Tamarack Grief Resource Center presents
Grief Institute 2025
March 6-7, 2025
Missoula, MT or virtual
To register for the Grief Networking Event, click the above link to the be directed to the Grief Institute Registration Form. When selecting tickets on the 3rd page of the registration, you can select Grief Institute Registration and add the Grief Networking Event, or select only the Grief Networking Event. See you there!
Grief Institute 2025
Date/Time: Thursday, March 6 (9:00am-4:30pm) - Friday, March 7 (9:00am-4:30pm)
Location: Providence St. Patrick Hospital, Broadway Building Conference Rooms, Missoula, MT (also available virtually)
Continuing Education available: Board of Behavioral Health (BBH); Office of Public Instruction (OPI); Nursing CEs - pending
Pricing:
One day: $100
Both days: $175
CEs: $50
Grief Networking Event: $25
Thursday, March 6, 5-7pm @ Cranky Sam Public House - includes a drink ticket and heavy appetizers. (Plus mixing and mingling with Montana’s Grief Network!)
*Lunch included each day!
Travel:
Are you traveling to Missoula for Grief Institute 2025? Here are a few hotels we would recommend:
Unique: The Wren, 201 E Main St, Missoula, MT 59802
Close to the Hospital/Conference: LOGE Missoula, 420 W Broadway St, Missoula, MT 59802
Treat Yourself! AC Hotel Downtown, 175 N Pattee St, Missoula, MT 59802
Since 2005, Grief Institute has provided a top-quality, inspiring, and practical training for professional counselors, educators, hospice personnel, nurses and psychologists across Montana. Grief Institute is a two-day annual professional seminar committed to the continued advancement of knowledge and skills relating to end-of-life and grief to strengthen our state’s network of care. TGRC is committed to bringing the best-of-the-best to Missoula each year for Grief Institute — passionate, knowledgeable, engaging speakers who are able to blend research and ideas with practical tools all the while integrating personal stories, ethics, theory.
Schedule
Thurs, March 6: Professional Seminars @ Providence St. Patrick Hospital, Broadway Building Conference Rooms, 9:00am-4:30pm - 6 CEs available
9:00-11:00 Cultural Influences on the Universal Experience of Grief, Dr. Joyce Mphande-Finn, LCPC, LMHC, ACS, NCC
11:00-11:15 Break
11:15-12:15 Workshop 1: The Landscape of Death and Grief in Montana, Dr. Micki Burns
12:15-1:15 LUNCH included
1:15-4:30 Workshop 2: 10 Milestones of Healing, Dr. Micki Burns
5:00-7:00pm Grief Networking Event @ Cranky Sam Public House, Missoula, MT (registration required)
Fri, March 7: Professional Seminars @ Providence St. Patrick Hospital, Broadway Building Conference Rooms, 9:00am-4:30pm - 6 CEs available
9:00-12:15 Workshop 3: Healing Communities: Wrapping Around Bereaved Families, Schools, and Neighborhoods, Dr. Micki Burns
12:15-1:15 LUNCH included
1:15-2:45 Workshop 4: Navigating the Gray Area: Ethical Challenges When Supporting Grief, Dr. Micki Burns
2:45-3:00 Break
3:00-4:30 Ten Things Everyone Should Know About Mental Health, Grief, Suicide, and Happiness, Dr. John Somers-Flanagan
**Day 2 of Grief Institute is designed to meet the State of Montana, Board of Behavior Health requirements for 2 CEUs related to suicide prevention.
More about the sessions:
Dr. Joyce Mphande-Finn, LCPC, LMHC, ACS, NCC
Cultural Influences on the Universal Experience of Grief (2 hours): Grief is a natural part of the human experience. Responses vary widely. An understanding of people's cultural and social influences can help guide effective care strategies. This presentation explores how beliefs, norms, values, and systems may influence how we respond to, express, and process grief. Suggestions on effectively supporting Montana youth and adults from diverse racial, religious, and social backgrounds will be shared.
Objectives. At the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
Articulate two roles and responsibilities involved in providing culturally-relevant care
Describe two values or beliefs about death which may affect the grief process.
