Dr. Donna Schuurman is back - this time talking about the dangers of pathologizing grief. While the term "complicated grief" has been used in various grief settings for years, it wasn't until March of 2022 that Prolonged Grief Disorder made it into the DSM-5-TR - the Diagnostical & Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders - as an official diagnosis. This conversation explores the concerns Donna and others in the field share about the move to pathologize grief.
We discuss:
What Donna’s learned about grief working in the field for over 30 years
How that work experience shapes her personal grief
Why she is so passionate about this topic
How diagnoses are social constructs - and who often gets left out of the studies behind these constructs
The dangers of pathologizing grief as a mental disorder
The (short list) of positives of Prolonged Grief Disorder being available as a diagnosis
What Donna is optimistic about in the field of bereavement
Register for Donna’s upcoming webinar: Flawed Foundations, Deconstructing Three Contemporary Grief Constructs Thursday, February 8, 2024.
Donna L. Schuurman, EdD, FT, is the Senior Director of Advocacy & Education at Dougy Center. Dr. Schuurman was the Executive Director of Dougy Center from 1991–2015. Dr. Schuurman is an internationally recognized authority on grief and bereaved children, teens, and families, and the author of Never the Same: Coming to Terms with the Death of a Parent (St. Martin’s Press, 2003), among other publications.
Ep. 129: After The Dam Breaks - Pushing Grief Aside
Ep. 128: When The Thought Doesn't Count
Ep. 127: What God Is Honored Here? Shannon Gibney & Kao Kalia Yang
Ep. 126: When A Child Dies Of Suicide - Anne Moss Rogers
Ep. 125: Mini-Episode - Traci, Amira, & Alina
Ep. 124: A Weed In The Garden Of My Brain - Caroline Wright
Ep. 123: Mini-Episode - Ruby & Jana
Ep. 122: Meeting The Needs Of Grieving Children - New York Life Foundation
Ep. 121: The Goodbye Diaries - Marisa Bardach Ramel
Ep. 120: Mini-Episode - Megan, Michael, & Mason
Ep. 119: Grief & Parenting - Infancy & Toddlers
Ep. 118: Grief & Parenting - Age 5
Ep. 117: Mini-Episode - Josh & Sylvia
Ep. 116: Who Died? Episode 6 - A Guest Podcast Hosted by Grief Out Loud
Ep. 115: Comedy & Grief - Harry Jensen
Ep. 114: What Does Better Mean? Neil Davis
Ep. 113: Young Children & Grief: Mary Plouffe, Ph.D.
Ep. 112: A Cinematic Love Story - John & Melissa
Ep. 111: When The Love Of Your Life Dies Of An Overdose - Marie & Jonathan
Ep. 110: Mindful Photography & Grief - Dr. Jessica Thomas, PhD, LMFT
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
Your Sleep Guru Podcast
Anxiety Slayer™ with Shann and Ananga
Men Do Talk Podcast
The Dr. John Delony Show
On Purpose with Jay Shetty