Thomas Attig (Two-day)

Workshop Title
Grief as Relearning the World – Catching Our Breath in Grief

Purpose/ Objective of Workshop
Captures forty years of reflection on grief as a process of relearning the world.

Brief Description
This workshop captures forty years of reflection on grief as a process of relearning the world.

Session I: From birth until death we breathe into, or learn how to live in, physical surroundings, ties with others, and the universe, making ourselves at home in our daily lives, living unique histories, and dancing with life’s mysteries.  The death of a loved one takes our breath away as grief reactions come over us and suspend us in crisis.

Session II: We can begin to catch our breath in grieving response through sorrow-friendly practices, attending to our suffering to learn about our deepest selves and needs in bereavement.

Session III: We fully catch our breath in grieving response through relearning how to live in a world transformed by loss, drawing upon resilience, hope, and available resources to reshape our daily lives, redirect our life stories, and find our way home again.

Session IV: The efforts of grieving response are labors of love that enable us to learn to love in separation and to carry the sorrow of missing those we love, reaching through the pain of separation to embrace memory and legacy.  Effective grief counseling is a midwifery that supports these labors.