Grief Australia

𝗕𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗩𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗗𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 - 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻

When grief follows Voluntary Assisted Dying, how can we strengthen care, and provide compassionate support for families and carers ?

As VAD legislation becomes more established across Australia, many clinicians and health professionals are encountering questions and experiences that sit outside traditional understandings of death, dying, and grief.

For families, bereavement following a VAD death can involve a unique mix of challenges, protective factors, and emotional complexities. Yet many professionals have had limited opportunities to explore the emerging research and evidence-based approaches that can help guide their practice.

We're pleased to be hosting 𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗼 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲: 𝗕𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗩𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗗𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴, an interactive online workshop designed for clinicians, nurses, and professionals working in aged care, palliative care, and end-of-life settings.

Led by Hayley Russell, Specialist Grief Practitioner at Grief Australia and Churchill Fellowship recipient, this workshop will translate the latest research into practical strategies you can apply in your work with individuals and families impacted by VAD.

MORE ➡️ https://www.grief.org.au/ga/Detail/EventDetails.aspx?EventKey=WS150926&WebsiteKey=9af4e8a8-8d75-4439-b2f8-b00b7b41ff21

CEO of Grief Australia, Christopher Hall AM JP GAICD discusses AI, and responsible practice in Bereavement Care.

REGISTER FOR THE WEBINAR ➡️ https://www.grief.org.au/ga/Detail/EventDetails.aspx?EventKey=WB270826&WebsiteKey=9af4e8a8-8d75-4439-b2f8-b00b7b41ff21

𝗖𝗘𝗢 𝗪𝗲𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿: 𝗚𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗳 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗜 - 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻

“𝘈𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘧, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘵. 𝘗𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘢 𝘧𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦.” - Christopher Hall, CEO, Grief Australia

As AI becomes increasingly woven into everyday life, it is also reshaping the way people grieve.

AI-powered technologies can now recreate a deceased person's voice, writing style, and conversational patterns, offering new forms of connection that can feel profoundly meaningful for bereaved individuals.

At the same time, these emerging tools raise important clinical, ethical, and professional questions for those working in bereavement care.

Our CEO, Christopher Hall AM JP GAICD, will present this live webinar, designed for any bereavement-care professionals seeking to understand the growing influence of AI, digital memorialisation, and emerging technologies in grief support.

This timely session will explore how practitioners can respond thoughtfully, ethically, and effectively when clients engage with AI-powered representations of deceased loved ones.

Christopher Hall is a Psychologist specialising in Grief and Bereavement, and has served as Director and CEO of Grief Australia for almost three decades. Internationally recognised for his leadership, scholarship, and contributions to the field of death, dying, and bereavement, Christopher brings extensive expertise and insight to this important and emerging area of practice.

MORE ➡️ https://www.grief.org.au/ga/Detail/EventDetails.aspx?EventKey=WB270826&WebsiteKey=9af4e8a8-8d75-4439-b2f8-b00b7b41ff21

𝗖𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽 – 𝗟𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗢𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿
𝘙𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘴 5𝘱𝘮 𝘵𝘰𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘸.

In grief counselling, theory provides a foundation, but clinical practice rarely unfolds in neat and predictable ways. Each client brings their own story, context, culture, and experience of loss, requiring thoughtful and flexible responses that extend beyond any single framework.

This interactive online workshop is designed for grief and loss clinicians who are already supporting bereaved clients and would like to strengthen their ability to translate theory into meaningful therapeutic practice.

Using small-group activities, facilitated reflection, and real-world examples, this workshop encourages practitioners to move beyond a one-size-fits-all approach and develop greater confidence in applying grief theory with nuance, flexibility, and compassion.

This workshop also offers an opportunity for professional reflection, inviting participants to consider how their own worldview, theoretical preferences, and therapeutic presence shape the way they work with grief and loss.

MORE ➡️ https://www.grief.org.au/ga/Detail/EventDetails.aspx?EventKey=WS070826&WebsiteKey=9af4e8a8-8d75-4439-b2f8-b00b7b41ff21

If you have been impacted by the loss of someone to su***de, we invite you to join us for a gentle and supportive Grief Retreat at Bunurong Memorial Park, thanks to Southern Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust, in partnership with Grief Australia.

Enjoy guided workshops, creative expression activities, sound healing, and the opportunity to connect with others who share a similar experience in a safe and understanding environment.

📅 Saturday 12 September 2026
⏰ 9:30am–3:30pm
📍 Bunurong Memorial Park
💲 $60
🎟️ Places are limited. Please register by Friday 4 September.

Learn more and register: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/grief-retreat-su***de-bereavement-tickets-1994631468416?aff=griefaustralia

Questions? 0428 213 776 | [email protected]

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗚𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗳 𝗚𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗨𝗻𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗱.

Did you know some of the most painful grief experiences are those that society fails to acknowledge, validate, or understand?

