Traditional Workshop 25 - CBT Perspective on Grief Counseling: Assessment and Intervention

Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD) is a newly recognized mental disorder in ICD-11 and DSM-5-TR, marked by persistent and intense grief reactions that cause substantial functional impairment. Growing evidence has demonstrated the effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) in alleviating PGD symptoms and improving daily functioning. This half-day workshop will provide participants with a concise overview of PGD diagnostic criteria, a grief-focused CBT conceptual framework, and specific CBT strategies designed to target maladaptive cognitions and behaviors that perpetuate grief distress. Participants will learn how to assess maladaptive grief reactions using standardized measures (e.g., Prolonged Grief-13-Revised [PG-13-R], Traumatic Grief Inventory-Self Report Plus [TGI-SR+]), along with tools to evaluate grief-related thoughts and avoidance patterns. Building on assessment, the workshop will highlight practical CBT interventions, including cognitive restructuring to challenge unhelpful beliefs, exposure techniques to reduce avoidance, and behavioral activation to restore functioning. Grief-focused CBT will also emphasize grief work aimed at processing the loss experience, understanding the significance of the loss, and fostering a continuing bond with the deceased. In addition, the workshop will address common clinical challenges in grief-focused CBT and strategies for tailoring interventions to individual needs and cultural contexts. By the end of the session, participants will gain both conceptual clarity and hands-on skills for integrating CBT into therapeutic work with bereaved clients suffering from PGD.