Anticipatory Grief & End-of-Life Communication

This session explores the emotional, relational and existential impact of living alongside impending loss. Grounded in contemporary grief theory and attachment-informed perspectives, this session deepens practitioners' understanding of anticipatory grief. Participants explore how patients, families and carers navigate the complexities of challenging emotions, including connection and withdrawal, shifting identities and the emotional weight of prolonged decline.

The session offers therapeutic tools to support emotional processing, meaningful connection and compassionate presence, while fostering reflection on the impact of this work on the clinician. Designed for palliative, aged care and hospital staff for whom this work is at the heart of everyday practice.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this workshop, participants will be able to:

• Identify the complexities of anticipatory grief and explore how these present across palliative, aged care and hospital settings.
• Apply evidence-based interventions that support patients, families and carers navigating end of life.
• Demonstrate emotionally attuned conversations around dying, connection and meaning-making.
• Examine the personal and professional impact of end-of-life work on clinicians, and develop capabilities for sustaining compassionate presence.