Teaching about loss

In this article, we develop a case for teaching about loss as part of socia l and behavioral science curricula. We discuss the first authors developmen t of a class that focuses on loss and trauma. This class emphasizes the vie w of loss as a pervasive aspect of human life and that it is the core exper ience for other phenomena, including trauma and chronic illness. The course involves a component in which students write about some loss experience th at may reflect their personal life. This component permits many students to express Pain, sometimes for one of the first times in their lives, regardi ng the events in question and relate their experience to what they have lea rned in the course. Significant features of the course are a score of video s and guest presentations, documenting the diversity of loss and people's m yriad ways of coping with loss. It is argued that the course and students' experiences in fulfilling course requirements speak to the gains that may b e realized by honest, in-depth probing of losses within the context of psyc hological and other literatures.