Children, the forgotten mourners;
What funeral directors need to know
may 21, 2025 @ 1:00 PM
Category a - 1 cec

Summary of the session.
Children are often not given the same level of support or understanding during the mourning process as adults receive. Though adults have good intentions of protecting children from the pain of loss, they often do more harm than good. Even when adults include children, they usually don't understand how to talk to or listen to children about what they need. Discover what children at different developmental levels understand and need when grieving and what you can do to ensure children are included in the funeral or memorial planning process.

Presenter: Marc Markell, PhD

Marc Markell is a professor emeritus from St. Cloud State University. He teaches at Worsham College of Mortuary Science and Edgewood College with his sister, Katie. He also teaches Our Whole Lives for K-1st and 4-5th graders and Death Education to 2 and 3rd graders and 6th and 7th graders at Mayflower United Church of Christ.

Marc earned his Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota in Educational Psychology. He is a certified Professional Development Specialist, Thanatologist, and Death and Grief Studies. Marc has earned certifications: End of Life Doula, Crematory Operator, Funeral Arranger, and Celebrant.

Marc has published books, book chapters, and numerous articles.

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funeral professional peer support
September, 2025 @ 1:00 PM
Category B - 1 cec

Summary of the session.
Participants will be introduced the mission, values and aims of Funeral Professional Peer Support as helpful way of providing mental health support to those who work in the funeral services profession.  The presentation will cover the available services for any person working in the Funeral Services Profession, including other allied helping services that involve death care.  FPPS is a not for profit service aimed at increasing knowledge and mental health awareness among the funeral services profession.  We currently support FSP's in Canada, the USA and in Kenya.  For funeral home whose mental health or wellness programs are limited because of costs or lack of resources, FPPS can help provide another buffer against the stress and impact of death and grief labour.  Join two of our members of the Management Team and Board of Directors as they open a dialogue about peer support services and other initiatives FPPS is bringing to the members of the funeral services profession

Presenters: 
Andrea Grieg, FD, CFSP:  Nova Scotia Funeral Director, Embalmer and part time Instructor with Nova Scotia Community College, Kingstec Campus (Online Allied Health FSE Program), Management Team of FPPS, she is also host of the Death Talk Canada Podcast.  She works for Middleton Funeral Home, in Middleton, Nova Scotia

Dwight Thompson, MSW RSW RMFT-S, is a Registered Social Worker/Marriage and Family Therapist with Ottawa Psychotherapy Services, Ottawa, ON.  He works as a board member with FPPS.  Dwight was formerly licensed as a funeral director in Nova Scotia and Ontario.  He is the Director of Veterans Services, and manager of the Funeral Service Professional Mental Health Program through Ottawa Psychotherapy Services.  

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