About this event
Understanding the Psychological and Physiological Impact of Grief
Grief is more than an emotional experience—it profoundly affects the entire nervous system. These two workshops explore bereavement through the framework of Polyvagal Theory, offering counsellors and psychotherapists a deeper understanding of how loss dysregulates the autonomic nervous system, leading to both psychological and physiological effects.
Participants will gain insight into the intricate connection between grief, nervous system regulation, and physical well-being, as well as practical approaches to support clients navigating loss. Through theory, discussion, and applied strategies, these sessions provide essential knowledge for integrating Polyvagal-informed practices into bereavement work.
Key Takeaways:
How bereavement disrupts autonomic nervous system regulation
The physiological impact of grief beyond emotional distress
Practical applications of Polyvagal Theory in grief counselling
Join us for these insightful workshops to deepen your understanding of the mind-body connection in bereavement and enhance your therapeutic practice.
Learning Objective Participants Can Expect From This Event
- An understanding of how bereavement and loss affect the nervous system.
- An understanding of the psychological and physiological impacts of bereavement and loss.
- Ways to work with clients from a Polyvagal informed perspective.
Who is This Workshop Appropriate For?
- Qualified and trainee counsellors, psychotherapists, and support workers.
Grief affects not only emotions but also the body, and understanding this connection can profoundly change how therapists support bereaved clients. By integrating Polyvagal Theory into bereavement work, this workshop will equip counsellors and psychotherapists with deeper insights into the autonomic nervous system’s role in grief and practical tools to enhance client care.
Key Impacts on Your Practice:
A New Lens for Understanding Grief – Gain a neurobiological perspective on bereavement, helping you recognize how grief disrupts nervous system regulation and manifests physiologically as well as emotionally.
Enhanced Client Assessment; Support – Learn to identify signs of nervous system dysregulation in grieving clients and apply strategies to help restore balance, fostering resilience and healing.
Practical, Polyvagal-Informed Techniques – Incorporate grounding, co-regulation, and self-regulation strategies to support clients in moving through grief in a way that acknowledges both mind and body.
Greater Therapist Self-Awareness – Recognize your own nervous system responses in grief work and develop strategies for maintaining presence, preventing burnout, and strengthening therapeutic relationships.
This workshop will deepen your understanding of how loss impacts the whole person—not just their emotions, but their entire physiological state—allowing you to work with bereaved clients in a more holistic, informed, and compassionate way.
RECORDING
This event will be recorded and you can use the ticket function to pre-purchase the recording before the event. This will be useful for colleagues who are not able to attend the event live and also for those who attend the event live and want to watch it again.
ZOOM
This event will be hosted on the Zoom meeting platform where we will use our cameras and microphones to interact with each other as a group.
SELF-SELECT FEE
The self-select fee is a radical inclusion policy to open learning for all colleagues. The guide price for this event is £20.00, however, we appreciate that income varies greatly in different locations and circumstances. Please contribute what you can to help us maintain inclusive professional training.
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All the colleagues at ONLINEVENTS and the presenters we collaborate with are committed to working in a manner consistent with the BACP Ethical Framework, which can be accessed on the link below. When registering for this event you are agreeing to be present and interact in a manner that is consistent with this Framework.
Maggi McAllister-MacGregor
Maggi McAllister-MacGregor is a highly experienced counsellor, supervisor, and trainer in private practice, with over 25 years of working in the field. With a strong foundation in neuroscience and biology dating back to her first degree in the 1970s, Maggi has developed a particular passion for Polyvagal Theory and its role in understanding how we navigate life’s experiences.
Her expertise in bereavement work is rooted in years of hands-on work in hospices, where she provided compassionate care to individuals nearing the end of life as well as bereaved families and friends. In addition, she has served as a supervisor for Cruse Bereavement, further deepening her understanding of grief and loss.
Maggi’s approach integrates scientific insight with therapeutic practice, helping professionals better understand how bereavement impacts the autonomic nervous system—both psychologically and physiologically. Her workshops offer an engaging, informed, and compassionate perspective on working with grief through the lens of Polyvagal Theory.
