Advances in Bereavement - AIB Speaker Series

Who We Are

Advances in Bereavement is a philanthropic program of the Brandenburg Maas Life Transition Center, established in 2009 as a privately funded and mission-driven organization to support projects, initiatives, and research that address personal transition periods and life altering pathways in the areas of health, loss, careers, and relationships.

AIB Speaker Series

Current AIB Speaker Series - Developing an Understanding of Prolonged or Complicated Grief: How Can I Help Families? - By Susan J. Zonnebelt-Smeenge, R.N., Ed.D. and Robert C. DeVries, D.Min., Ph.D.

AIB Speaker Series Info:

The Advances in Bereavement Speaker Series invites subject matter experts from across the field of bereavement to participate in ongoing education for hospice bereavement personnel, and to share their specific areas of expertise, published works and ideas.

The series is currently provided at a no cost to qualified hospice bereavement professionals who register with AIB, and is complimented by the Advances in Bereavement Magazine.

You can register to be signed up for the AIB Magazine or Speaker Series here.
Or for more info, email us at: info@advancesinbereavement.org

	Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D., C.T. is an internationally noted author, educator and grief counselor. He serves as Director of the Center for Loss and Life Transition and is on the faculty at the University of Colorado Medical School's Department of Family Medicine. Past recipient of the Association of Death Education and Counseling's Death Educator Award, Dr. Wolfelt is an educational consultant to hospices, hospitals, schools, universities, funeral homes and a variety of community agencies across North America. Perhaps best known for his model of "companioning" versus treating the bereaved, Alan is committed to helping people mourn well so they can live well and love well.
	Robert A. Neimeyer, Ph.D., is a professor in the Psychotherapy Research Area of the Department of Psychology, University of Memphis, where he also maintains an active clinical practice. Since completing his doctoral training at the University of Nebraska in 1982, he has conducted extensive research on the topics of death, grief, loss, and suicide intervention. Neimeyer has published 21 books, includingMeaning Reconstruction and the Experience of Loss, Constructivist Psychotherapy, and Rainbow in the Stone, a book of contemporary poetry. The author of over 300 articles and book chapters, he is currently working to advance a more adequate theory of grieving as a meaning-making process, both in his published work and through his frequent professional workshops for national and international audiences.
	Dr. Kenneth J. Doka is a Professor of Gerontology at the Graduate School of The College of New Rochelle and Senior Consultant to the Hospice Foundation of America. A prolific author. Dr. Doka was elected President of the Association for Death Education and Counseling in 1993. In 1995, he was elected to the Board of Directors of the International Work Group on Dying, Death and Bereavement and served as chair from 1997-1999. The Association for Death Education and Counseling presented him with an Award for Outstanding Contributions in the Field of Death Education in 1998. In 2000 Scott and White presented him an award for Outstanding Contributions to Thanatology and Hospice. His Alma Mater Concordia College presented him with their first Distinguished Alumnus Award. In 2006, Dr. Doka was grandfathered in as a Mental Health Counselor under NY State’s first licensure of counselors. Dr. Doka has keynoted conferences throughout North America as well as Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. He participates in the annual Hospice Foundation of America Teleconference and has appeared on CNN and Nightline. In addition he has served as a consultant to medical, nursing, funeral service and hospice organizations as well as businesses and educational and social service agencies. Dr. Doka is an ordained Lutheran minister.
	Sherry Russell, MA BCBT BCETS has shared her expertise as a Grief/Crisis Specialist with a wide range of audiences from those surviving a loss to CEU programs for physicians, social workers, psychologists and licensed mental health workers. She has been instrumental in bringing a range of crisis and grief reaction preparation and management services to companies, nonprofit organizations and governmental agencies. Sherry is the originator of a series of educational GriefWorkshops and founded Catch a Falling Life and Pull Your Own Wagon. She has been acknowledged for her ability to touch the human heart while leading those in need to dissect their grief. Sherry’s first book, "Conquering the Mysteries and Lies of Grief", is being utilized in colleges in the U.S., Israel, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and China. She is a Board Certified Expert in Bereavement Trauma, Board Certified Expert in Traumatic Stress, is on the National Incident Management Team, National Center for Crisis Management Premier Speakers Bureau, and National Center’s Directory of Expert Witnessess. Memberships include the The National Center for Crisis Management, American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine and Suicidology Research Group.

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