{"id":273,"date":"2025-04-04T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-04-04T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/davancideathdoula.com\/?p=273"},"modified":"2025-07-04T23:16:05","modified_gmt":"2025-07-04T20:16:05","slug":"grief-educator-certificate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/davancideathdoula.com\/?p=273","title":{"rendered":"Learning to Hold Space: A Grief Educator\u2019s Journey"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

April 4th, 2025<\/em>.
\"\ud83c\udf37\"Grief Educator Certification – Week 1\"\ud83c\udf37\" <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This week marked the start of an enriching new chapter: my journey with the Grief Educator Certification program<\/strong>, led by the renowned expert David Kessler<\/strong>.\"\ud83d\udc9b\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grief has been part of my exploration for many years, through my training as an end-of-life doula and as a volunteer in palliative care, my personal studies, and working closely with a grief support organization in Switzerland. I’m also regularly immersed in experiences of loss during my facilitation of Death Caf\u00e9s and Companion Voices meetings, where we create spaces of gentle listening and shared humanity.\"\ud83e\udec2\"\"\ud83d\udd6f\ufe0f\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yet, I felt called to deepen and expand my toolbox\u2014to better support those navigating this complex emotional landscape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\ud83c\udf33\"As David beautifully puts it, grief is like a vast forest<\/strong>. My intention is to walk alongside individuals in this forest, recognizing milestones, providing compassionate guidance, and offering a gentle, comforting presence.\"\ud83c\udf31\"\"\ud83d\udcab\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I’m excited to share this meaningful journey with you all.\"\ud83d\ude4f\"\"\u2728\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

**********<\/p>\n\n\n\n

April 11th, 2025<\/em>.
\"\ud83c\udf37\"Grief Educator Certification – Week 2<\/strong>\"\ud83c\udf37\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This week was all about witnessing<\/strong> and being present <\/strong>with someone who is grieving. This topic strongly echoed my end-of-life doula training two years ago, where we also explored the essence of holding space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Holding space isn’t about doing something specific. It’s about simply being there, truly listening, and staying present, without projecting our own expectations or trying to fix anything. \"\ud83d\udcab\" The grieving person knows their grief and journey best. Our role is to gently serve<\/strong>, asking what they need, without giving unsolicited advice or trying to cheer them up. It’s about allowing them the time they need to unfold their experience<\/strong>, and humbly learning from them.\"\ud83c\udf31\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An especially interesting reflection this week involved examining our own reactions as listeners. We often instinctively show empathy and understanding through nodding, facial expressions, or mirroring body language. But I found it fascinating to experiment with the opposite: a very neutral face and posture. Not as a goal, but simply as a practice to better understand how we naturally engage when actively listening.\"\ud83d\udcad\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We also emphasized that every loss matters deeply. It’s essential not to minimize anyone’s experience, but instead, to respectfully acknowledge the profound depth and uniqueness of each person’s grief.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This journey naturally invites a lot of self-reflection. As we explore grief, it is impossible not to reflect on our own paths; the losses we’ve experienced, our reactions, and the stories we attach to them. It’s been profoundly moving.\"\ud83d\udc9b\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

**********<\/p>\n\n\n\n

May 13th, 2025<\/em>.
\"\ud83c\udf37\"Grief Educator Certification – Week 3-4-5-6<\/strong>\"\ud83c\udf37\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Time flies, have you noticed? \"\ud83d\ude05\"\"\u23f3\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My training has been unfolding with many powerful insights. As a death doula and someone who has worked alongside a grief expert in Switzerland, I don\u2019t consider myself new to this topic. Yet, I continue to gather valuable tools and perspectives\u2014especially as I revisit the many layers of grief and loss<\/strong> in my own life.\"\ud83c\udf31\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Loss and grief are universal, but each person navigates them in their own unique way. One theme that stood out recently is how we tend to create and hold onto stories around our losses or the death of a loved one<\/strong>. These narratives help us make sense in the chaos that can follow a breakup, a job loss, or the death of someone dear.\"\ud83c\udf00\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While these stories can be helpful, when they are filled with guilt or resentment and we hold them too tightly, they may become harmful over time<\/strong>. One of the roles of a grief educator is to gently support a shift in perspective and plant the seed that maybe, just maybe, there could be a breath, a crack in the harsh version of the story.\"\u2728\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I thought of an acquaintance who carries deep guilt about his brother\u2019s suicide. They had gone through tough times together in their youth, and he feels he should have protected him. Guilt became a way to feel some control, because accepting the role of mental illness and addiction in his brother\u2019s death was too painful. There had to be a reason\u2014someone to blame. And that someone became him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maybe, with time, space will open in that painful narrative. Everyone processes grief in their own way and time<\/strong>. There\u2019s no right or wrong. But as witnesses, it helps to be mindful. Trying to force change, or offering well-meaning suggestions like \u201cYou should stop feeling guilty\u201d or \u201cIt\u2019s been a while now, try to move on,\u201d can unintentionally do more harm than good\"\ud83d\ude4f\"\"\ud83e\udde1\".<\/p>\n\n\n\n

