Katherine P. Supiano, PhD, LCSW

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I am an Associate Professor and the Director of Caring Connections: A Hope and Comfort in Grief Program, the bereavement care program of the University of Utah serving the intermountain west. I attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison, earning a BS in Psychology, a Master’s Degree in Child and Family Studies (Human Development) and a Master’s Degree in Counseling and Guidance. I earned my PhD from the University of Utah College of Social Work in 2012.

I am a PhD-prepared licensed clinical social worker and have been a practicing psychotherapist in geriatrics, palliative care and grief therapy for over 35 years. My clinical practice includes care of older adults with depression and multiple chronic health concerns, end-of-life care, and bereavement care. In addition to counseling, I have worked in the areas of elder abuse and neglect, geriatric care management, nursing home advocacy and smoking cessation. I am a Fellow in the Gerontological Society of America, a Fellow of Thanatology-Association of Death Education and Counseling, and a member of the Social Work Hospice and Palliative Care Network Board of Directors.

Prior to joining the faculty in 2007, I served as social worker to the University of Utah Hospital Palliative Care team. Before coming to Utah, I was a clinical social work manager at Turner Geriatric Clinic-University of Michigan Health Center, and have also worked in the mental health system and in long-term care.

Research Statement

As reflected in the Caring Connections mission statement, I am committed to research which promotes greater understanding of loss, grief and bereavement, and methods to facilitate constructive grief.

My primary research interest is developing, evaluating, manualizing and disseminating effective psychotherapy interventions to treat and ultimately prevent complicated grief—that is, the chronic, unrelenting grief that disables the griever. My independent program of research includes investigations of complicated grief interventions, the processes and lived experience that that promote healthy grief, and end-of-life values and preferences.

I am invovled in developing, implementing and evaluating educational approaches to prepare clinicians and community-based professionals to respond to the Grief of Overdose Death and the Grief of Suicide Death.

I am also committed to clinical education research, particularly interprofessional education and its impact on interdisciplinary practice. I have led published outcome studies in interdisciplinary palliative care education and the effect of personal grief on student learning.

