MOR 320 - Thanatology

1. Understand the value of the funeral and the importance of the ritual in the grief process for the deceases family and friends
   1. Identify the needs of the bereaved
   2. Define and apply bereavement, mourning and grief
   3. Identify the purposes and values of the funeral
2. Outline the theories of grief
   1. Explain Lindermann’s Grief Syndrome
   2. Describe Bowlby’s Attachment Theory
   3. List Kubler-Ross’ Five Stages of Death
   4. Recall Worden’s Tasks of Mourning
   5. Define Wolfelt’s Mourning (reconciliation) Needs
3. Identify typical responses to death and their variation based on developmental levels, gender and cultural differences
   1. Identify the normal grief reactions addressed by J. William Worden
   2. Evaluate the determinants of grief
   3. Recognize the feelings family members express verbally and non-verbally
4. Gain an understanding of complicated grief
   1. Identify the factors which may complicate grief
   2. Classify types of complicated grief reactions
   3. Identify a child’s understanding of death by age development
   4. Explain what not to say and what to say when explaining death to children
5. Evaluate various styles and definitions of counseling, and the necessary counseling skills as they apply to funeral service pre-need, at-need, and post-need situations as outlined by the American board of Funeral Service Curriculum Outline
   1. Recognizing and differentiating various definitions of counseling provided by Webster, Rogers, Jackson, and Ohlsen
   2. Differentiating between directive and non-directive styles of counseling
   3. Identify different types and styles of counseling
   4. List the major goals as well as the major functions of a funeral counselor
6. Gain an understanding of personal attributes for successful funeral directors
   1. Identify the characteristics of the caring funeral director
   2. Identify interpersonal skills necessary for the successful funeral service practice.
   3. Modify one’s own practice of barriers to communications
7. Recognize the differences between grief counseling and grief therapy, as well as identify his or her personal limitations, and the importance of making referrals to the appropriate community resources
   1. Discuss appropriate crisis intervention counseling
   2. Identify Howard Stone’s ‘ABE’ method of crisis intervention
   3. Identify the family system and its effect on the grief process
8. Recognize various community resources which are available to families in grief
   1. Become aware of the role of hospice
   2. Research grief support groups available in the community
   3. Become familiar with national organizations such as compassionate friends
9. Recognize personal limitations of the funeral director
   1. Explain the funeral director’s own grief symptoms
   2. Identify characteristics of stress and burnout in funeral service providers
   3. Evaluate one’s own stress
   4. Identify coping mechanisms to stress