SWK X003 - Finding Hope Amidst Adversity: Navigating Ambiguous Grief and Loss

This training focuses on understanding and learning to cope with ambiguous loss: loss without closure. The term “ambiguous loss” was coined in the 1970s by Dr. Pauline Boss, who believes it can be the most difficult type of grief to experience. The uncertainty of ambiguous loss can prevent people from grieving in a traditional way and lead to more complicated grief. This training provides tools for coping with stress and finding hope amidst uncertainty. Hope is more than “just a wish” but is instead a mindset and action that can be taught and learned to become a resilience superpower. The training covers evidence-based research and science that leads to finding hope and building resilience, as well as how to model hope and resilience for clients and families. It incorporates the importance of setting realistic expectations, sharing strategies to create SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-sensitive) goals, and empowering motivation for greater personal growth and well-being.

What You'll Learn

After completing this training, participants will be able to...

• Identify the stages and types of grief and recognize ambiguous loss as complicated loss. 
• Discover new ways to empower others to cope and manage stress.      
• Recognize the synergy of resilience and hope for creating a trauma-informed environment for working with clients.

What You'll Earn

Social workers completing this training will receive 2 clinical continuing education clock hours under ACE.

This training is approved for 2 CE clock hours for counselors, social workers, and marriage and family therapists, as well as substance use counselors in domain TR1 - treatment field related (renewals only) in the state of Ohio.

Additional Information

Development Date: May 2025 

Target Audience: 988 crisis call line staff and other human services professionals

Content Level: Beginner

Training Outline

• What is the problem?
• What is the solution?
• The Five Stages of Grief®
• Types of grief
• Growing around grief
• Understanding and learning to cope with ambiguous loss
• Coping with ambiguous grief
• Understanding stress
• Coping with the stress of grief
• Companioning Model®: Caring for yourself to better care for others
• What is hope? Overview of Dr. Charles Richard Snyder’s hope theory
• You can give and get hope
• Ripples of hope –  Being a hope giver

Presenters

Kristi Horner, OCPSA, CFPS 

Founder and Executive Director, Courage to Caregivers

Kristi Horner, OCPSA, CFPS, is the founder and executive director for Courage to Caregivers. Horner graduated from Denison University with a BA in economics. Through the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, she is a certified family peer support specialist and National Alliance on Mental Illness Ohio trainer. Throughout her career, she has worked for a variety of nonprofits, serving as director of special events, volunteers and admissions. In 2014, Horner lost her brother to suicide after serving as one of his mental illness caregivers for four years. He lived with depression, anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Horner knew there had to be a better way to support mental illness caregivers, and the idea for Courage to Caregivers was born!

Jenny Woodworth, MSW, LISW 

Director of Programs, Courage to Caregivers

Jenny Woodworth, MSW, LISW, serves as director of programs for Courage to Caregivers. Woodworth graduated from West Virginia University with a BSW and from Cleveland State University with an MSW. She has a rich variety of experiences across populations and settings and is passionate about supporting mental health and wellness in families, individuals and especially caregivers. Woodworth strives to bring compassion, a sense of humor and hope in all her interactions. 

Continuing Education Approvals  

The Ohio State University College of Social Work provides approvals for continuing education for counselors, social workers, and marriage and family therapists that are accepted by the state of Ohio Counselor, Social Work, and Marriage and Family Therapist (CSWMFT) Board.

The Ohio State University College of Social Work has been approved by the Ohio Chemical Dependency Professionals (CDP) Board as a provider of Continuing Education, approval number: 50-24068.

The Ohio State University College of Social Work, (Provider: 1628), is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. The Ohio State University College of Social Work maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 4/30/25-4/30/28. Social workers completing this course will receive 2 clinical continuing education credits.

Certificates & CE Reporting 

CE certificates will be available for download in your learner portal within 1 business day after submitting the evaluation survey.

Hours for those with Ohio licenses that are submitted with the evaluation survey will be reported to CE Broker every 14 days (twice per month). 

⚠️ Note: You may only complete this training once for CE credit. You may revisit the content, but only one certificate will be issued and credit will only be reported to CE Broker one time.

Cancellations, Refunds, Grievances, Accessibility Requests & Learning 

Please visit the Policies section of our website for more information on our processes for cancellations, refunds, grievances, training completions & certificates, participant conduct, and accessibility requests and learning accommodations. 

We strive to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals, including individuals with disabilities, to engage fully. If you require an accommodation to participate in this training, please contact CSW Accessibility as early as possible and in advance of the training start date by email at csw-accessibility@osu.edu or call 614-688-1657. Requests received at least 14-days prior to the date you plan to begin a training will generally allow us to provide seamless access, but the College will make every effort to meet requests that we receive regardless of lead time. 

Contact Us

For questions about the enrollment process, payment options, technology, or training records, please submit an inquiry and our Enrollment Support team will assist you within 24 hours during business days.

Submit an enrollment inquiry

If you have any questions, concerns or feedback about the training content or delivery format, please contact the CSW Office of Continuing Education at cswce@osu.edu. For questions related to the training content, our office will facilitate communication with the training instructor on your behalf and connect you, if applicable. Presenter contact information will be provided within the training for questions, feedback, or comments. 

The Ohio State University, College of Social Work, Office of Continuing Education, 302 Stillman Hall, 1947 College Road, Columbus, OH, 43210.

Phone: (614) 292-3032

Email: cswce@osu.edu 

Website: csw.osu.edu/continuing-education/