Growing through grief: A psychoeducational workshop series for bereaved students

Journal of College Student Development, Nov/Dec 1998 by Vickio, Craig J, Clark, Claudia A

Craig J. Vickio and Claudia A. Clark Bowling Green State University College students face many developmental challenges outside of the classroom. The death of a loved one constitutes one such challengea challenge which can be very painful (Balk, Tyson-Rawson, & Colletti-Wetzel,1993), yet can also afford students an opportunity for growth and self-discovery (Floerchinger, 1991). A significant proportion of college students have experienced a major loss (Floerchinger, 1991), but the college environment does not appear to facilitate grieving (Janowiak, Mei-Tal, & Drapkin, 1995). Students may also lack the knowledge and emotional coping skills for dealing with death because our Western culture tends to shield them from the realities and inevitability of loss (Rando, 1984).

In 1996, a survey of randomly selected undergraduate and graduate students at Bowling Green State University revealed that grief was a prevalent concern; more than one-fourth of the 448 survey respondents were experiencing moderate to extreme levels of stress over the death of a loved one (Rentner, Wright, & Vickio, 1996). Many sought assistance at the University's Counseling Center, which resulted in the burgeoning of an already-substantial waiting list.

To allow for the timely delivery of services, the staff of the Counseling Center decided to offer a psychoeducational workshop series for these and other students interested in discussing their grief experience. The staff believed that conducting such workshops would serve a number of functions, including: (a) offering students a framework for understanding their grief-related experiences (e.g., Johnson, 1986); (b) normalizing certain feelings and perceptions associated with grief (e.g., Janowiak et al.,1995); (c) helping students to feel understood by others and less alone in their grief experience (e.g., Janowiak et al., 1995); and (d) disseminating information to students about other resources for coping with loss.

Workshop Scheduling and Format

During the spring of 1997, two clinical psychologists in the Counseling Center co-facilitated a three-session workshop series which they titled "Growing Through Grief." The scheduling and format of the workshops were chosen to address two anticipated challenges. The first challenge was to find a way to offer an experience that would be maximally helpful to grieving students while making efficient use of staff resources. Past grief programs had been offered on a weekly basis; this arrangement utilized too much staff time given the small number of students who attended. The second challenge was to balance the participants' need to express painful feelings with the need for sufficient structure to prevent them from becoming overwhelmed by intense feelings.

These challenges were addressed by adapting a workshop model used by two local hospice organizations. This model included monthly rather than weekly sessions which addressed the first challenge. The hospice model also used a combination of formal presentation with informal discussion, a suitable structure to meet the second challenge. The "Growing Through Grief" adaptation of this model offered workshops approximately once each month on the same day of the week and at the same early evening time. The individual workshops in the series were independent so that students were not obligated to attend all of the sessions. Each session began with a 30-minute presentation followed by a refreshment break and a 45-minute group discussion.

The facilitators distributed a one-page evaluation form at the conclusion of each session which was completed anonymously by all participants. The form asked participants to rate their satisfaction with the workshop and gave participants the opportunity to provide narrative feedback regarding the program.

Both psychologists attended all sessions in order to allow one facilitator to focus attention on individual participants while the other facilitator monitored the overall group process. The presence of two facilitators also made it possible for one staff member to take immediate action in the event that any student should suddenly exit from the discussion and require individual attention.

Promotion of the Workshop

To publicize the grief series, one of the facilitators contacted the university newspaper which subsequently ran a story describing the upcoming series. Flyers announcing the program were distributed to housing staff, the Off-Campus Student Center, and the Student Health Service, and were also displayed prominently in the Counseling Center. The program was open to all university students.

Workshop Content

Session #1. The facilitators' goal in the first workshop was to provide students with a model for understanding the types of tasks commonly faced by the bereaved. Grief-related tasks which were identified included: accepting the reality of the death, regaining a sense of personal control, finding meaning or purpose in life, and relearning one's world (e.g., Rando, 1993, 1995; Worden, 1982).