1.5 hours

This session was recorded at NHPCO’s Clinical Team Conference on November 5, 2012.

When working with patients and families nearing the end of life, hospice and palliative professionals focus on physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs within a framework of “loss.” In this Opening Plenary session, Dr. Rando will broaden that framework, explaining that life-threatening and terminal illness inherently involves experiences of trauma that result in traumatic stress. Traumatic stress has a significant impact on patients and families; our understanding of it and how to work with those who are dealing with it can greatly improve end-of-life experiences for all. Learn techniques and intervention strategies to help patients and families cope and to increase your competency in working with people in distress.  

Learning Objectives:

From this webcast, you will be able to:

• Identify how anxiety, trauma and traumatic stress are inherent aspects of the end-of-life experience
• Specify how traumatic stress is created in life-threatening and terminal illness
• Describe at least three intervention strategies for traumatic stress during life-threatening or terminal illness

Therese A. Rando, PhD, BCETS, BCBT

Dr. Rando is a clinical psychologist and the Clinical Director of The Institute for the Study and Treatment of Loss in Warwick, Rhode Island. Since 1970, she has consulted, conducted research, provided therapy, written and lectured internationally in areas related to loss, grief, illness, dying and trauma. Current professional foci include treatment of complicated mourning, loss of a child, the interface between posttraumatic stress and grief, anticipatory mourning, specialized intervention techniques in the treatment of traumatic bereavement and the integration of EMDR into intervention with grief and mourning.  

She holds a doctoral degree in Psychology from the University of Rhode Island and received advanced training in psychotherapy and medical consultation-liaison psychiatry at Case Western Reserve University Medical School and University Hospitals of Cleveland.

Dr. Rando is the author of over 80 significant works pertaining to the clinical aspects of thanatology including Treatment of Complicated Mourning (1993), How to Go on Living When Someone You Love Dies (1991), and Grief, Dying, and Death: Clinical Interventions for Caregivers (1984). She is also a national media resource expert in dying, death, loss, and trauma for the American Psychological Association. 

Dr. Rando has appeared on numerous television programs, including “Dateline,” CBS “This Morning,” “Today Show,” “Good Morning, America,” “CNN & Time,” CNBC “Upfront Tonight,” “The Oprah Winfrey Show” and has provided commentary for The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, USA Today, Newsweek, and US News and World Report, among many others. Dr. Rando is the recipient of many recognitions for her accomplishments in the field of thanatology, including the Association for Death Education and Counseling's “Outstanding Contribution to the Study of Death, Dying, and Bereavement” and “Clinical Practice Award.”  Therese Rando has no relevant financial relationships to disclose. 

You will have access to this webcast for 90 days from the date of purchase.

Course Release Date: 01/10/13

Course Expiration Date: 01/10/16

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