Helping Patients Cope with COVID-19 Grief

Mental health care professionals working with families who have lost a loved one during the pandemic are faced with unique challenges. This article examines dysfunctional grieving, intense grieving that interferes in daily functioning of the COVID-19 survivors who are left to mourn the death of those lost to COVID.

Part of the APA Monitor's CE Corner article series.

New format: After reading the CE Corner article, you will be asked to complete a "Commitment-to-Change" (CTC) exercise. The CTC exercise is designed to help facilitate the translation of your learning into practice. Completion of the CTC is required prior to the completion of the CE Test based on the APA Monitor CE Corner article.

This product is not included in the APA Unlimited CE program.

New York state psychologists: This program is not currently in compliance with the unique requirements imposed by the New York State Board of Education for New York licensed psychologists CE.

• Identify the many different ways people are grieving because of COVID-19 and how and why such losses can lead to complex or prolonged grief.
• Determine who is at risk for struggling to cope and the effective ways mental health professionals can treat and support people who are struggling.
• Identify trainings and other resources available for both health professionals and communities on how to help those who are grieving.

Stephanie Pappas