Let us sit together for
heart-centered & thoughtful reflections on
death & bereavement grief
UPCOMING WORKSHOP
Saturday 23/05/26
Cominos House
27 Greenslopes Street, Edge Hill (Cairns)
1:30pm – 4:00pm & 4:30pm – 7:00pm
Hear about the workshop in this brief video
Three understandings guiding this workshop…
~ Death is a sacred & mysterious encounter
~ Contemplating death regularly enables us to live life more meaningfully
~ Practical & emotional preparation can ease our own dying, & the bereavement grief of our loved ones
This workshop grows from the understanding:
~ death is a sacred & mysterious encounter
~ contemplating death regularly enables us to live life more meaningfully
~ practical & emotional preparation can ease our own dying, & the bereavement grief of our loved ones
I am privileged to accompanying people in relation to death and bereavement grief. This has unfolded through my formal work roles, as well as in my personal life.
I continue to learn formally, listen deeply and contemplate in relation to death and bereavement grief. I am predominately influenced by ideas and practices from Buddhism and Humanism that offer us insight and solace.
My formal work in this area began as a Social Worker with people who were dying in 2018 – 2019 at a regional hospital in Queensland (Australia). This deep experience was professionally rewarding, and grew me personally.
At the early stage of my formal work role, I was incredibly fortunate to engage with two transformative trainings that I draw on in the upcoming workshop:
- Six-day residential training on ‘Spiritual Care with the Dying’ with Karuna Hospice (2018)
- Three-day in-person ‘Death Walker’ training with Zenith Virago (2019)
My thorough literature review into the ‘existential experiences’ of Social Workers engaged in palliative care (2023) was another work opportunity that extended my knowledge and skills.
I continue to accompany people in relation to death and bereavement grief in my private practice – alongside offering these workshops and grieving rituals.
I extend my respect to my Social Work colleagues working in End-of-Life Care. While I draw on my previous Social Work experience in a hospital setting and information provided by Palliative Care Australia, this workshop engages a slightly different perspective than what is generally offered in a bio-medical context.
WHO IS THIS WORKSHOP FOR…
Anyone.
If you are a carer walking alongside a family member or friend who is moving towards their death in the near future…
If you are experiencing a life-limiting illness…
If you are grieving and this has opened a window into wondering about death…
If you are at any point of the life-span and imagine living until your old age….
– this workshop will enable you to sit within a caring and intentional space to reflect on death and bereavement grief.
Please contact me if you would like to bring to the workshop a young person between the ages of 16 – 18 years old. This workshop is not designed for young people under the age of 16 years old, nor for children. However, I can adapt this content to be age-appropriate so please contact me if you have children or young people you feel could benefit from a revised workshop.
WORKSHOP FORMAT
These workshops complement each other,
and are stand-alone sessions.
Workshop A
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Workshop B
REFLECTIVE QUESTIONS & CONTEMPLATION
You can attend both workshops,
or only Workshop A or Workshop B.
– Workshop A –
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
In this workshop, we will look at practical information related to death & bereavement grief including:
– Wills
– Advanced health directives
– Arranging burial or cremation
– Conversations to have with with family, friends, and professionals
– Voluntary assisted dying
– The dying process from a biological, psychological, emotional, social, cultural, and spiritual perspective
– What to do when someone dies
– Cultural, spiritual, humanist perspectives on death and grieving
This workshop will involve a powerpoint presentation with handout notes. We will also have pair discussions, and large group discussions.
We will finish with time for a cup of tea and informal conversation with-in the group space we have created together
Workshop A
Workshop B
– Workshop B –
REFLECTIVE QUESTIONS & CONTEMPLATION
In this workshop, we will dive deeper into reflective questions and contemplate:
– Our own inevitable death
– How contemplating our death can make our life more meaningful
– What do we feel called to do in our lives before our death
– What we need to communicate to family and loved ones about our wishes with burial / cremation, funeral, legacy items and so forth
– We will also create a ‘grieving ritual’ together by placing items we bring with us that symbolise people / animals / places we are grieving
This workshop will involve individual reflection, pair discussions, small and large group discussions.
PLEASE NOTE:
* A group guideline for this workshop is ‘participation by choice’ and you will not be expected to engage in any activity that does not feel comfortable for you.
* To bring with you: pen, paper, a yoga mat or towel if you want to sit on the ground, items for the ‘grieving ritual’
We will finish with time for a cup of tea and informal conversation with-in the group space we have created together
WHAT IS NOT EXPLORED IN THIS WORKSHOP
While I am personally fascinated by discussions on the metaphysics of what happens after death(!), this is not what we will be exploring in this workshop.
Our community holds varied and contradictory beliefs about the after-death experience. These beliefs range from ‘something’ continues on after death – be it called a soul or spirit or mind – to ‘nothing’ is experienced after the physical death of the brain and body.
To create a space for each person, my approach is to see the meaning each of these beliefs can offer the person who is dying and the people around them.
And so, this workshop is relevant to people from any religious-spiritual tradition, people who hold materialist, atheist, agnostic perspectives, or if you are still considering or being open to different beliefs.
WORKSHOP PRICES
Attending both workshops
$88.00
(inc GST)
Attending only one workshop
$55.00
(inc GST)
Cancellation policy
If you need to cancel at any time, I will refund the workshop fee minus a $25.00 administration fee.
To cancel, send me an email: contact@simonedewar.com.au
After you book this workshop, you may notice feelings arise of not wanting to attend due to the themes we will be exploring – I encourage you to honour your commitment and make contact with me if you require extra support to attend.
REGISTRATION
& MORE INFORMATION
There are two options to register for the workshop
1: Use the online registration form below (keep scrolling down)
OR
2: Email me for a Word or PDF version of the registration form
You are welcome to contact me with any further questions about the workshop: contact@simonedewar.com.au
Workshop poster to share with other people
WORKSHOP
REGISTRATION
FORM
(Designed using Fluent Forms)
All information is held with care and will be kept confidential.
All photos taken by Simone Dewar of beautiful places while travelling within Australia and overseas