Advanced Grief Therapy Training
Wednesday, November 19, 2025
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Online via Zoom
Join the Blue Cross® and Blue Shield® of Minnesota Center for Rural Behavioral Health for a training on grief therapy.
Cost: $115 (early bird price of $105 if registered before October 1)
Earn 6 CEUs!
This training has been approved for 6 CEU's by the Minnesota boards of Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy, Behavioral Health and Therapy, and Psychology as well as licensing boards in SD, ND, and WI. (awaiting approval for all)
Morning Session
9:00 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
Brittany Squillace, MA, LMFT
Learning Objectives:
- Identify and describe common types of grief and loss that can be experienced throughout the lifespan.
- Build an understanding and compassion for those grieving any type of loss to better assist clients in labeling their own grief experience.
- Discuss 2-3 contemporary grief models to help guide conversation with grieving clients.
Afternoon Session
12:45 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
ACT Creatively: Combining Acceptance and Commitment Therapy with Creative Interventions to Treat Chronic Pain
Darcie Davis-Gage, PhD, LMHC
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) has been shown to be an effective approach to managing chronic pain. This workshop focuses on using the basic principles of ACT and connecting a variety of creative interventions to use with clients who struggle with chronic pain and illness. These creative interventions help clients increase their psychological flexibility through emotional, cognitive and social intervention.
Learning Objectives:
- Understand the basic premises of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).
- Explain research connecting the treatment of chronic pain, ACT, and creative art interventions.
- Explain and discuss the creative art interventions connected to ACT.
- Practice and experiment with creative art interventions.
- Review how to process the art interventions using questions guided by ACT principles.
Meet Your Trainers:
Brittany Squillace, MA, LMFT is a mental health therapist and founder of Best Self Therapy. Brittany’s mission through Best Self Therapy is to instill hope in grieving adults to change the way they view, talk about, and navigate grief; allowing them to live a better life as their best self. Through her specialty of grief and loss, Brittany guides clients in making meaning of their losses and redefine and maintain their relationship(s) with the deceased. Brittany’s grief specialization also includes guiding clients in healing ambiguous/ living losses (such as the losses experienced through divorce, loss of identity, grieving a loved one who is still physically present but emotionally/mentally absent, loss of job, losses that may come with being a new parent, etc.). Brittany values creating a safe and welcoming space, allowing clients to discover how to continue living as their best selves while honoring your unique grief journey.
Darcie Davis-Gage is a licensed mental health counselor, counselor educator, and consultant with over 20 years of experience in behavioral health. Dr. Davis-Gage is the Director of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Center Rural Behavioral Health at Minnesota State University, Mankato. Her other leadership roles have included work as the Chair of Graduate Faculty and Program Coordinator of Counseling at University of Northern Iowa, and leadership roles in community and campus advisory boards and non-profit organizations. Dr. Davis-Gage actively collaborates in numerous interdisciplinary research and grant endeavors and frequently publishes and presents nationally and internationally on compassion fatigue, rural health and wellness, and occupational trauma. Dr. Davis-Gage founded the Tenacity Institute for First Responders in response to the rising mental health needs of volunteer first responders in rural communities. The Institute is designed to provide services to first responders, firefighters, and frontline workers to prevent burnout and vicarious trauma and build resiliency through a variety of services. She also serves as the clinical consultant for Hero Haven, a non-profit agency providing support to rural volunteer firefighters and first responders. She remains clinically active and has completed numerous evidence-based treatment programs for treating trauma and post-traumatic stress.
Registration Questions: Email workforce@mnsu.edu or call 507-389-1094
Training Questions: Email elizabeth.harstad.3@mnsu.edu
Center for Workforce Professional Education
workforce@mnsu.edu