Delineate 2 factors that may disenfranchise the grief process for individuals.
Provide an example of practical language reflecting culturally responsive service delivery.
Describe one strategy for breaking down cultural barriers to facilitate listening and healing.
Dr. Micki Burns
Workshop 1: The Landscape of Death and Grief in Montana (1 hour): This opening session will explore stark disparities in childhood bereavement prevalence based on race, ethnicity, and causes of death. We will examine access to grief support locally and nationally to illuminate service gaps. Growing evidence of the profound impact of bereavement on children and families highlights the need for a more comprehensive approach to grief services. Rates of childhood bereavement—a critical issue nationwide—were undeniably impacted. According to the Childhood Bereavement Estimation Model (CBEM), a tool developed at JAG Institute and funded by the New York Life Foundation, the pandemic compounded existing annual bereavement rates. For example, pre-pandemic, more than 260,000 children under 18 were newly bereaved due to the death of a parent annually. In 2021, this number increased to more than 383,000 – surging nearly 50%. While COVID-19 deaths directly account for a portion of the increase, other socially stigmatized causes also contributed, including overdose, homicide, and suicide.
Objectives. At the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
Explain the prevalence of childhood bereavement due to the death of a parent or sibling in the U.S. and Montana
Workshop 2: 10 Milestones of Healing (3 hours): This workshop will share principles and practices to guide this transformative work, including specific examples of theory-driven and research-informed interventions provided within the Comprehensive Grief Care® model and Pathfinders program of Judi’s House/JAG Institute. Participants will learn trauma-informed, grief-focused approaches for effectively promoting healthy coping skills, communication, connection, meaning making and posttraumatic growth in youth and families as they integrate their losses into their larger life stories. Finally, data exploring differential outcomes for adults participating in the Pathfinders program will be reviewed.
Objectives. At the conclusion of this workshop, participants will be able to:
List ten Milestones of Healing that can be supported in the care of bereaved children, adolescents, adults, and families.
Describe specific, developmentally appropriate interventions effective for helping young people cope with the interface of grief and trauma after a death.
Workshop 3: Healing Communities: Wrapping Around Bereaved Families, Schools, and Neighborhoods (3 hours): In this workshop, we will speak to the importance of bringing a systems perspective to grief work. Through detailed presentations, these experts will address the need to include family, school, and community supports as we strive to create grief-sensitive communities.
Objectives. At the conclusion of this workshop, participants will be able to:
Identify and apply the concepts of systems to experiences of bereavement at the family, school, and neighborhood levels
Understand the importance of differentially considering cause of death and developmental understandings when addressing bereavement with children and families
Consider ways their own grief experience, culture, and privilege complicates and enhances bereavement work with children and families
Workshop 4: Navigating the Gray Area: Ethical Challenges When Supporting Grief (1.5 hours): This interactive breakout session will provide a general overview of the interplay of values, laws, and ethics. Models for ethical decision-making that consider cultural context, justice, and equity will be reviewed. Small groups will discuss and dissect how they would approach real-world vignettes they may encounter when supporting bereaved youth in their practice, classroom, online, or at home. Participants will be asked to reflect on what guides their decision-making and begin identifying their personal assumptions and biases that may influence the choices they make in these situations.
Objectives. At the conclusion of this workshop, participants will be able to:
Differentiate between values, laws, ethics
Identify elements of sound ethical decision-making strategies
Articulate some personal assumptions and biases that may influence decision-making when faced with ethical dilemmas
Dr. John Sommers-Flanagan
Ten Things Everyone Should Know About Mental Health, Grief, Suicide, and Happiness (1.5 hours): After 40 years working in mental health, I (John S-F) have discovered an array of myths that may inadvertently contribute to ever-rising mental health problems in youth and adults. In this presentation, I will take you on a rollercoaster ride through 10 (or maybe 11) misconceptions about mental health that will knock your socks off (not literally). And perhaps, as we have fun learning together, you may be inspired to think a little differently about psychology, mental health, grief, and suicidal ideation.
