Traumatic Grief

Traumatic grief is a term which combines trauma with bereavement or grief responses. Symptoms similar to PTSD, though specifically focussed on the lost person, including intrusive, distressing preoccupation with the deceased, hypervigilant scanning of the environment for the deceased, among other distressing symptoms, are seen in people who are suffering from traumatic grief. The nature of the loss is broad, including loss by murder, suicide, loss of a child, loss of a limb, sudden life changing injury to self or a loved one, to name but a few of the triggers. This day will give an opportunity to explore the nature of traumatic grief and the additional disturbing incidents which add to the sudden and traumatic loss, which can lead to complicated grief and/or chronic sorrow. Discussing our own needs as we accompany those who may have to articulate particularly explicit details of their traumatic loss, will be an important part of this day.