Learning from Dr. Mitsuo Aoki Series

The "Learning from Dr. Mitsuo Aoki Training Series" will have 8 classes on Zoom and in person.  

Please register in advance at:    

 https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEkcemuqDoqGNby3YQVtXzYIMKQR00IbVgt  

The sessions will cover a range of topics concerning death and dying and working with people who have a serious, life-threatening illness and their families.  In addition to a video lecture format, there will be experiential learning and interactive classroom discussions regarding lecture topics. Classes will not be recorded. See  Mits: Session 8 - Interview Two with Roger | Wufoo   for participant feedback from the last session from training held 2022.

There is no cost to participants for this training and certificates of attendance will be provided for those who request them.  Continuing education credits will be provided for physicians, psychologists, nurses, social workers and pharmacists.  See flier for more details. CEUs will be without cost to participants who attend each full session(s) and complete a learning evaluation.

Individual classes can be taken singly or participants may attend all sessions which are taught sequentially as they were taught originally by Dr. Aoki for the first 5 sessions (videos) and sessions 6, 7 and 8 are additional to his original series.  The classes are facilitated and co-taught by Alan Gamble, LCSW, President of the Mits Aoki Legacy Foundation.  

DETAILED EXPLANATION OF GOALS & OBJECTIVES:

This series of classes is provided to help the participant work with someone who is facing the end of life and with survivors’ feelings of loss and grief.  

The participant will learn skills and methods using imagery and relaxation techniques each session which prepares one to provide a focused healing presence with the person who is dying and can be used by the individuals they are working with. 

There are 8 sessions titled: “My Own Death”, “Working with Dying Persons”, “Good Grief”, “Suicide”, “Life After Death”, “Advanced Care Planning”, “Interview One with Roger”, and “Interview Two with Roger”.  These sessions will cover a full range of topics related to death, dying and grieving.  

In addition to the videos, the classes will have facilitated group discussions and experiential learning lead by Alan Gamble, LCSW, DCSW, President of the Mits Aoki Legacy Foundation.   Alan is a licensed clinical social worker practicing in Hawaii for over 40 years and was a student of Dr. Aoki and was mentored by him.  He has co-taught a course on Death and Dying at the UH Thompson School of Social Work & Public Health and has been a volunteer for a local hospice program. 

OVERALL GOAL:   Participants will reflect on their own awareness about death and dying in the context of these lectures and discussions and become more comfortable with assisting others during this time of life through the development of knowledge, skills and personal insights.

Objective:  In addition to participating in the lectures and discussions, participants will learn and practice specific relaxation and imagery methods & techniques each session to help them center and focus and be “present” in relationship with others.  Voluntary interaction with fellow participants will be encouraged, but not required, as a method of deepening learning.

Session #1:  “My Own Death” GOAL:  Participant will learn about the meaning of death for one’s self and gain sensitivity for others through exploration of images of death, and their own thoughts and feelings.  Objectives:  1)  Participant will gain sensitivity for others by exploring “my own death” through an imagery exercise  2)  Participant will learn about the 3 categories and 9 specific fears associated with death  3) Participant will be able to describe Dr. Aoki's view of 'making one’s death an achievement'.  

Session #2:  “Working with Dying Persons” GOAL:  1) Learn specific techniques for physically and energetically preparing oneself to interact with persons who are terminally ill.  2) Learn to assist the dying person in making their dying an achievement, a work of art and reach an inner peace.  Objectives: 1) Participants will learn two specific body-mind techniques for centering/rooting and for breathing using imagery in preparation for working with people who are dying.  2) Participants will learn 5 things to help others achieve an “appropriate death” according to Avery Weisman.  3) Participants will learn an additional approach to the traditional “medical model” when working with someone who is dying through creating a “healing presence”.  4) Participants will better understand the process of dying and review the 5 stages of dying as articulated by Elizabeth Kubler-Ross in the context of developing the relationship with the individual who is dying and while understanding the limitations of the 5 stages. 

Session #3:  “Good Grief” GOAL: Participant will better understand grief, bereavement and mourning and how the process of grief and mourning can lead to deep and real healing.  Objectives:  1)  Participant will be able to describe the importance of rituals and traditions in the grief process  2) Participant will describe 3 common feelings associated with the process of grief  3) Participant will be able to describe how guilt is experienced by the person who is grieving and how it relates to compassion and a sense of responsibility 4)  Participant will explore the death of a child and be able to describe parental and sibling grief responses to the loss.   

Session #4: “Suicide” GOAL:  1) Participant will explore the use of imagery as an important source of creativity and healing  2) Participant will better understand theories associated with suicide and relate this to working with people who want to die or are thinking about dying rather than live.  Objectives: 1)  Participant will learn 4 western world historical perspectives about suicide  2)  Participant will learn 5 different schools of thought about suicide 3)  participant will learn 3 general characteristics of a suicidal act  4)  participant will learn three components and the trigger for the act itself  

Session #5:  “Life After Death” Goal:  Participant will learn about various traditional ways of understanding life after death and explore research on near death experiences and altered states of consciousness.     Objectives: 1) Participant will learn and practice a method of Zen meditation  2) Participant will learn 4 traditional ways of expressing the continuity of life and a sense of immortality  3) participant will learn about Experiential Transcendence and its role in knowing about life after death 4) Participant will name 2 individuals who researched near death experiences and a summary of their findings.   

Session #6:    “Advanced Care Planning” GOAL:  1)  Participants will learn about advanced care planning including practical knowledge and skills in assisting individuals and families with understanding advanced care directives, Provider Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST), powers of attorney, and determination of surrogate  2)  Participants will become familiar with end of life resources through exploration of the Kokua Mau web site in order to assist individuals and families.  Objectives: 1) Participants will voluntarily complete an advanced care directive in class 2)  Participants will be able to describe the difference between an advanced care directive and POLST  3)  Participants will be able to describe the difference between Medical Power of Attorney and a medical surrogate. 4) Participants will be able to navigate the Kokua Mau web site to find end of life resources in Hawaii. 

Session #7   “First Interview with Roger” Goal:  Participants will be able to observe an interview between Dr. Aoki and Roger Long who has been diagnosed with 6 months to live.  Following the interview, they will discuss their observations and personal feelings related to both the interviewer and the interviewee and the process and content of the interview.  Objectives:  1) Participants will be able to identify at least three thoughts Roger has about being diagnosed with a terminal illness  2) Participants will identify at least three feelings Roger expresses either verbally or non-verbally during the interview.  3)  Participants will identify 3 methods or techniques that Dr. Aoki uses during the interview to support Roger and assist him with accessing his resources in order to live his dying.  

Session #8  “Second Interview with Roger”  Goals: Participants will be able to observe an interview between Dr. Aoki and Roger Long who was diagnosed with 6 months to live 2 years prior to this interview.  They will discuss their observations and personal feelings related to both the interviewer and the interviewee.  Objectives:  1) Participants will be able to identify at least three thoughts Roger has about his eminent dying and how this has changed for him  2) Participants will identify at least three feelings Roger expresses either verbally or non-verbally during the interview.  3)  Participants will identify 3 methods or techniques that Dr. Aoki uses during the interview assist Roger with accessing his strengths and resources in order to live his dying. 4) Participants will be given the opportunity to share personal experiences and feelings related to the interview.