Objectives. At the conclusion of this workshop, participants will be able to:
Articulate why clinicians should think twice before trying to categorize suicide risk
Discuss the underlying meaning (beyond risk) of suicidal ideation
Describe how positive psychology/psychotherapy works
More about the speakers:
Dr. Micki Burns
Michaeleen (Micki) Burns, PhD, is the Chief Executive Officer at Judi’s House/JAG Institute (JH/JAG) and adjunct faculty at the University of Colorado. JH/JAG is a comprehensive family bereavement center in Metro Denver. She serves on the board of the National Alliance for Children’s Grief and is an advisor to Speaking Grief, a national public media initiative seeking to the grief experience.
A Licensed Psychologist with more than two decades of experience providing therapeutic assessment and support to families facing adversity, Micki has witnessed the lasting impact of unaddressed grief. Her practice is focused on supporting families who have experienced the loss of a child and specializes in working with those grieving suicide and overdose deaths. She is dedicated to ensuring appropriate care is available for all and raising bereavement through the lifespan to a level of critical public importance. Before becoming the CEO, Micki oversaw the direct service, research, and training departments at JH/JAG, working towards a vision where no child is alone in grief.
Micki travels nationally providing interactive professional trainings for medical and mental health professionals, grief program facilitators, and school personnel.
Dr. Joyce Mphande-Finn, LCPC, LMHC, ACS, NCC
Dr. Joyce T Mphande-Finn is Professor of Counselor Education at Montana State University Northern. She is a licensed clinical professional counselor in Montana and Washington State (LCPC, LMHC), an approved clinical supervisor (ACS), and a National Certified Counselor (NCC). Joyce earned her Doctor of Education with emphasis in Counselor Education & Supervision from University of Montana.
She has almost 20 years of clinical counseling experience in different settings, including community mental health agencies, in private practice, in school settings, and has worked as a crisis counselor. Joyce has conducted trainings of Trainers on Integrative response to Substance Abuse, Mental Health, and HIV/AIDS Treatment. She is certified in trauma treatment sex offender treatment and is an IMPACT-certified Problem-Solving Treatment of Depression Practitioner.
Joyce has worked as a Language and Cultural training coordinator for different volunteer organizations. Her research interests include looking at HIV/AIDS’ impact on the Social Support Structure (Extended Family Systems), especially in developing countries; Perspectives on multicultural issues in higher education; Inclusion Issues in Counselor Education Programs; Gender and women issues; and effects of trauma in women / children exposed to domestic violence.
Joyce has published in peer-reviewed journals including the Journal of Counseling & Development and Journal of Community Psychology. She has contributed chapters in books: Social Class and The Helping Professions: A Clinician’s Guide to Navigating the Landscape of Class in America; Supporting The Success of Adult and Online Students: Proven Practices in Higher education; Essay in a Study Guide: Multicultural and Eclectic: My Journey Toward Finding a Theoretical Approach, in 2nd Counseling and Psychotherapy Theories-In Context and Practice.
Dr. John Sommers-Flanagan
John Sommers-Flanagan is a professor of counseling at the University of Montana, a clinical psychologist, and author or coauthor of over 100 publications, including nine books and many professional training videos. His books, co-written with his wife Rita, include Clinical Interviewing (7th ed., 2024, Wiley), Tough Kids, Cool Counseling (2nd ed., 2007, ACA Publications), and Suicide Assessment and Treatment Planning: A Strengths-Based Approach (2021, ACA Publications). He has published articles or commentaries in the New England Journal of Medicine, American Psychologist, Professional Psychology, and the Journal of Counseling and Development. In 2018, he produced a three-part, 7.5-hour suicide assessment and treatment training video for mental health professionals with Psychotherapy.net. John’s current work primarily involves promoting an evidence-informed strengths-based learning model designed to grow student and teacher strengths, skills, resources, and virtues, rather than growing more mental disorders (which we have enough of). In his wild and precious spare time, John loves to run (slowly), dance (poorly), laugh (loudly) and produce home-made family music videos. You can learn more about John and Rita’s latest venture, the Montana Happiness Project, at https://montanahappinessproject.com/
Thanks to our sponsors!
