Refuge For Healing
somatic support for your grief journey
If you're in the depths of grief right now it can be difficult to focus and you may not want to read a lot of information.
The bottom line is: I can help you with your grief. I can't take away the pain. I'm sorry. The pain is normal and natural and it's important to feel it. I know you would like for there to be a way to avoid it but it has to be felt and processed and that is what I can help you with. And I can be with you, a guide and supportive companion, as you experience your grief. I will work with you to help you process your grief somatically -- which means through the body. Grief affects our bodies. The energy of the emotions impacts our bodies. Processing it somatically involves learning how to feel what is happening in your body, practicing listening to your body and trusting your body wisdom. There is an example of some somatic work on the Video of a workshop I held and you can read more about it on the Definitions Page.
You can schedule a free thirty-minute consultation if you'd like to talk to me more about how I can help and to discover if my work is a good fit for you.
Let me say this again, grief is normal. Grief is not a problem to be solved. It is not something that needs to be fixed.
Grief is not aberrant. It is not a disorder. It is a natural, normal, expected part of being a human. It is part of life.
There is nothing wrong with you for grieving. All types of grief are
welcome here from loss of a loved one, to grieving a life change. It's
all painful and it all has an impact on our bodies.
We may not be able to avoid it, but we can find support and tools to
help us bear it, until it lightens. It will lighten. And You don't have to
carry it alone in the meantime.
Grief wants to be witnessed. That's why platitudes can be so painful.
They feels dismissive of your pain. You feel unseen when someone,
well-meaning though they may be, tries to comfort you without
allowing space for your emotions. Choosing to be surrounded
by others who are also experiencing grief helps you feel seen,
supported, and normalized. This shared witnessing is very powerful.
Experiencing pain can be frightening. There is a lot of fear that we will be overwhelmed by it or get lost in the emotions. A skilled facilitator can be invaluable for guiding you through without you getting lost in it.
I offer grief support communities where you can process your grief in the company of others. I provide a container where the emotions can be experienced in a way that helps keep you from being overwhelmed. Click below to learn more about the grief groups.
I offer one-on-one sessions where we can focus on you and your emotional experiences for one hour. I will give suggestions and guidance for practices and rituals and you are always in control of what we decide to do in these sessions.
I offer more and you can see all the options and schedules on my Bookings Page.
Feel free to contact me or sign up for my monthly newsnote here.
Grief Sucks
"I personally walked away with peace I had not felt in years. My heart and mind calm and there shone a bit of self love I hadn’t seen since childhood."
Athena W. Colorado
What to Expect
I aim to cultivate a safe space and everything will be held in confidence within the confines of the law.
I create containers for grief and trauma energy to move. I provide somatic support and nervous system regulation guidance. I’ll help bring people back if they go too far into the emotion. I offer ritual support for processing loss, grief, and trauma. I will be a guide and support, but you will maintain your sovereignty and autonomy. I support participants in accessing their own healing wisdom. I help you learn how to hear your own inner guidance.
In one-on-one sessions you will be able to talk about your grief as openly as you feel comfortable. I will never push you to do more than you are comfortable with. I will listen and hold space for all the emotions that come with grief. I will help you understand what is happening in your nervous system, emotions, and body as you grieve. Then you will learn how to allow that grief to process through your body.
That may sound kind of weird or intimidating but what that means is I will guide you in learning how to recognize how the emotion actually feels in your body: tightness, tingling, pressure, etc. And then share techniques with you that help you move that feeling out of the body. Things like breathing exercises, body movements, rituals, grounding, meditation, etc. The experience will be personalized with your input so that we find what works best for you. This may be done in person or online.
We may incorporate some creative practices if that appeals to you.
We can explore different grief rituals to see if there are some that bring you comfort.
We may include spiritual direction if you'd like that.
There are many tools that can be used in the processing of grief.
In Grief Communities I will facilitate the creating of a safe container for you to share your stories and process your grief in the presence of others. There is something very healing about being supported by a group of people healing together. You will learn how to feel your emotions in the body in a way that is gradual and not overwhelming. You will learn tools for processing the emotions in ways that go beyond what talking about them can do on its own. These will primarily be held in person but there will be online offerings as well.
You can learn more and see a brief demo on the page where I have a Video of a workshop I held called What I Wish Everyone Knew About Grief.
I will also be offering online and in-person workshops. Sign up for my monthly Newsnote if you'd like to be informed about those.
Disclaimer: You may have heard of Somatic Therapy. That is when somatic practices are used in a psychotherapy setting. I am not a therapist or counselor. I will not provide psychotherapy or counseling.
I don’t diagnose mental health conditions, or diagnose anything. I don’t prescribe any kind of treatment. I'm not promising or suggesting that I can fix or cure anyone. I don’t take responsibility for participants’ decisions or outcomes.
Pricing
There are never any hidden charges, and no contracts or obligations for Individual Appointments. You can meet with me as many times as feels beneficial.
Package pricing does anticipate that you will attend the number of sessions included in the package. There will be no refund for sessions dropped, but there is flexibility in scheduling should an emergency arise.
30 minute consultation - free
One-on-one Appointment via Zoom - 60-minute session - $150
Package of 6 sessions - $810
Puttering Sessions - one-on-one session with me over the phone while I clean, make art, or go for a walk. $60 for 60 minutes of somewhat divided attention. This is good when you need someone to talk to but aren't seeking a lot of depth work at the moment.
Groups - $300 per person for 6 weeks of 90-minute sessions, charged in two payments. This also includes a free one-on-one session with me.
Live workshops, online or in person - prices vary depending on length. Price will be on Book Online Page.
If you would like for me to present a workshop to your group please use the contact information below, or schedule a free 30 minute consultation through my Book Online page.
I can do a presentation about the effects of grief on the body. This would be great for any group that is experiencing grief or those who work with people who are grieving.
I can also present on somatic techniques for nervous system regulation. This is ideal for groups such as teachers, healthcare workers, and others who would like to manage their day-to-day stress.
People who are local to Colorado Springs (and nearby) can host an in-person workshop.