William Cooke presented a workshop at the 19th annual Bereavement Ontario Network held at Geneva Park in October.  The title was, " Ongoing Relationships with the Deceased: Narrative Therapy's Contribution to Grief Counselling . "  The presentation was built around scenes from, "Grace is Gone," a 2007 film staring John Cusack as a bereft military father who must knit together a new identity as both father and mother after his wife is killed in action in Iraq.  William explored how families seek to maintain ongoing relationships with their deceased loved ones while stepping out of dominant ideas of the "finality of death".

For more information on this workshop and other workshop possibilities, visit William at www.williamcooke.ca

William Cooke was a guest lecturer at Ryerson University's Faculty of Social Work in October, sharing ideas about Narrative Therapy with Deborah Megen's 2nd year BSW course - Social Work Theories of Practice. William introduced Narrative ideas and practices to the undergraduate class by looking closely at the work of Narrative Therapy co-founder, Michael White.  Deborah Megens is the Field Education Co-ordinator for the Masters of Social Work Program at Ryerson. William and WTCN colleague Margotte Kaczanowska will be supervising a Ryerson MSW intern this winter.