The Grieving Brain: The Surprising Science Of How We Learn From Love And Loss

Why does grief hurt so much? Why does death, the permanent absence of a person with whom you are bonded, result in such devastating feelings and lead to behavior and beliefs that are inexplicable, even to the grieving person? Taught by a neuroscience professor and clinical psychologist, this course will discuss the what of grief—what it feels like, what problems it causes, and common neurobiological and physiological reactions. But more importantly, it will discuss the why. Some of the answers to our questions about grief can be found in the brain, the seat of our thoughts and feelings, motivations, and behaviors. By looking at grief from the perspective of the brain, we will discuss the contemporary science of the how of grief in order to better understand the why.

While this course will utilize the lens of neurobiology for understanding and working with grief and

grieving, the course material is accessible without a need for a neuroscience background. fMRI

neuroimaging has shown that the most significant impact of the death of a loved one is in those who

have the most severe psychological grief reactions. Understanding bonding and separation in animal neurobiology can help explain what happens in humans during acute grief. Knowledge about how the brain learns new information is helpful to understanding the trajectory of adaptation during bereavement. Studies of cognitive functioning are particularly relevant for older adults following the death of a loved one. The course culminates in discussion of empirically-based psychotherapeutic interventions for prolonged grief that are proven effective, including Prolonged Grief Disorder Treatment, guided mindfulness meditation, and exposure therapy. Participants will explore these findings and clinical experiences in light of the neuroscientific research on grief.