Selected Publications

Journal Article

Farrell TW (03/01/2022). The Development and Validation of a Communication Survey Instrument for Long-term Care Staff. J Contin Educ Nurs, 53, 123-130. (Read full article)
Felsted K F (03/2022). Designing Rigorous Methods in Integrative Research: Comparing Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction with the Health Enhancement Program in the Treatment of Urge Urinary Incontinence in Older Adult Women. . 9, 31-43.
Bybee S (07/2021). Bots and nots: safeguarding online survey research with underrepresented and diverse populations.
Beynon C (06/2021). It’s all about the nurse aides. 356-364.
Clayton MF (04/2021). Live hospice discharge: Experiences of families, and hospice staff. Patient Educ Couns, 8, 2054-2059.
Tay D L (02/2021). Emotional expression in conversations about advance care planning among older adult home health patients and their caregivers. Patient Educ Couns, 9, 2232-2239.
Supiano KP (01/01/2021). Pre-loss group therapy for dementia family care partners at risk for complicated grief. 7. (Read full article)
Supiano KP (01/01/2021). Complicated grief group therapy for community-residing persons diagnosed with serious mental illness. 19, 381-402. (Read full article)
Supiano KP (01/01/2021). Extending our reach: telehealth delivered grief support groups for rural hospice. Soc Work Groups, 44, 159-173. (Read full article)
Dassel K (11/20/2020). Geriatrics workforce enhancement program: Educational outcomes of community-based dementia caregiver conferences. Educ Gerontol.
Miller L M (11/19/2020). Health profiles of spouse caregivers: The role of active coping and the risk for developing prolonged grief symptoms. . Soc Sci Med, 266.
Supiano KP (09/24/2020). Extending our Reach: Tele-Health Delivered Grief Support Groups for Rural Hospice.
Tay DL (08/28/2020). Evaluation of a Collaborative Advance Care Planning Intervention among Older Adult Home Health Patients and Their Caregivers. J Palliat Med, 23, 1214–1222.
Supiano KP Luptak M Andersen T Beynon C Iacob E Wong B (02/01/2020). If we knew then what we know now: The preparedness experience of pre-loss and post-loss dementia caregivers. Death Stud, 1-12. (Read full article)
Felsted KF Supiano KP (02/01/2020). Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Versus a Health Enhancement Program in the Treatment of Urge Urinary Incontinence in Older Adult Women: A Randomized Controlled Feasibility Study. Res Gerontol Nurs, 12, 285-297. (Read full article)
Supiano K P (02/2020). ). If We Knew Then What We Know Now: The Preparedness Experience of Pre-loss and Post-loss Dementia Caregivers. . Death Stud.
Jensen EJ Supiano KP Luptak M Anderson T Beynon C (02/01/2020). Resilience in Bereaved Caregivers of Persons With Dementia. J Gerontol Nurs, 46, 30-36. (Read full article)
Jensen Elizabeth (01/30/2020). Resilience In Bereaved Dementia Caregivers. J Gerontol Nurs, 46, 30-36.
Jensen EJ (01/01/2020). Resilience in bereaved caregivers of persons w ith dementia. J Gerontol Nurs, 46, 30-36. (Read full article)
Dassel K (11/2019). Development of a dementia-specific end-of-life planning guide. . 3, igz024.
Supiano KP (08/01/2019). The role of theory in understanding grief. Death Stud, 43, 75-78. (Read full article)
Mohlman W (09/2018). End-of-Life Education and Discussions with Assisted Living Certified Nursing Assistants. . J Gerontol Nurs, 44(6), 41-48. doi:10.3928/00989134-20180327-01.
Farrell T W (04/2018). State of the Science: Interprofessional Approaches to Aging, Dementia, and Mental Health. J Am Geriatr Soc, 66, Suppl 1:S40-S47. doi: 10.1111/jgs.15309.
Lin J (01/2018). The Impact of the End of Life Nurse Education Consortium (ELNEC) on attitudes of undergraduate nursing students toward care of dying patients. . J Hosp Palliat Nurs, 20(4), 340-348 doi: 10.1097/NJH.0000000000000445.
Farrell T W (11/2017). Individual versus team performance among health professions trainees in formulating care transitions plans: implications for interprofessional education and team process. . J Interprof Care, doi: 10.1080/13561820.2017.140.
Supiano K P (10/2017). A Comparison of the Influence of Anticipated Death Trajectory and Personal Values on End of Life Care Preferences: A Qualitative Analysis. Clin Gerontol, doi: 10.1080/07317115.2017.136.
Caserta M (09/2017). Cancer caregivers' preparedness for loss and bereavement outcomes: Do preloss caregiver attributes matter? . doi: 10.1177/0030222817729610..
Supiano K P (07/2017). The transformation of meaning in complicated grief group therapy for suicide survivors: Treatment process analysis using the Meaning of Loss Codebook. . Death Stud, 41, (9), 553-561.
Supiano K P (07/2017). Honoring Grief, Honoring Ourselves: Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Education for Grief Group Clinician-Facilitators. . Vol. 0, Iss. ja,0 [Epub ahead.
Supiano K P (02/2017). Resolution of delusional parasitosis within Complicated Grief Group Therapy: A case analysis. . 40(4), 335-349.
Supiano KP McGee N Dassel KB Utz R (02/01/2017). A Comparison of the Influence of Anticipated Death Trajectory and Personal Values on End-of-Life Care Preferences: A Qualitative Analysis. Clin Gerontol, 42, 247-258. (Read full article)
Kathie Supiano (01/03/2017). The process of change in Complicated Grief Group Therapy for bereaved dementia caregivers: An evaluation using the Meaning Loss Codebook. . J Gerontol Soc Work, 60, 155-169.
Cloyes K G (01/02/2017).
Blacker S (12/01/2016). Advancing hospice and palliative care social work leadership in interprofessional education. 12, (4), 316-330.
Cloyes KG (11/01/2016).
Clayton M F (04/01/2016). Using simulation in nursing PhD education: Facilitating application of responsible conduct of research principles. . J Prof Nurs, 33, (1), 68-73.
Supiano K P (09/2015).
Kathie Supiano (01/2015).
Supiano K P (08/2014).
Montagnini M (06/2014).
Kathie Supiano (05/2014).
Supiano K P (06/2013).
Scheese C M (02/2013).
Supiano K P (02/2013).
Supiano K P (12/2012).
Supiano K P (06/2012).
Supiano K P (08/2009).
Wilson S C (06/2009).
Supiano K P (01/2009).
Thomas L A (01/2009).
Supiano K P (04/2008).
Carroll A M (07/05/2005).
Kathie Supiano (04/22/2003).
Kathie Supiano (04/07/2003).
Ozminkowski R J (10/22/1991).
Kathie Supiano (04/23/1991).
Kathie Supiano (10/24/1989).
Supiano K P (11/17/1981).

Book Chapter

Supiano K P (01/2019). The Slow Death of Dementia. In Hospice Foundation of America (pp. 61-77). Hospice Foundation of America.
Supiano K P (04/2015).
Kathie Supiano (02/04/2015).
Supiano KP (05/2010).
Buttar A (12/02/2002).
Kathie Supiano (04/02/2001).
Kathie Supiano (04/02/2001).
Kathie Supiano (05/01/1980).
Kathie Supiano (05/01/1980).

Other

Supiano K P (02/2015).