Explore Grief Resources
“The journey through grief requires resourcing in the same way any expedition would. In this way, grief is like a landscape: the sweep of sorrow, the topography of torment, the boulder field of the broken-hearted. We need navigation tools to find our way through the harsh and haunting landscape of grief. Here are some of the resources that supported me and continue to nurture me.” —Betsy
Look for the asterisk* to discover the grief resources featured in the film.
Thousand Petals Yoga offers a grief specific yoga class on their YoutTube channel as well as a monthly subscription to their full library that includes hundreds of yoga videos for practitioners of all levels and a 28-Day meditation journey. Sommer and Paul assert that "to feel is to heal" is a common saying in healing realms that relates specifically to grief. The beauty is we don't have to have a story or a timeline or a why or what to what's unfolding as we witness our hearts in grief. Practices like turning to our breath, sitting with what's arising without trying to change it or make it go away, as well as practices of embodiment like yoga or walking in nature, all ground us in the alchemy to open our hearts rather than to shut ourselves down.
Enjoy this free Guided Relaxation for Grief Class that creates a safe healing space to rest in while in a grieving process. Come as you are and know you’re not alone. Explore all the Thousand Petal Yoga offerings on their website.
Captain Charles Robbins has always felt most at home in the outdoors. He grew up in the Cape Fear area, and remembers getting lost in the surrounding swamps as early as nine years old. His love of nature and plant life led him to earn a Horticulture degree at NC State University. After spending many years in the Northwestern part of the United States as a wilderness area guide, he returned to the Cape Fear region. Since then, he has made it his life’s mission to study, protect, and advocate for the precious remaining natural habitats in the area, and to use his knowledge to inspire and educate others to reconnect with the natural world. His wealth of knowledge, passion for these waterways, and rich storytelling abilities make him a guide like no other. Book a trip down the Black River into the Three Sisters Swamp featured in the film. This is a healing experience and a great adventure.
Transitions GriefCare offers bereavement support to people coping with the death of a family member or friend. Our professional staff provides short-term counseling, support groups, workshops, and other services designed to compassionately meet the needs of those seeking to address the unique challenges of grief and create a path toward healing. Grief support is available at no cost to residents of Chatham, Durham, Franklin, Granville, Harnett, Johnston, Orange, and Wake counties, regardless of whether the family was served by Transitions LifeCare. We appreciate calls from those concerned about their loved ones; however, bereavement services must be initiated directly by the individual.
Grief Care for Adults and Children - Transitions GriefCare (transitions lifecare.org)
Maia Dery’s approach to coaching is deeply informed by the creative process in the human and natural world. Loss of a loved one is perhaps the most difficult path we humans have to walk. It can feel challenging or even overwhelming to move towards meaning and beauty while carrying a heavy weight of sadness. Maia’s approach encourages, guides, and allows clients space to articulate, appreciate, and nourish the strengths they can rely on to live with creativity while honoring the new perspective and the changes in priorities that often result from grief. While none of us would ever choose to grieve, learning to be in ways that honor who and how we’ve lost can, with support and practice, help us find our direction towards new meaning, deeper service, and more exquisite gratitude.
Dan Fischer is the founder of the One Last Wave Project that journeys to use the healing power of the ocean to help families coping with the loss of a loved one. After facing the devastating loss of his father and best friend, he turned to surfing not only to cope with the emotions but also to reconnect to them through the natural world and honor the adventurous bond they had forged over a lifetime. What followed was a simple invitation on social media to submit stories of loss that turned into a global movement that has now helped thousands of grieving families. By etching the names of those lost onto surfboards and paddling them out to catch a symbolic last wave, the organization has created a community of healing and support for families, and a unique and active way to forever memorialize their loved ones in a place they loved.
Hospice Foundation of America is a trusted source of information on end of life, hospice care and grief. Throughout their site you will find information about living with advanced life-limiting illness, options for care and helpful resources for caregivers.
Like this film much of Betsy’s writing and art has been based around loss related content. Visit her website to read more of her writing, listen to her recorded live storytelling and podcast interviews.
Jaki Shelton Green, ninth Poet Laureate of North Carolina is the first African American and third woman to be appointed as the North Carolina Poet Laureate. She is a 2019 Academy of American Poet Laureate Fellow, 2014 NC Literary Hall of Fame Inductee, 2009 NC Piedmont Laureate appointment, 2003 recipient of the North Carolina Award for Literature. Her poetry books, particularly I Want To Undie You, have been a resource for Betsy on her grief journey. I Want To Undie You is Jaki’s unflinching cry of sorrow at the untimely death of her daughter Imani; and Jaki’s insistence, through her grief, on the joyful remembrance and celebration of Imani’s life. Jaki is the owner of SistaWRITE providing writing retreats for women writers in Sedona Arizona, Martha’s Vineyard, Ocracoke North Carolina, Northern Morocco, and Tullamore Ireland.
Grieve Leave is creating a global community of grievers. The global Grieve Leave community normalizes conversations about grief and grieving, and offers a variety of resources, including educational content, personal stories of loss (death and non-death), training and speaking engagements to create more supportive workplaces, online and in-person support groups, and interviews with thought leaders and experts in the field of grief and mental health. By joining the Grieve Leave community, you can find support, connection, and a safe space to share your own experiences with grief and loss.
Join the Grieve Leave community by connecting with us on Instagram (@grieveleave) and visiting our website at grieveleave.com.