain a better understanding of the unique military lifestyle and why military loss is different not only for the family and friends but for the whole community.

Successful Group Process - Basic
For people with little or no experience in facilitating groups, this workshop will examine the elements of running a successful group, including planning and preparation, leadership and co-facilitation, formation and structure, facilitation skills, common problems and possible solutions, ethical responsibilities and issues related to closure. Lecture, discussion and experiential exercises will be utilized.

Grief Puzzle for Bereaved Teens
"Missing Pieces-The Grief Puzzle"' is a program offered by Bereaved Families of Ontario-Hamilton/Burlington in partnership with three area School Boards over the past 9 years. This program provides a one-day mutual aid workshop for bereaved teens (grades 9-12). It provides an opportunity for teens to share with each other their experiences, feelings, and thoughts about the death of a significant person in their lives. This workshop will share how this unique, innovative program and the partnerships were developed, the power of shared story telling, and hear from teens who have participated (via a video presentation).

Multiple Loss Survivors
Based work done through the "AIDS Bereavement Project of Ontario", this workshop will present an emerging loss framework "The Multiple Loss Journey" developed by community members who have experienced on-going AIDS related multiple loss and community devastation. This includes a visual tool that can be used to graphically depict these losses. These concepts and tools can be applied to others experiencing multiple losses, complex losses and discrimination.

Successful Group Process - Advanced
Similar content as cited in the basic workshop (See 1st Session #4), directed to people with some to several years experience facilitating groups.

Creative Interventions - Families and Children (bereaved - ages 6 to 12)
Children who enter therapy after the death of a loved one are at a very vulnerable time in their lives. They are often anxious about the therapeutic process and reluctant to talk directly about painful feelings. Activities that are creative and play-based can engage children and help them to express their thoughts and feelings. This workshop will present creative interventions for use with bereaved children ages 6-12. This will include activities for use in individual, group, familycounselling and support group settings. Participants will be exposed to many new and innovative techniques.

Aboriginal Grief Support Norms
Canadian First Nations people have a rich history of teachings and methodologies of facing life issues including bereavement and grief. This workshop is based on the speaker's knowledge as a member of a First Nation community, experience as a qualified social worker and status as a "circle teacher" who received teachings from many elders. It will explore these teachings, practices and healing strategies along with their relevance in bereavement and grief.

Spirituality and Grieving - pastoral support
This workshop will be based on the emerging impact of Hospice Spirituality on the live of grieving Canadians. It will define hospice spirituality, explore the key themes of hospice spiritual support and care related to the work of grief and bereavement support along with understanding the value of using the self as a healing presence.