Speaker(s):
Presentation: For the last 17 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 the 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.
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 young military widows