A Different Kind Of Online Grief Support
Weekly Sharing and Self-Care for Grief Groups Meet
Mondays at 2 PM EST & Tuesdays at 7 PM EST
“Before this program I was having anxiety and depression. Integrating my self-care practice into my daily life was especially helpful. I am calmer now. Even when I focus on my grief, it doesn't seem as overwhelming.”
—Christine B.
You don't have to do this alone
Monday Group
11 AM PST / 2 PM EDT / 7 PM BST
Tuesday Group
4 PM PST / 7 PM EDT / 12 AM BST
3rd Monday Meetup
4 PM PST / 7 PM EDT / 12 AM BST
Not everyone will understand your pain. But we do. If you feel isolated, but want to speak and be heard, the Awaken community is here and waiting to support you.
Awaken includes weekly groups, a monthly member virtual meetup, seasonal holiday workshops, and a Private Facebook Group. All events are offered via Zoom, so you can join our judgment-free conversations from the comfort and safety of your home.
Tend to Your most difficult symptoms of grief
“Acceptance in the mindful context means that even when the unthinkable happens, we honor our self and our experience with dignity and kindness. Rather than turn our back on our own suffering, we treat ourselves as we would a beloved friend. We take the time to pay attention to the physical sensations, thoughts, and feelings that accompany our pain.”
(Mindfulness & Grief, Page 15)
- Ease your suffering
- Reduce fear & anxiety
- Calm racing thoughts
- End sleepless nights
- Release physical pain
- Feel less alone
- Get unstuck
- Stay Connected To Love
Three Ways Awaken Takes You
from grief to peace
Heather Stang offers those who are grieving a wise and practical guide.... [Mindfulness & Grief] will help you find your own inner strength and awakening heart in the midst of great loss.
Tara Brach, Ph.D.
AUTHOR, RADICAL ACCEPTANCE
INSIGHT COMMUNITY OF WASHINGTON
Sneak Peek Inside Awaken
Watch this short video to see everything you get when you join us.
Awaken is based on up-to-date grief and mindfulness research and is facilitated by author Heather Stang who holds a master's in death, dying, and bereavement (thanatology) and is a certified yoga therapist. Heather is a member of the Association of Death Education and Counseling and the International Association of Yoga Therapists. The Mindfulness & Grief System that is the foundation of Awaken will appear in the forthcoming Handbook of Grief Therapy.
Step-by-step guidance based on Heather Stang's Mindfulness & Grief Book
Each course module below features a master class, videos, guided meditations, journaling prompts, and workbooks to help track your progress and insights!
Step 1 -
Conscious Relaxation
Experience various relaxation and meditation techniques proven to reduce anxiety, stress, insomnia, and more.
Step 2 -
mindfulness for grief
Focus on the present moment so you can see more clearly and tend to the places that hurt.
Step 3 -
compassion for all
Feel more connected to yourself and others while cultivating an internal resource that reduces suffering.
Step 4 -
skillful courage
Create space for both courage and vulnerability so you can open your heart and live more fully.
Step 5 -
Getting Unstuck
Slow things down and overcome the common “roadblocks” that all humans face in grief and in life.
Step 6 -
rediscover meaning
Explore the relationship that lives on even after the loss, and weave their memory into your life.
Step 7 -
allowing transformation
Reflect on the person you are becoming and your new relationship to the world around you.
Step 8 -
perpetual mindfulness
Develop a regular and sustainable lifestyle that empowers you to cope with adversity while living and loving fully.
Heather´s online course is a refuge where I can connect with awareness of my ongoing grief process. The lessons allowed me to relate intimately with how my grief appeared in my thoughts, emotions and physical sensations. My relationship to life after this loss has profoundly changed, and I appreciate Heather's support to discover it.
G.S.
Your compassionate guide,
author Heather Stang, MA, C-IAYT
Heather's own journey of love, loss, and posttraumatic growth inspires her passion for teaching self-care for grief to bereaved families and grief professionals. She focuses on meditation, movement, and journaling to help people cope with grief, create continuing bonds with their loved one, and adjust to life after loss in a meaningful way.
She is the author of Mindfulness & Grief, and the new guided journal, From Grief To Peace, and has contributed to numerous grief textbooks and publications. Her online program Awaken is rooted in the Mindfulness & Grief System that she created, and which will be featured in the forthcoming grief textbook, The Handbook of Grief Therapy.
She is the founder of the Mindfulness & Grief Institute, where she hosts the Mindfulness & Grief Podcast and provides training to national healthcare and bereavement organizations. She is a certified yoga therapist with a master's degree in thanatology (death, dying, & bereavement) and over 20 years experience in mind-body therapies.
When we are more firmly grounded in our bodies, as Heather Stang demonstrates, we are better able literally and metaphorically to find a new footing in the world, and to restore a life of meaning and coherence.
Robert A. Neimeyer, Ph.D.
PORTLAND INSTITUTE FOR LOSS & TRANSITION
Heather’s calm and compassionate presence is a healing balm in times of great loss. She explains grief so well that you feel as if she walks through the process with you and deeply comprehends the ever-changing path of grief. I found her program to be both educational and experiential, an unusual combination in the field of grief.
