On Thursday, April 21, Claremont School of Theology and Forest Lawn co-hosted Living with Loss, a special event for caring professionals which offered resources and expertise on how to support survivors as they learn to livebeyond loss experienced under the most traumatic of circumstances.
The featured presenters at the symposium have worked with families and communities grieving from suicide and traumatic death in a wide range of contexts – from college campuses to hospitals to homes. They represented a diversity of religious, educational and professional backgrounds. And they have provided caring presence to families and communities that identify with traditions different from their own.
Keynote Speaker: Dr. John R. Jordan
The symposium opened with a keynote address by Dr. John Jordan, a clinical psychologist who specializes in working with people after experiencing significant and sudden loss. He is a widely published author and sought-after speaker on the topic of grief in response to suicide.
Dr. Jordan views his practice as a calling to respond to the suffering of others with dignity and compassion—an approach he brings to his work training colleagues in caring professions.
Here are some of the highlights from his talk:
When Dr. Jordan asks who knows what thanatology is, almost everyone raises hand. Him: "I know I'm at home here" #GriefSymp2016
— Claremont Theology (@CST_News) April 21, 2016
The 5 stages of grief are still taught in medical school as truth though there's little evidence for it -Dr. Jordan #GriefSymp2016
— Claremont Theology (@CST_News) April 21, 2016
"Nobody knows for certain what's going on in another person's mind" -Dr. Jordan on trying to understand suicide & loss #GriefSymp2016
— Claremont Theology (@CST_News) April 21, 2016
The momentum of believing someone is in the world doesn't slow when they die -Dr. Jordan on processing loss #GriefSymp2016
— Claremont Theology (@CST_News) April 21, 2016
"Grief is a process of realization" #GriefSymp2016
— Claremont Theology (@CST_News) April 21, 2016
Dr. Jordan explains the Grief Spiral: “People go through this over and over again” #GriefSymp2016 pic.twitter.com/ATENvSFOLO
— Claremont Theology (@CST_News) April 21, 2016
Another model of grief introduced by Dr. Jordan: the Dual Process Model #GriefSymp2016 pic.twitter.com/vvuUzuYh4V
— Claremont Theology (@CST_News) April 21, 2016
Grief is something we do, not something done to us…it takes active psychological work -Dr. Jordan #GriefSymp2016
— Claremont Theology (@CST_News) April 21, 2016
Cultures around the world have historically kept in touch w/ their dead, e.g. Día de los Muertos, ancestor shrines -Dr Jordan #GriefSymp2016
— Claremont Theology (@CST_News) April 21, 2016
We used to have defined, structured mourning rituals. Now in our contemporary world it's very fuzzy -Dr. Jordan #GriefSymp2016
— Claremont Theology (@CST_News) April 21, 2016
"I see losses as an opportunity for awakening…you realize you can't control the universe" -Dr Jordan #GriefSymp2016
— Claremont Theology (@CST_News) April 21, 2016
Grief is developmental…it changes over time, and you carry it the rest of your life -Dr. Jordan #GriefSymp2016
— Claremont Theology (@CST_News) April 21, 2016
"Disempowerment, at its core, is what trauma is about" -Dr. Jordan #GriefSymp2016
— Claremont Theology (@CST_News) April 21, 2016
When people say "You shouldn't feel guilty, it wasn't your fault" it makes mourners feel even more alone -Dr. Jordan #GriefSymp2016
— Claremont Theology (@CST_News) April 21, 2016
Best gift you can give mourner: recognizing you don't know what they're experiencing but you're willing to let them teach you #GriefSymp2016
— Claremont Theology (@CST_News) April 21, 2016
Grieving is like climbing a mountain-you look back & see same place you came from, but w/ ever-wider perspective -Dr Jordan #GriefSymp2016
— Claremont Theology (@CST_News) April 21, 2016
Panel Discussion: Multi-Faith Perspectives on Traumatic Death
The symposium also hosted three speakers from different religious traditions in an interreligious panel on perspectives on traumatic death and loss. Here are the panelists that were featured:
Arvis Jones
Arvis Jones was the first Assistant Director for The Center for Grief and Loss for Children and is currently the Referral Coordinator for a children’s program. She has developed grief programs for LAUSD for use in middle schools. Jones collaborates with the Los Angeles Mayor’s Crises Response Team and the LAPD where she is often one of the first responders that the police call when there are children at a crime scene. She is an author, Music Therapist and has a Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology. She is also a bereaved mother.
