Title: "Here, But Not Here." : Advancing Caregiver Well-Being in the Context of Psychological Ambiguous Loss Description: Balancing the duality of a loved one’s physical presence and emotional/cognitive absence due to conditions such as dementia, addiction, or a traumatic brain injury is taxing on caregivers’ well-being. This interactive, case-based session discusses psychological ambiguous loss and distinct biopsychosocial-spiritual well-being advancing treatment methods for caregivers.

	9/30/2026
When:	September 30, 2026 12:00-1:00
Where:	United States
Contact:	Dan Lebo dlebo.naswpa@socialworkers.org

Title: "Here, But Not Here." : Advancing Caregiver Well-Being in the Context of Psychological Ambiguous Loss

 

Description:

Balancing the duality of a loved one’s physical presence and emotional/cognitive absence due to conditions such as dementia, addiction, or a traumatic brain injury is taxing on caregivers’ well-being. This interactive, case-based session discusses psychological ambiguous loss and distinct biopsychosocial-spiritual well-being advancing treatment methods for caregivers navigating the ambiguity and ambivalence of witnessing a loved one “slip away” cognitively and/or emotionally. Drawing on Boss’ Resilience Building Strategies, the session outlines best practices and practical methods for advancing caregivers quality-of-life utilizing person-centered assessment and treatment methods.

 

Learning Objectives:

1. Discuss psychological ambiguous loss and the biopsychosocial-spiritual effect on caregivers’ well-being in relation to assessment and treatment.

2. Discuss well-being advancing psychosocial-spiritual treatment methods distinct to caregivers navigating psychological ambiguous loss. 

3. Analyze case studies utilizing person-centered best practices and practical methods in psychological ambiguous loss caregiver Resilience Building Strategies across therapeutic processes.

4. Translate the Resilience Building Strategies to practice utilizing case studies.

 

Biographical Sketch:

Dr. Julie A. Guistwite, LSW, FT is the founder of Ripple of Light Bereavement Resource Center, LLC (https://www.ticketsignup.io/w/RippleOfLightBereavementResourceCenterLLC). She is an Advanced Certified Thanatologist and Certified Social Work Manager with 15 years of practice experience in healthcare including palliative care, hospice, and funeral home settings.

Dr. Guistwite holds over 15 years of palliative and end-of-life care educator expertise in academic, continuing education, and community settings. She authored a Master's Level Social Work Certificate in Holistic Bereavement Care and undergraduate level palliative care course. She developed the first scale to evaluate and refine social workers’ expertise in death, dying, and bereavement care. Dr. Guistwite is passionate about improving the well-being of individuals/families through advancing providers' excellence in serious illness, end-of-life, and grief care delivery.