Hear from Workshop Facilitator, Eszter Cowle:

"As clinicians, we're often supporting people whose grief falls outside society's expectations of what loss should look like. I'm looking forward to exploring practical interventions and therapeutic approaches that help us respond with curiosity, inclusivity, and compassion when supporting disenfranchised grievers."

MORE ➡️ https://www.grief.org.au/ga/Detail/EventDetails.aspx?EventKey=WS180826&WebsiteKey=9af4e8a8-8d75-4439-b2f8-b00b7b41ff21

𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲.

Did you know contemporary grief research is increasingly moving away from the idea that any one grief model can explain every bereavement experience?

Hear from the Workshop Facilitators about this PD:

"I think many of us have experienced that moment where a theory makes perfect sense on paper, but applying it in practice feels far more nuanced. We'll be exploring real case studies and having honest conversations about what helps, what doesn't, and how we can work more flexibly with grief."
— Deb Likouras

"Grief theories are incredibly valuable, but they're not recipes to follow. I'm looking forward to exploring how we can use them thoughtfully and creatively, while always keeping the individual person at the centre of our work."
— Eszter Cowle

MORE ➡️ https://www.grief.org.au/ga/Detail/EventDetails.aspx?EventKey=WS070826&WebsiteKey=9af4e8a8-8d75-4439-b2f8-b00b7b41ff21

𝐋𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐧 𝐑𝐨𝐚𝐝 𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐩 - 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐧

𝘎𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘧 𝘈𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘢'𝘴 𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘥-𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘱s are 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘛𝘢𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘢.

We are excited to announce three of Grief Australia's most requested Workshops will be travelling to Launceston.

We welcome you to join us, in-person, for

𝙄𝙣𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙙𝙪𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙤 𝘽𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙎𝙪𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩

𝘼𝙙𝙫𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙙 𝘽𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙋𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙚

or

𝙎𝙪𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙂𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝘾𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙔𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙜 𝙋𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚

Hear what clinicians have had to say about these PD experiences:

"𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘰𝘥𝘢𝘺. 𝘐 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘺 𝘵𝘰𝘰𝘭 𝘣𝘰𝘹."

"𝘐𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘮𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘺 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘨𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘧 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘴 𝘨𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘸𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘧𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘨𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘧."

"𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘵. 𝘏𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴!"

MORE ➡️

1️⃣ 𝙄𝙣𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙙𝙪𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙤 𝘽𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙎𝙪𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩 https://www.grief.org.au/ga/Detail/EventDetails2.aspx?EventKey=RTW160226&WebsiteKey=9af4e8a8-8d75-4439-b2f8-b00b7b41ff21

2️⃣ 𝘼𝙙𝙫𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙙 𝘽𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙋𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙚 https://www.grief.org.au/ga/Detail/EventDetails2.aspx?EventKey=RTWT170226&WebsiteKey=9af4e8a8-8d75-4439-b2f8-b00b7b41ff21

3️⃣ 𝙎𝙪𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙂𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝘾𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙔𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙜 𝙋𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚 https://www.grief.org.au/ga/Detail/EventDetails2.aspx?EventKey=RTW180226&WebsiteKey=9af4e8a8-8d75-4439-b2f8-b00b7b41ff21

𝗘𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗳-𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 - 𝗟𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗢𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿
𝘙𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦 5𝘱𝘮 𝘵𝘰𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘸.

Self-disclosure in can invite connection, empathy, and trust. Yet, it can also blur professional boundaries in ways that leave clinicians and volunteers questioning what is helpful, appropriate, or ethically sound. Navigating these moments requires thoughtful reflection, clear frameworks, and sensitivity to the needs of those in our care.

We welcome Dr William G. Hoy to present this online webinar is designed for clinicians and volunteers supporting grieving individuals. It offers a grounded exploration of the ethical and practical implications of self-disclosure, helping you respond with greater confidence, clarity, and care.

Dr William G. Hoy will explore the complexities of sharing personal experiences in professional settings, and how to discern when and how self-disclosure may be supportive. He will engage with practical, evidence-informed frameworks, including the Gamino/Ritter model, to help you guide ethical decision-making and maintain safe, therapeutic boundaries in your work.

Dr. Hoy is an experienced clinician, educator, and leader in bereavement care, and this webinar is grounded in decades of real-world practice and delivered with depth, insight, and compassion.

MORE ➡️ https://www.grief.org.au/ga/Detail/EventDetails.aspx?EventKey=WB300726&WebsiteKey=9af4e8a8-8d75-4439-b2f8-b00b7b41ff21

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗲𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗴𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗳 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁?

We are keen to hear from you.... what topics, challenges, or areas of practice would you most like explored in future workshops and webinars?

Whether it's complex grief, traumatic loss, working with children and families, cultural considerations, clinical interventions, or something else entirely, we would love to hear your thoughts.

And, if you would like to contribute a topic of research and interest for future PD, we would love to hear from you as well.

Please share your ideas in the comments 👇