CONTACT: SPENCER LEVINE, HFA, 202-457-5811 Ext. 1098

July 16, 2014 Washington DC --- Anyone who has lost someone or something significant in their life is likely to have grieved. But there is much more to grief than sadness and tears. “Grief: What Helps When it Hurts?” will be a one-hour, live, online presentation on Saturday, November 1 at Noon (ET) that will explore how grief may affect us physically, emotionally and spiritually, the signs that suggest a need for professional assistance, and how to find help. There will be no charge to view the presentation which promises to engage viewers with interactive opportunities and the ability to submit questions during the program.

“Grieving a significant loss, whether by a death or separation, affects not only the way that we feel, but also the ways that we think and behave,” said panelist Kenneth J. Doka, PhD, MDiv, an internationally renowned expert on grief, and senior consultant to Hospice Foundation of America. “While each of us is different, there are things that we can do to help those around us, and even ourselves, as we cope with loss, an inevitable though painful part of both love and life,” Doka added. He will be joined on the program by Dale G. Larson, PhD, an award-winning author, scholar and professor at Santa Clara University, where he directs graduate studies in health psychology.
 
“We think it quite fitting to start off National Hospice and Palliative Care Month (November) with a program that will have such wide appeal among both the public and clinicians,” said Amy Tucci, president and CEO of Hospice Foundation of America. “Bereavement care is an important part of the comprehensive services offered by hospices.”

Although there will be no charge to view the program, registration will be required. The program is primarily intended for a non-professional audience but there will be continuing professional education credit offered for clinicians at a nominal charge.

Details on registration and board approvals will be released soon.