Local and national tragedies inspire need for fifth annual grief seminar to focus on traumatic death, Oct. 19

GOSHEN, Ind. – Many people will be remembering the tragedy of the Nickel Mines, Pa., Amish schoolhouse shooting on Oct. 2, one year later. And in Elkhart County, more families are grieving at the loss of a loved one to suicide as the rate has increased.

In response to events such as these, the fifth annual all-day Goshen College and Ryan’s Place grief seminar will focus on grieving after traumatic death and will feature noted authorities Robert Baugher and John McIntosh as speakers. The event will be held at Goshen College on Oct. 19.

Baugher is a psychologist and professor at Highline Community College in Des Moines, Wash. He specializes in death education and counseling and has, for more than 20 years, worked with families in grief. He is the author of five books and has given more than 300 workshops during the past 10 years.

McIntosh is a nationally recognized local authority on suicidology. He serves as associate dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and is a professor of psychology at Indiana University South Bend. McIntosh has written several books on suicide and previously served as the president of the American Association of Suicidology.

The vision of the seminar, titled, “Traumatic Death: A World Turned Upside Down,” is to address the pain that results from deaths categorized as traumatic, such as homicide, suicide or fatal accidents. It will take place in the Fellowship Hall of College Mennonite Church from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. There will be four sessions during the seminar with lunch and breaks in between.

Goshen College’s Social Work Education Program and Ryan’s Place, a Goshen organization that provides support and guide healing for grieving children and families, will host the conference.

Ryan’s Place is sending a delegation of personnel to the Nickel Mines community to assist in the days surrounding the one-year anniversary, because of local Amish connections. And the organization has assisted many in the local community with processing their grief following recent murders and other tragedies.

The seminar cost is $60 for the general public and $20 for students and seniors. Anyone is welcome to attend, though the conference is geared toward professionals and students in relevant fields: teachers, social workers, police, emergency medical technicians, pastors and nurses. Continuing education units are offered for attendance.

The registration deadline is Oct. 12. Interested persons can register or find out more by contacting the Goshen College Social Work Department (574)-535-7400 or e-mailing Marge Brandeberry at margemb@goshen.edu.

Editors: For more information about this release, to arrange an interview or request a photo, contact Goshen College News Bureau Director Jodi H. Beyeler at (574) 535-7572 or jodihb@goshen.edu.

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Goshen College, established in 1894, is a residential Christian liberal arts college rooted in the Anabaptist-Mennonite tradition. The college’s Christ-centered core values – passionate learning, global citizenship, compassionate peacemaking and servant-leadership – prepare students as leaders for the church and world. Recognized for its unique Study-Service Term program, Goshen has earned citations of excellence in Barron’s Best Buys in Education, “Colleges of Distinction,” “Making a Difference College Guide” and U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Best Colleges” edition, which named Goshen a “least debt college.” Visit www.goshen.edu.