**********<\/p>\n\n\n\n

June 9th, 2025<\/em>.
\"\ud83c\udf37\"Grief Educator Certification – Week 7-8-9-10<\/strong>\"\ud83c\udf37\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

These past weeks, we\u2019ve explored a wide range of grief experiences: \u2022 The death of a child \u2022 Children in grief \u2022 Death of a parent or partner \u2022 Pet loss\"\ud83d\udc3e\" \u2022 Sudden and multiple losses\"\u26a1\"\u2022 Disenfranchised grief \u2022 And deaths due to illnesses of the mind: suicide, addiction, and mental illness\"\ud83e\udde0\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One area I found especially useful was learning more about children in grief<\/strong>. Children grieve in waves\u2014intensely one moment, then suddenly playing again. Supporting them means respecting those rhythms, being honest in our answers and our own feelings, offering information appropriate for their age and level of understanding, and helping them return to familiar routines.\"\ud83e\uddf8\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Including them in the rituals of mourning or funerals helps them feel a sense of belonging and continuity, even in the midst of deep loss. One thing that especially stood out to me: it is important to have someone close and trustworthy dedicated to being present for the child during key moments of a funeral<\/strong> (especially if the parents are themselves deeply in grief)\"\ud83d\udc65\", and to answer their questions with full presence and availability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Should we bring children to funerals\"\u26b0\ufe0f\"? In general, yes. A funeral is often a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to say goodbye, and it shouldn\u2019t be overlooked or avoided. Still, the most important guide is always the culture of the family. When possible, it helps for the child to do what the rest of the family is doing.\"\ud83e\udd1d\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another theme that struck me deeply is the grief that follows deaths caused by illnesses of the mind, like suicide or addiction<\/strong>. These losses are often wrapped in silence and stigma.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\ud83d\udde3\ufe0f\"Language matters. In English, experts now prefer to say someone \u201cdied by suicide\u201d instead of \u201ccommitted suicide\u201d\u2014a small but meaningful shift toward more compassion and less stigma<\/strong>. I have also learned about the Three C<\/strong>, a gentle compass for those left behind, especially when guilt hits hard:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. They didn\u2019t Cause<\/strong> it.
2. They couldn\u2019t Control<\/strong> it.
3. They couldn\u2019t Cure<\/strong> it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One truth holds for these losses: every life was important, no matter how it ended.\"\u2764\ufe0f\"\"\ud83d\udd6f\ufe0f\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And one message echoes again and again in this course:
Grief doesn\u2019t need to be fixed\u2014it needs to be witnessed<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

**********<\/p>\n\n\n\n

July 4th, 2025<\/em>.
\"\ud83c\udf37\"Grief Educator Certification – Weeks 11-12 + Wrapping Up<\/strong>\"\ud83c\udf37\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

During these last three weeks of my Grief Educator program, we explored themes that are especially close to my heart: \"\ud83d\udcd6\"culture and <\/strong>\"\u2728\"spirituality<\/strong>, and how to hold space for people from different backgrounds and belief systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Coming from a multicultural environment shaped by many nationalities, spiritual traditions, and years of expatriate life, I\u2019ve always been curious about how people experience and make meaning of the world around them. It is part of my love for storytelling and listening to others\u2019 life experiences\"\ud83d\udc42\ud83c\udffb\"\"\ud83d\udc9c\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The course also brought us into more practical ground, exploring how to bring this work into the world, support others, and facilitate group spaces\"\ud83d\udcac\". Our live lab sessions were full of thoughtful advice and concrete tips we can apply right away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This journey has been incredibly rich\"\ud83c\udf31\". One of the most meaningful aspects of this whole experience has been the sense of belonging to a thoughtful<\/strong>, global community devoted to grief work<\/strong> \"\ud83e\udec2\"\"\ud83c\udf0d\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now it’s time to integrate all of this and explore how I can best be of service to my community… More details coming soon\"\ud83d\udcbb\"\"\ud83d\udd6f\"

Stay tuned <\/strong>\ud83d\ude0a!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

April 4th, 2025. Grief Educator Certification – Week 1 This week marked the start of an enriching new chapter: my journey with the Grief Educator Certification program, led by the… Continue reading Learning to Hold Space: A Grief Educator\u2019s Journey<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13,12,9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-273","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blog","category-latest-news","category-trainings","entry"],"featured_image_url":[],"post_author":"admin1256","assigned_categories":"blog, latest news, trainings","featured_image_src":null,"author_info":{"display_name":"admin1256","author_link":"https:\/\/davancideathdoula.com\/?author=1"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/davancideathdoula.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/273","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/davancideathdoula.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/davancideathdoula.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/davancideathdoula.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/davancideathdoula.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=273"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/davancideathdoula.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/273\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":309,"href":"https:\/\/davancideathdoula.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/273\/revisions\/309"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/davancideathdoula.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=273"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/davancideathdoula.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=273"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/davancideathdoula.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=273"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}