Ambiguous Loss: Six Tasks of Resilience in Loss/Trauma

This video outlines the six tasks of resilience through ambiguous loss (also relevant for all types of loss/trauma).
For more info on ambiguous loss, see Pauline Boss's work - www.ambiguousloss.com/
Learn more in this free eBook by Dr. Scott Giacomucci - Social Work, Sociometry, & Psychodrama: Experiential Approaches for Group Therapists, Community Leaders, and Social Workers - link.springer.com/book/10.100...
Pre-order Dr. Scott's forthcoming book, Trauma-Informed Principles in Group Therapy, Psychodrama, and Organizations: Action Methods for Leadership - www.amazon.com/Trauma-Informe...
#socialwork #clinicalsocialwork #experientialtraumatherapy #trauma #TraumaCounseling #traumatherapy #traumarecovery #traumatraining #socialworkeducation #experientialeducation #experientialteaching #psychodrama #sociometry #groupwork #grouptherapy #grouppsychotherapy #groupcounseling #macrosocialwork #socialwork #clinicalsocialwork #psychology #traumapsychology #traumaticstress #ptsd #professionaldevelopment #psychodramatraining #experientialtherapy #creativeartstherapy #expressiveartstherapy

[@brentladd]

Thank you so much for this video. The loss of my adult child to ever worsening cycles of addiction, psychosis, and incarceration has been utterly devastating. Learning about ambiguous loss after six years of this trauma has been incredibly validating and I’m starting the hopeful journey of strengthening resilience. I’m finding it very challenging to make meaning out of this specific loss. A video on how to do this in the midst of ongoing destructive mental illness of a loved one is much welcomed.

[@janeolinger8038]

Along with blaming oneself for what was beyond our control as children, there is also the lack of being able to trust one’s perceptions, one’s reality. Gaslighting in families is common, especially if the child is particularly sensitive/aware and inadvertently threatens the family system’s equilibrium.

[@PhoenixTraumaCenter]

Very true!

[@dr.najmunriyaz]

Thank you Dr. Giacommuci, Extremely helpful videos and so appreciate your work. As a behavioral health professional, what is most bothersome is watching the ReTraumatising of clients happening in the very places where healing should have happened like crisis centers, EDs, and inpatient centers. Would appreciate any insight on that? What can be done for such places to be safe, and be that doorway for healing. Thank you

[@PhoenixTraumaCenter]

Hi D. Riyaz - I am very bothered by the same thing! Clients are retraumatized far too often by healthcare providers and even other trauma therapists. I think the best approaches to mitigating this are to 1) promote the importance of trauma-informed care principles (actually implementing SAMHSA's guidance rather than just using the term 'trauma-informed' on a website or marketing material) which explicitly include 'resisting retraumatization (see my other youtube videos on this); and 2) emphasizing the importance of ethics in our work while holding others to the highest ethical standards (which includes not practicing outside the scope of your competency).

[@LindaRowley]

Hi Scott, I am interested ambiguous loss, particularly in relation to carers of people who are physically present and psychologically absent. I enjoyed your presentation and took a lot from it, especially in relation to the tasks of resilience. My other interest is workplace wellbeing, especially within the health and community services sector and I wondered if you have any suggestions on how the tasks of resilience may relate to people who work in the sector?

[@PhoenixTraumaCenter]

Hi lisa. I haven’t thought of these tasks in that way but they certainly could be helpful for professionals as we experience vicarious trauma/loss as well as ambiguous loss of our clients or colleagues!