Embracing Grief: Support Circle for Chronic Illness

EMBRACING GRIEF – SUPPORT CIRCLE

With Sarah Pletts, Bilal Nasim and Linda Parker

Opening to life, in a space where grief is welcome.

This online workshop is for those who are experiencing chronic illness. We offer a gentle guided group journey. Being chronically ill is often lonely, and really hard. To the well and able, it may be hidden from view. For those suffering from poor health, this themed session may offer a sense of connection, validation, and shared understanding.

‘A 4 Hour Universe’

We invite space and time to slow down, to notice sensations, memories and release feelings that may surface. We encourage everyone to take care of their needs during the session, which includes being able to lie down, take breaks outside of break times, self-soothe or move away from the camera. Everything is optional.

Grief, stress or injustice may be part of the burden before as well as during illness. Chronic pain, depression, anxiety, frustration, brain fog, fatigue and other symptoms may be part of the experience. The additional losses that may have come as a result of being ill may include loss of agency, independence, security, mobility, career, relationships, hopes and dreams for the future. Mortality and ageing may be themes that are also present. People may bring challenging themes and strong expressions of emotion.

Finding support with life’s challenges and grief

Expressing your lived experience with a small group of people who share some identification with the theme of chronic illness can be really meaningful. Because this event is online, it can allow people to participate without leaving home, to feel supported while in their own surroundings.

Our intention is to be present with one another without needing to fix anyone, give advice or suggest solutions.

This Grief Workshop may not be suitable for those experiencing a severe mental health crisis, or for those feeling particularly unsupported. We're available to discuss this with you if you are unsure whether this event is right for you at the moment, so please don’t hesitate to contact us here.

To see more about what happens in a Grief Tending workshop, and the practice of Grief Tending for grief support, there are a series of short animations on this page: https://www.loveandloss.co.uk/loss/grief-tending-videos/

If you have any questions, please email Sarah welcome@loveandloss.co.uk

ABOUT YOUR FACILITATORS

Bilal Nasim (www.bilalnasim.com) is a facilitator, trainer and artist exploring what it means to be alive and our relationship with death. Bilal is an experienced grief-tender and has been holding grief-spaces since 2018. Bilal hosts workshops on confronting death, Death Cafe's, is training as a death doula with Red Tent End Of Life Doulas, and is a personal resilience trainer with Tough Cookie (www.tough-cookie.co.uk).

Sarah Pletts is an artist with a deep curiosity about mortality. Inspired by the uncertainty of our times, she is drawn to ‘Apprentice to Grief’, following in the work of Francis Weller, Joanna Macy, Sophy Banks, Jeremy Thres and others. She brings creativity and her exploration of the body to the practice of grief tending. She lives in London with partners and chosen family. She loves to walk the dog, dance wildly and eat virtuous chocolate (www.loveandloss.co.uk).

Embracing Grief Ethics Statement: 
http://www.loveandloss.co.uk/ethics-statement/

FEEDBACK 

"It was such a heart soothing and soul-enriching experience to participate in the space you created. I felt so utterly welcomed, free to bring whatever was alive in me, and never pressured to be anywhere I wasn't. I had moments of feeling a huge resistance in myself, and was allowed to dance with that and invite what was hiding underneath. The threads that you wove to create our container felt so gently, lovingly and intentionally woven, held with both sincerity and lightness." - Anon

“Thanks so much for creating a space of support and love. I felt safe at all times and the suggestions to move off screen or turn off the camera meant that I felt I wasn’t stuck to a box on screen. All the facilitators held space for each person and guided it when needed.” - Liselott

EVENT DETAILS
 
This event requires a free zoom account which you can set up here: https://zoom.us 
Instructions on how to join will be included in your confirmation email.  

TICKET PRICES: 

£15 Low Income (3 spaces available)
£40 Standard
£60 Abundant/Supporter

Once you have purchased a ticket, you will receive an Advance Info Form which we require to be completed before the workshop - This is both to help you to prepare for the session and for us to be able to support your needs. 

NOTE: We only send the Zoom link and what to bring upon receiving a completed Advance Info Form. 

There will be a maximum of 13 available places excluding the team. 3 of these places will be available at the Low Income rate for those who are either unemployed, have insufficient/unstable income or are clearly unable to afford the Standard price. 

Note: We will start on time, please join the Zoom room a few minutes before start time. 

ZOOM ROOM OPENS: 10 minutes before start time.
NO ENTRY AFTER:  15 minutes after start time.

ENQUIRIES: Sarah - welcome@loveandloss.co.uk

Attendance requires a working internet connection, and a Zoom account (you can download for free). If you have any access requirements please get in touch.  If you haven’t used Zoom before, please join 10 minutes early to download the free software and check your connection.

This workshop is fully inclusive to everyone regardless of age (18+), ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability, religious beliefs and otherwise.

Please note: We require a minimum number of attendees for events to go ahead. 

REFUNDS POLICY: Please note, we do not arrange refunds or exchanges. When possible we encourage reselling on Ticketswap.

ACCESS:  We do our best to include everyone in our events, regardless of health circumstances. If you have access requirements please email the event organiser directly to discuss. Many facilitators are able to offer reduced ticket prices for those truly unable to afford the ticket price. If this applies to you, do please get in touch with the event organiser.

For PSYCHEDELIC KNOWLEDGE AND RESOURCES please check out the Psychedelic Society website. 

Our facilitators have agreed to our code of conduct. Learn about our procedure for raising concerns

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