Rituals are actions done in purposeful ways that symbolize something much more than the acts themselves. Every culture has rituals that provide purpose and meaning to experiences. Rituals are made up of actions that represent ideas, thoughts, myths, or beliefs about something specific. They give purpose to action and always serve to connect us to something else, generally something greater than ourselves. In difficult times, rituals provide a certain order to an existence that otherwise might be full of confusion and chaos. Given the current pandemic, loss and grief have taken a front seat. A sense of loss permeates in many of our lives, and for many clients, this may be difficult to name. Furthermore, the inability to perform rituals in our habitual ways can be distressful for many. The current webinar will discuss the experience of loss and grief for Latinos during the current pandemic: including physical and symbolic losses. The presenters will discuss Latinos' values and rituals as they relate to the current pandemic. The importance of the therapeutic relationship will be discussed as well as approaches and strategies that promote new rituals, new meanings, and transformative experience.
