| Event Description/Learning Objectives: |
We live in a multicultural society today so when it comes to grieving and mourning, it is important to be aware that every culture has its own beliefs, traditions, and rituals, which influence the way they grieve and receive support. Bereavement is often a time of chaos and confusion and rituals and customs around death can provide a sense of routine and normalcy for the bereaved. We will discuss the differences between grief, bereavement, and mourning between cultures (Native American, Asian-American, African American, Latinx etc.). Additionally, we will learn about general gender differences in grief as well as the consequences of living during a global pandemic and how the need for social distancing has created more complexity around grief for so many. Recognizing grief responses of various groups allows people to begin to understand the grief experience of an individual within that group. However, in improving our cultural awareness we will also speak to the importance of not assuming that we know how one individual grieves based on their cultural group identity or association. There are many variations even within homogeneous cultures.
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