Nearly one quarter claim “none” as their religious affiliation with nearly a third reporting they seldom or never attend church. Historically, faith traditions helped the grieving with structure and ritual that provided comfort, community, compassion, and a way to seek meaning in what might otherwise seem meaningless. How then are those of us without a strong faith community able to find support after the death of a loved one? Creating personal rituals can be one way forward.
Middle Widowed: Hope and Healing for those Widowed 3-5 years
Different After You
When our world is turned upside down by death, grievers are frequently encouraged to “get back to normal.” But how? There is nothing “normal” about the person we love being physically missing from our lives. What if instead of trying to recreate the past or even accept a new normal, we allow ourselves to be changed? When we integrate our person into our lives and acknowledge the change in perspective that grief provides, we can stop fighting our pain and start creating a life for the self that was born through tragedy. Join Michele Neff Hernandez, Soaring Spirits International CEO, author, widow, and advocate for a conversation about honoring what was in order to welcome what can be.
Building Resilience in Grieving Kids
I am sure we have all stayed awake at night wondering how the death of our kid’s parent is going to mess them up! We wonder if our support is enough and if we could be doing more. I know I was pretty sure I had scarred my kids for life…but 16 yrs later they have grown into amazing young adults ready to take on the world!
During our time together, we will discuss what resilience is, how we can foster it in our kids and how to support ourselves, their parent, during the grief journey.
Soulshaker: Hula Hooping with Heather
Movement matters. Awaken your body and strengthen your mind while learning the basics of hula hooping in this playful movement class.
Hula hooping is powerful movement medicine and can feel like pure joy. Discover this low-impact cardio activity and let your inner-child and dancer play. Let’s creatively move together with great music in a safe community space.
Zero experience necessary. Everybody is welcome. Wear comfy clothing you can move in.
Grief in the Background: A Widowed Life Four Years and Beyond
You have lived through those first critical years after the death of your partner and you made it through. But your grief is still there. It may not be as active as it once was, but it still lurks in the background of your everyday life. Learn new ways to cope with the current format of loss, gain an understanding of it, and reflect on the past, present and future. It’s been four years. It’s been six years. Or it’s been MORE than ten years.The struggle has changed because life has continued.
Disenfranchised Grief
This workshop is for those who have lost partners who weren’t legally married, and/or whose relationships were not known and/or recognized by others. We will discuss the many ways that this ‘invisible bereavement’ affects our grief experience and our ability to get support as we move through our grief. It will also provide a safe space for people to discuss the loss of their partner while in non-traditional relationships such as open, polyamorous, asexual, or others. From legal complications to family matters, invisible bereavement adds layers of pain to loss.