FAQs
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What types of groups do you offer?
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Check out our calendar for a range of what we offer. Our goal is to provide connection, community, and creativity around all types of grief and loss. There are general groups for people for all experiences as well as specialized groups. These groups are often formed based on how the death occurred (substance use, suicide, long-term illness) in addition to the relationship (spouse, parent, child, etc.).
We have weekly circles, monthly circles, cohorts that run in 6-8 week cycles quarterly, annual events, and year-long retreat cohorts that meet together several times a year.
Pre-registration is required as there are limited seats in each circle. Offerings or multiple cohorts are formed based on demand and waitlists. This isn’t a waitlist you sit on for months; we are here to create opportunities for support.
How do I get started?
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Sunday Open Circle is a great place to start. Truly, it is as easy as registering for the circle, cohort, or event you wish to be a part of. If something speaks to you, it’s probably a good fit for you. We aim to make participation easy; grief and change are hard enough. Authentic community-based support should be a few clicks or turns away.
New community member? Feel welcome to schedule a 15 min. meet and greet (phone, online/Zoom, or in person at The Grief Center to your preference) to connect with the facilitator.
Current community members? You are welcome to schedule a pre-meeting if you’d like to share new information and/or catch up in advance of the new group starting. Either way, can’t wait to see you again!
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I’m nervous about a group experience.
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Of course, many are. Many of us have been enculturated to suppress our grief and “handle” our pain in isolation on a day or two of bereavement leave (if you are lucky). Communal mourning practices used to be a part of the fabric of life; we aim to bring them back. The Grief Center offers a way to create deeper community during grief not less. We insist that we must share and air rather than suppress our pain. Also, you participate to your comfort level at any given time. There are built-in ways to lean in and out of the circle to suit your needs in the moment.
Facilitators support every step of the way to ease the social awkwardness inherent in a new experience. Consider it like the first day of a class or a meeting with people you don’t know well but know you have some common goals and experiences with. All of you is welcome here. Come as you are and engage as your own pace and preferences guide. Our whole design and purpose—from the physical space to the prompts, poems, community agreements, or snacks—is here to support you. Feel welcome to come for a tour prior to the start of a group to get comfortable. Our social media accounts also give a good sense of the space so you can begin to envision what it might be like.
Still have questions? Be in touch.
Do you train or mentor other facilitators?
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Yes. One-on-one as well as through facilitative leadership courses and events. Particularly if your background has been mostly in hospice or 1:1 direct care, group facilitation can be an intimidating area benefiting from support, reflection, and guided practice. Community-based grief work is an essential part of our health. We love supporting group facilitators to spread the work!
I am a caregiver for my parent or significant elder. They say they do not want extra support from a death doula; I do. What do you suggest?
I am happy to have a meeting with you and/or all people involved to discuss what doulacare looks like and if it would be beneficial for anyone in your family. I can also support caregivers as a grief doula which shifts the focus of the work some but provides deep respite nonetheless.
People’s end-of-life choices often differ wildly from what we might want or what we want for them. People often die similarly to how they lived. The greatest love and respect we can give is in honoring the wishes of the person at the center of our focus.
What is a sample schedule or common rhythm of circles?
Check out each program’s page for many details like this. We love forecasting, sharing information that helps you to know which program is the right fit for you, and helping you to feel comfortable.
Here is a breakdown of the flow of one kind of circle. The middle part may be consolidated for based on the topic/approach (art, movement, mindfulness, grief education, end-of-life topic, etc.), but this gives a look into how we often approach time and interconnection. You can participate or not as much/little as you are moved.
5 min: ground (settle in, meditate, move, connect here and within)
15-30 min: introduce ourselves and orient (to the topic or reason we have gathered: suicide, divorce, diagnosis, a poem or passage about grief, etc.)
15 min: personal reflection and inward connection
15 min: small group reflection and interconnection (dyad or triad)
20 min: whole group discussion/share/interweaving
15 min: consolidate and close
Why do you charge fees? Why aren’t your programs free?
Because we pay for rent, utilities, art supplies, and it requires immense, precious human energy to steward this place and these important experiences for you. We do not have private capital or grants paying our costs at this time. We may consider becoming a non-profit but right now are interested in seeing if a community-based grief center is viable given the immense need. Being a non-profit would require lots of grant-seeking and administrative work that right now feels good to put toward programming and direct support to those who connect with our offerings.
We charge for most events to help offset the cost of no-cost services to those who need it. We have an easily accessible Community Care Fund available for anyone to request funds from in order to participate at a 50% or 100% discounted rate for most of our programs.