Advances in brain science continue to reveal the profound effects of loss on brain function. Increasingly, we can understand the mechanism of the experience of loss through the lens of brain dysfunction. Importantly, understanding common experiences of grief and loss from this perspective not only normalizes the experience of loss, but also informs the choice of therapeutic interventions. This workshop will explore the interrelationships between brain dysfunction, individual experience and counseling interventions. Three themes will be developed: 1) how the brain defaults to protective survival responses and defense mechanisms, 2) how brain dysfunction disconnects memory content from emotion, and 3) how brain dysfunction results in problems with perception and communication. This innovative workshop will feature alternating presentations by neurologist Lisa M. Shulman, MD, and grief counselor Fabio Lomelino, LCPC, as well as candid interviews with Dr. Shulman about her personal experience with loss as described in her book, Before and After Loss: A Neurologist’s Perspective on Loss, Grief and Our Brain.