Michele Mullen, LCSW & Tony DeVincenzo, MA, Training Specialists at Northeast Regional Children’s Advocacy Center

Conflict is inevitable. The more we learn about our own conflict style, the more prepared we will be when conflict arises. This session will examine 4 conflict styles, and utilizing a group exercise, participants will discuss the strengths and challenges of each style. During the session, participants will identify their own conflict style and explore what situations their style might be most effective. In addition, participants will gain a better understanding of how to work with others who have different styles in order to address and resolve conflict.



Alexander J. Friedman, MPH & Shari Krauss, MA, MPH, MA Center for Unexpected Infant and Child Death

This session will prepare participants with the tools to understand best practices for a compassionate response in the wake of a Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID), or the sudden death of a young child, and how to balance those practices with the particular mandates of their individual roles and responsibilities. This session will provide participants with theoretical and practical approaches for supporting bereaved families with the overall goal to mobilize their strengths in the wake of loss. Participants will have the opportunity to understand current terminology as it relates to SUID as well as a current snapshot of SUID trends in Massachusetts and in the United States. Given the difficult nature of the work, participants will also have the opportunity to reflect upon methods of self-care and their own comfort in dealing with death and bereavement. Participants will also have the opportunity to learn directly from a panel of impacted stakeholders (family members and bereavement professionals) about supporting families in the wake of loss, both by hearing experiences first-hand and by being able to ask questions.