“Grief has never been private, it has always been communal.
Subconsciously, we are awaiting the presence of others, before we can feel safe enough to drop to our knees on the holy ground of sorrow. For the most part, grief is not a problem to be solved, not a condition to be medicated, but a deep encounter with an essential experience of being human. Grief becomes problematic when the conditions needed to help us work with grief are absent.” - Francis Weller

Our primary association with grief is the loss of a loved one but there are so many kinds of losses that don't have formal ceremonies that are important to honour. Unprocessed grief can accumulate in weight, dulling our senses and capacity for aliveness.

This is a safe, supportive space for all shapes, sizes and textures of grief- for the loss of our loved ones, for the childhood we did not get to have, for the parts of ourselves that have been rejected and exiled, for friendships and relationships with ambiguous endings, for homes and communities we are distanced from and miss, for the suffering of the world and our fellow beings.

This inclusive grief circle is also an advocacy for compassionate and attentive grief work, for reshaping our understanding of and relationship with grief. It is a holding space, a container, a time and a deep permission to acknowledge our emotions, our connections, the ways we have been touched and transformed, and our humanity.

We will make art and/or write letters in response to the Grief Deck, share and witness each other’s stories and journeys, and co-create a group nature mandala together.

Please bring a jar and 8-10 similar natural objects (8 flowers or 8 sticks or 8 stones).

Please also note:

This workshop introduces Art Therapy as a practice, but is not intended to replace individual or group therapy, which involves a deeper exploration of our histories, intentional collaboration and the building of a therapeutic relationship. This workshop is also not intended for emergency crisis support or intervention.
If you are comfortable with me taking photos of your artwork for learning and supervision purposes, and to offer others a sense of what the workshop is like, please let me know at the start of the session. Your participation would be greatly appreciated!
If you have any questions, please contact me at greenhouse.arttherapy@gmail.com

Inclusive Grief Circle: Honouring Loss through Creativity, Community and Ritual

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