Prolonged Grief Disorder: Challenging Stigmas and Fostering Compassion

Texas Tech Health Check

Many of us celebrate Halloween, Dia de los muertos, and even All Saints Day and All Souls Day -- the time of year when we remember loved ones who have passed away. These holidays also give us an opportunity to think about loved ones we lost and how we grieve. However, some people, regardless of age, can become overwhelmed by their grief. Prolonged grief disorder is when the feeling of intense grief persists and prevents someone from continuing on with their life. Our guest for this episode is Natalie Scanlon, Ph.D., clinical psychologist in the department of psychiatry. Dr. Scanlon explains what prolonged grief disorder is, how they diagnose and treat it and what we can do for our family, friends or coworkers who are grieving.