Healing a Family

Join us for a presentation by Irwin Sandler, Ph.D., ASU Regents’ Professor of psychology, one of the nation’s foremost experts in developing resilience in families following the death of a parent. This no-cost event is open to the community, and is of special interest to mental health professionals and grief counselors.

Sandler has been researching the subject for more than 30 years through the Family Bereavement Program, a 12-session program designed to promote effective parenting and teach useful coping skills following the death of a parent or caregiver. Sandler and colleagues recently completed a 15-year follow-up with program participants that found a number of positive outcomes, including strengthening of resilient parenting. “Resilient parent” refers to a parenting style that can be taught. It utilizes skills that promote emotional resilience in both parents and children, as well as reductions in distress, grief, depression, alcohol use and suicidal ideation.

With financial support from New York Life Insurance Company, the Family Bereavement Program is evolving from a university experiment to a service that can be offered to families nationwide.

Hospice of the Valley’s New Song Center for Grieving Children is one of four children’s bereavement agencies in the country selected to pilot the Family Bereavement Program.

Sandler will share his findings on how the program promotes resilience for bereaved families, and about how the program can become an effective and sustainable model for bereavement support in our community.

Light refreshments will be provided at this no-cost event.