The Annual Grief Seminar is co-hosted by the Goshen College Social Work Education Program and Ryanâ??s Place, and in partnership this year with the Community Foundation of Elkhart County.

Internationally recognized speaker, Donna Schuurman, Senior Director for Advocacy and Training and Executive Director Emeritus at The Dougy Center for Grieving Children and Families, will share her extensive knowledge on topics related to grief and families. She has trained the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and FBIâ??s Rapid Deployment teams, as well as medical personnel, NGO staff and caregivers following major disasters including the Oklahoma City bombing, 9/11, Japanâ??s 1995 Kobe earthquake and 3/11 tsunami, and the Sandy Hook School shootings in Newtown, CT. Donna is the author of Never the Same: Coming to Terms with the Death of a Parent, and has written extensively on topics related to bereaved children, adults and families.

Seminar: â??Good Grief: Supporting Families and Fostering Resilience:â??

Topics will include:

• Best Practices in Youth Suicide Prevention,
• Fostering Resilience in the Aftermath of Trauma and Loss,
• Supporting Families after a Death, and
• Ten Things to Know About Successful Self-Care.