Speaker(s):
McCullough, Amanda, MS, CRADC, PLMFT
Hartenstein, Jaimee, PhD, CFLE
Presentation:
For the last 19 years the US military has been engaged in combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. There have been many casualties because of these combat operations. These casualties of war left behind families that grieve their loss. This has created many young widows, a role which is traditionally thought to be at a much later stage in life. The loss of a spouse can be one of the most difficult losses to experience with far-reaching consequences. Presenters will describe findings of their study with young widows which explored how these young widows experienced the sudden traumatic loss of their spouse, explore the support systems used by these widows to cope with their loss and navigate the transition in their identity. Researchers will present findings and discuss interventions that counselors and therapists can utilize when working with this population. Preliminary findings of this research were presented at STI 2019 (very well received) and now authors return to present finding and implications upon having completed this research project.
Objectives:
- Describe how these young widows experienced the sudden traumatic loss of their spouse.
- Describe the support systems used by these widows to cope with their loss and navigate the transition in their identity.
- Identify interventions that can be utilized when working with this population.