NE helps students cope with grief

By Ashley Bradley/ne news editor

People who have lost a friend or family member can attend a seminar on NE Campus to help them through the holiday season.

Susan Adams, counseling and development associate professor at Texas Woman’s University, will discuss ways to deal with loss in Grief and the Holidays 1-4 p.m. Dec. 3 in Center Corner (NSTU 1615A).

Because celebrating holidays are difficult after the loss of a family member, the seminar will cover ways to handle grief. The informational seminar will also serve as a remembrance service.

Mental health associate professor and event organizer Dolores Sutter said Adams has led the seminar several years. Because she is highly sought after and teaches a number of seminars, Sutter books Adams for the lecture a year in advance.

Continuing education coordinator Zanda Hilger also helps coordinate the annual workshop. She said a great part of the seminar comes when Adams leads candle lightings to represent different aspects of a person’s life.

“Every candle stands for a different point in a person’s grieving process,” she said.

The candles are blue for remembrance, red for energy, green for the recovery of the equilibrium and growth of letting go and purple for hope and healing of spiritual wounds.

“Eight months out of every year, we have a topic that is relevant to the mental health field,” Hilger said. “We have done this lecture every year because this is a way to celebrate life and those we have lost during the year.”

The program’s target audience includes social workers, TCC counseling staff, family caregivers, students and other health-related professionals. Students and caregivers are free. The seminar will charge licensed professionals $20 because they will receive three professional development contact hours.

When registering, students should make sure they check the correct section number so they won’t be charged for the course. For more information or to register, contact Brenna Sanders at 817-515-6417 or brenna.sanders@tccd.edu.