Self-care and the impact of our own experiences of bereavement (GP course session 6)

About the event

This session is part of the Grief Academy course ‘Grief and Bereavement in Primary Care’.

Many primary care professionals have personal experiences of loss which can impact how they support bereaved patients and sometimes make it difficult to talk about grief. They may also lack confidence discussing these emotive topics when it matters most. Session 6 will focus on how to support yourself while supporting bereaved patients, featuring nurse, chaplain and bereavement educator Lynne Innes in conversation with Dr Lynsey Bennett.

Key Topics:

• Personal Bereavement Experiences: How clinicians’ personal experiences can affect bereavement support—and strategies for how to manage complex feelings while protecting your wellbeing.
• Managing Discomfort: Practical steps to take if you feel uncomfortable talking about grief with your patients, and ways to work collaboratively and supportively with other team members.
• Building Confidence: Tools to build confidence in having conversations with patients in ways that feel safe.
• Self-Care Strategies: How to support yourself and your team as well as your patients.

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• Recognise their own feelings and experiences in relation to grief and bereavement
• Explain what to do if they feel uncomfortable talking or asking about bereavement
• Describe self-care strategies for primary care staff and teams