Symposium “Living Mourning” complements the feelings
“Grief has many faces and is part of our lives. It is a spontaneous, natural and healthy human reaction to loss and farewells and touches all areas of life.” With these words, Anna Parr, Secretary General of the CaritasAustriaas chairman of National working group for bereavement support (BAT) their fourth symposium in the Salzburg educational center St. Virgil. Mourning is always an interactive process that can be shaped and made easier, but under certain circumstances it can also be made more difficult, emphasized Parr, as reported by Caritas in a broadcast (Wednesday). The one-day event “Living Mourning” covered the different approaches to understanding feelings.
The past two years, which have been shaped by the pandemic, have made the importance of quality support clear, said Parr: “Where a personal farewell was and is not possible or a funeral cannot or could not take place as usual, the grief weighs even heavier.” many lack affection and consolation, which makes it even more difficult to say goodbye and to cope with the grief. For Parr, personal presence in the course of grief counseling is “a very important factor”.
As part of the symposium, methods were presented and discussed that help grief counselors and those affected to develop and understand the variety of feelings in the context of a grieving process – with all senses and on different levels. In addition to a basic scientific lecture, practitioners from various therapeutic and counseling settings presented their respective approaches.
The symposium shows how strong bereavement support is embedded in a broader social context that is constantly changing. Parr: “Corona and the pandemic alone have shown us how important it is, even as a grief counselor, to keep adapting your offer and to make it possible within the framework of the current possible ones.” Additional offerings were quickly developed and a guide made available to all BAT members.
The symposium takes place every two years and sees itself as a place for reflection and encounters for those who want to support others in their grief – above all active, qualified, full-time and voluntary bereavement attendants.
Forum for quality bereavement support
The BAT was launched in 2013. It is a forum that puts the different needs of mourners at the center of its work and wants to create a basis for high-quality support throughout Austria. The target group are primarily (full-time and voluntary) bereavement attendants. The member organizations include the Arge Österreichische Pastoralamtsleiter*innen, Caritas Austria, Caritas of the Archdiocese of Vienna, Umbrella organization hospice Austria, Cardinal King House, Austrian red cross, rainbows, St Virgil. At the beginning of 2021, Caritas Austria took over the presidency of the BAT for two years. (Information: www.traueraccompaniment.at)
Source: catpress