Previous speakers have included:
2024 –
Day 1: Terrance Lafromboise, MSW-ITR, Suicide Prevention: Building Cultural Foundations in Systems of Care; Dr. Bill Hoy, Finding Direction in Grief: Social Support and Ritual in End-of-Life & Grief Care
Day 2: Dr. Bill Hoy, Finding Direction in Grief: Social Support and Ritual in End-of-Life & Grief Care; Dr. Maegan Rides At The Door, LCPC, The Other Side of ACEs: A Healing Framework for Indigenous Communities
2023 – Illuminating Montana Voices
Day 1: Tina Barrett, EdD, LCPC - The Dirt on Grief: Supporting Others, Supporting Ourselves; Sienna Speicher, MA, LCPC - Supporting Native Youth and Families; Daniel Salois, PhD, LCPC - Expanding Strengths-based Suicide Assessment: Illuminating Life Dimensions and Grief
Day 2: Kimberly Parrow, PhD, LCPC - Repairing Relationships: Supporting Couples, Families, and Systems in the Aftermath of Grief; Melanie Trost, PhD, LCSW, CT - Mindful Practices: End-of-Life and Grief Care; Jacob Hansen, MA, LCPC - Panel: The State of Grief in Montana
2022 – Tashel Bordere, PhD, LCPC – Being A Caring Presence: Cultural Humility & Grief
Day 1: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Trauma & Grief Care
Day 2: Non-death and Ambiguous Losses
2021 – J. Eric Gentry, PhD – Trauma Competency: Facing Forward
2020 – Dr. Robert Neimeyer – Grief and the Quest for Meaning
Day 1: Trauma-Informed Interventions
Day 2: Attachment-Informed Interventions
2019 –
Day 1: Donna Schuurman, EdD, FT – Facilitating Positive Outcomes for Grieving Youth
Day 2: Harold Ivan Smith, MA, EdS, FT – Rethinking Ritual: Pausing to Honor Life & Loss
2018 – Pamela Gabby, EdD, FT and Andy McNiel, MA
Day 1: Death & Dying: Strengthening Families Throughout the Journey
Day 2: Bereavement & Post-Traumatic Growth: Modes of Helping After Tragedy
2017 –
Day 1: Tashel Bordere, PhD – To Look at Death Another Way: Individual, Community, and Cultural Factors that Facilitate Resilience through Loss
Day 2: Ben Wolfe, M.Ed, LICSW, FT – Stories, Icebergs, and Family Mobiles: Helping Others As We Help Ourselves
2016 –
Day 1: Jack Jordan, PhD – Suicide Bereavement Clinician Training
Day 2: Alesia K. Alexander, MSW – Creative and Inclusive Approaches to Grief
2015 – John Sommers-Flanagan, PhD
Day 1: Suicide Assessment, Intervention, and Care
Day 2: Social, Emotional, and Cultural Dimensions of Grief
2014 – J. Eric Gentry, PhD
Days 1 & 2: Trauma Practice: Tools for Stabilization and Recovery
Day 3: Professional Resiliency: Fitness for the Frontline
2013 – Jack Jordan, PhD
Day 1: Devastating Losses: New Understandings, New Directions and
Day 2: Grief After Suicide: Understanding Consequences & Caring for Survivors
2012 – Heidi Horsley, PsyD, LCSW – Open to Hope: Grief Following Trauma and Tragedy
2011 – Robert Neimeyer, PhD – Lessons of Loss: Working with Complicated Grief
2010 – Tom Attig, PhD – The Heart of Grief: Theory and Practice Revisited
2009 – Tina Barrett, EdD, LCPC
Day 1: The Dirt on Grief: Nature-Based Programs and Rituals
Day 2: Grief in Schools
2008 – Donna Schuurman, PhD – Children and Grief
2007 – Ken Doka, PhD – Gender Styles and Grief
2006 – Robert Zucker, MA, LCSW – Meaning Reconstruction and Grief
2005 – Jennifer Elison, EdD, LCPC – Liberating Losses: When Death Brings Relief