C.C.M.
Tending To Your Pain Does Not
Mean Releasing Your LOVE
When you join Awaken you won't need to bite your tongue, stuff your feelings, or apologize for talking about your loved one. And you don't have to pretend that everything is OK when it isn’t.
Tell us your favorite story. Share their photo. If your relationship was difficult, you can talk about that, too.
Inside Awaken you will feel safe to tend to what hurts, adjust to your new life circumstances, and maintain an enduring connection with your loved one.
If you are ready to reduce your physical, emotional, and spiritual suffering, take your next best step and join me in Awaken to find hope, resilience, and love.
Heather
Don't wait any longer to tend to your love and loss.
Grief support Group
+ Online Course
Cope with grief the healthy way with coping skill builders
& Compassionate Group Support
49/month
Got Questions?
The perfect grief gift for someone you love
- Select the membership level you desire and click the button.
- On the payment page, check "is this a gift?"
- Enter your payment information.
- The next screen will allow you to write a custom message.
- Your gift will be delivered to the recipient's inbox with a link to join Awaken.
This program has been my life jacket in a very stormy sea of grief. I am the person who ultimately has to swim and get back to land but having this has given me hope that I will get there, in my own time and with the help of Heather and my companions in the online sessions.
Alexis
Is Awaken is right for you?
Answers to the most frequently asked questions.
Q. How much time each day should I expect to spend on Awaken?
A. When you spend 5 to 15 minutes a day in Awaken, you will benefit. Some days you may want to immerse yourself. Other days you will take a break. But commit to just a few minutes most days, and you will feel less anxious and more empowered than without these practices.
Q. Do I need to know how to meditate, do yoga, or journal?
A. Awaken is for people who are grieving. There are no other prerequisites. You will be given proven methods to care for your grieving mind, body, and spirit. This includes techniques to get the sleep you are not getting, a meaningful way to express your innermost thoughts and feelings, meditations to slow down all of those spinning thoughts, and other tips to help you start to feel like yourself again. You will also find creative ways to incorporate the memory of the person you love into your everyday life and plan for holidays and anniversaries. You don’t need anything but yourself.
Q. Do I need to read Heather Stang's books?
A. You will get all the instruction you need from the program itself, but since both books follow the eight-step Mindfulness & Grief System that is the foundation of Awaken, many students enjoy these paper companions. Mindfulness & Grief offers inspirational stories and instruction, while From Grief to Peace is a guided journal with hundreds of writing prompts. They are wonderful companions to Awaken, but they are not required reading.
Q. Is Awaken for death-loss only?
A. Yes. Awaken is designed specifically for anyone mourning the death of a loved one. It is not suitable for breakups, divorce, and other non-death losses, though I offer private sessions for all life’s difficult events.
Q. How do I know if AWAKEN is not right for me right now?
If you have a psychiatric diagnosis that includes psychosis, such as hallucinations or active flashbacks, meditation may exacerbate your suffering. This may also be true for traumatic losses. Please clear this program with your mental health provider before registering. You can schedule a free consultation before registering for Awaken to help you decide if it is right for your circumstance and help communicate what Awaken offers to your mental health team. Private sessions may be more appropriate at first to help customize your approach to what can be a helpful tool in coping with traumatic grief.
It is natural to be focused inward in the early period of grief, and sometimes hearing other people's trauma will just pile more pain onto your already tender heart. You may want to sign up for the course and roadmaps first, which will help you calm your anxiety and ground yourself when you feel overwhelmed. Once you feel ready to witness and share, you can always join us for the live events by upgrading your subscription.
Q. What if I want to take the grief course but not participate in the live events?
A. Choose the Self-Guided Course Library & Roadmaps, which does not include the live events.
Q. What if I feel I need more one-on-one support?
A. The Awaken Private Coaching Package includes the Self-Guided Course Library, live events, and a private session with Heather every month.
Q. I have been isolating because I am afraid other people won't understand. Will the group help?
A. Since each person’s experience of grief is as unique as a fingerprint, we have created a judgment-free space where you are safe to explore your feelings. Each member agrees to community guidelines that are rooted in compassion and inclusion. This includes not comparing one grief experience with another. It is a safe space for you to get the support you may not be getting otherwise, so if you are isolating, come on in!
Q. When are the live events offered?
A. Weekly Meditation and Journaling Groups are offered via Zoom on Mondays at 11 AM PST / 2 PM EST / 7 PM BST, and Tuesdays at 4 PM PST / 7 PM EST / 12 AM BST. The same topic is taught each week in both classes. In addition, seasonal workshops and monthly Member-to-Member Sharing Circles are offered at various times and are announced a month in advance.
Q. Do I need special technology to participate?
A. Any computer, laptop, tablet, or smartphone with a web browser and access to the internet will work. We recommend that you connect to a reliable Wi-Fi network so the video is stable and the audio is clear.
Q. What if my question is not answered here?
A. Please use our form to ask your question.
Awaken is a service of the Mindfulness & Grief Institute. Copyright © 2021 by Heather Stang. All Rights Reserved.