Unresolved grief runs rampant in our schools-schools don't even know what losses children have experienced –@arvisjon #GriefSymp2016
— Claremont Theology (@CST_News) April 21, 2016
If God didn't want boys to cry, why'd God give them tears? – what @arvisjon tells the boys she works w/ in anti-gang programs #GriefSymp2016
— Claremont Theology (@CST_News) April 21, 2016
In anti-gang group, I'd say 'Wouldn't it be sad if someone died & no one cried for them?' & they were able to cry –@arvisjon #GriefSymp2016
— Claremont Theology (@CST_News) April 21, 2016
In @arvisjon's anti-gang grief group in schools, children found a space to feel & grieve #GriefSymp2016
— Claremont Theology (@CST_News) April 21, 2016
Children know. They don't need explanations from us of what they're seeing & feeling –@arvisjon #GriefSymp2016
— Claremont Theology (@CST_News) April 21, 2016
I've found the secret to my own grief is sharing with others –@arvisjon #GriefSymp2016
— Claremont Theology (@CST_News) April 21, 2016
Dr. Faisal Qazi
Dr. Faisal Qazi serves as Associate Professor of Neurology at Western University of Health Sciences, College of Osteopathic Medicine in Pomona and the Director of Stroke at San Antonio Community Hospital. Dr. Faisal Qazi is the founder of MiNDS (Medical Network Devoted to Service), a community development and charitable healthcare foundation.
Dr. Qazi’s work has been featured on NPR, Voice of America, CNN and PBS and is listed amongst the Best Doctors of Inland Empire.
Our next interreligious panelist is Dr. @fqazi, a Muslim Dr. who raised $ for San Bernardino victims #GriefSymp2016 pic.twitter.com/4ufMuzZ9X1
— Claremont Theology (@CST_News) April 21, 2016
Muslim children are exposed to repeated bullying, especially with the recent political rhetoric and campaign messages –@fqazi #GriefSymp2016
— Claremont Theology (@CST_News) April 21, 2016
The collective nature of trauma is clear in refugees. The largest populations of refugees right now are Muslim –@fqazi #GriefSymp2016
— Claremont Theology (@CST_News) April 21, 2016
If you have escaped the bombs falling on your heads, that's not the end of the trauma, it's the beginning –@fqazi on refugees #GriefSymp2016
— Claremont Theology (@CST_News) April 21, 2016
In the Qur'an we are told to have patience & perseverance, in times of tribulation –@fqazi #GriefSymp2016
— Claremont Theology (@CST_News) April 21, 2016
Dr. Varun Soni
Dr. Varun Soni is the Dean of Religious Life at the University of Southern California (USC) and the first Hindu to serve as chaplain to an American university. A prolific public speaker and scholar of religions, Soni has been interviewed by the Los Angeles Times, Associated Press, National Public Radio, ABC News, Forbes and Voice of America.
He is also a lawyer, specializing in constitutional law, and is a member of the State Bar of California.
Dr. Soni opens with honoring passing of Prince & importance of pop culture/music in spirituality #GriefSymp2016
— Claremont Theology (@CST_News) April 21, 2016
Working on a college campus, Dr. Soni sees serious mental health crises, suicide, challenges with emotional resiliency #GriefSymp2016
— Claremont Theology (@CST_News) April 21, 2016
The college experience is traumatic. Students struggle with failure, debt, emotional resiliency -Dr. Soni #GriefSymp2016
— Claremont Theology (@CST_News) April 21, 2016
Over 1500 students will commit suicide on college campuses this year -Dr. Soni #GriefSymp2016
— Claremont Theology (@CST_News) April 21, 2016
Students struggle 2-fold with loss: loss of friend & realization of their own mortality -Dr. Soni #GriefSymp2016
— Claremont Theology (@CST_News) April 21, 2016
We do a good job at the front end (funerals, vigils) but not with following up later with grieving students -Dr. Soni #GriefSymp2016
— Claremont Theology (@CST_News) April 21, 2016
Faith communities are traditionally been sources of solace, support, & resiliency but many students are unaffiliated -Dr Soni #GriefSymp2016
— Claremont Theology (@CST_News) April 21, 2016
We have to think about what a proactive approach to mental health looks like on campuses -Dr. Soni #GriefSymp2016
— Claremont Theology (@CST_News) April 21, 2016
We've been overwhelmed by the demand for mindfulness classes in our Mindfulness Initiative, even on a secular campus-Dr. Soni #GriefSymp2016
— Claremont Theology (@CST_News) April 21, 2016
Interfaith on college campuses is where the interfaith movement is happening – Dr Soni #GriefSymp2016
— Claremont Theology (@CST_News) April 21, 2016
These college Students are the most interreligiously diverse generation ever -Dr Soni #GriefSymp2016
— Claremont Theology (@CST_News) April 21, 2016
We're at a point where we've moved from interfaith dialogue to interfaith action -Dr Soni #GriefSymp2016
— Claremont Theology (@CST_News) April 21, 2016
Panel Discussion
After each panelist presented for a short time, the interreligious panel discussion began. Here are a few highlights:
.@fqazi talking about community interfaith work through MiNDS, his interfaith service nonprofit #GriefSymp2016
— Claremont Theology (@CST_News) April 21, 2016
We've been working, as Muslims, w/ more evangelical outreach, because that's where the difficult conversations are –@fqazi #GriefSymp2016
— Claremont Theology (@CST_News) April 21, 2016
Can growth come out of tragedy? Absolutely. But what can we do to foster that? -Dr Jordan #GriefSymp2016
— Claremont Theology (@CST_News) April 21, 2016