The Grief Journey: Navigating the Waves of Grief and Loss

Grief is often misunderstood.  We live in a society that expects us to quickly get over grief and yet grief has no timeline.  Grief cannot be rushed or “fixed” and requires attunement, compassion and patience.  Understanding the needs of grieving clients empowers counselors to help their clients navigate the grieving process.  In this workshop we will teach action methods you can use to address the needs of grieving clients. 

Action Methods in Grief Counseling

Action methods such as psychodrama, sociodrama and sociometry offer tools that promote self-awareness, foster emotional expression and encourage clients to engage with their loss in individual work or in a supportive group. Psychodramatic methods function as catalysts to access clients’ inner knowing.  They enable grieving clients to tune into the remembered and felt sense of their loved one to resolve difficult and/or painful grief issues.  When clients show their story rather than telling it, clients gain insight that allows them to shift their narrative and find new ways of coping. For those working with groups, these action methods help build a sense of community and connection, decreasing the sense of isolation that comes with grief Ultimately, action methods can help individuals process their grief in a holistic way, paving the path toward healing, growth, and the discovery of meaning after loss.

Workshop Overview

This workshop for social workers, mental health counselors, creative arts therapists, coaches and clergy will teach how to address the needs of individuals who are grieving and explore components of grief through experiential activities. Participants will learn how to apply psychodramatic techniques to effectively work with grieving clients to help them process their losses and move toward growth and meaning.

In this workshop you will learn (and practice) action methods that address the needs of grieving clients :

-Three Specific Sociometric exercises to create safety and connection in a grief group

-How to use Sociodrama to help clients normalize their sense of loss by connecting with others facing similar challenges and express unspoken or difficult to express thoughts and feelings

-Two ways to work with the Empty Chair technique

-Role reversal with loved one

-How to double clients/group members skillfully

-How to use Emotion floor checks to help clients access feelings, explore internalized messages and create space to express their feelings

-How to help clients let go of guilt by turning “what ifs” to “even ifs”

-Benevolent Witness in action

-Meaningful Moments in Action

-Future Projection technique

Cost: $375.00 if registered by February 21, 2026 * $425.00 after.

Refund and cancellation policy:

• 6 weeks or more notice: Full refund minus PayPal or bank service fee and a $50
  administration fee.
• 4-6 weeks notice: Full credit towards a future HVPI training minus a $50 administration fee.
• 2-4 weeks notice: 50% credit towards a future HVPI training minus a $50 administration fee
• With less than two weeks notice: 50% credit towards a future HVPI training minus a $50 administration fee ONLY IF WE ARE ABLE TO FILL YOUR SPACE.
• *Credit must be used within 24 months.

All transfers between workshops will incur a $50.00 administration fee.

Refund requests must be made in writing to:

Rebecca Walters, MS, TEP

Hudson Valley Psychodrama

156 Bellevue Road

Highland, NY 12528