Mindfulness and Grief Workshop
I teach Mindfulness and Grief at Stephy’s Place, A New Life Center for Grief and Loss. Stephy’s Place is a bereavement center in Red Bank, NJ, that was founded by Sheila Martello in 2015.
Sheila is a dear friend and fellow hockey mom. One day over coffee, Sheila shared with me that her husband had died in 9/11. I told her that I was a 9/11 survivor. I had been working on the American Stock Exchange at the time and was there that day. When the coffee ended, I told her I had to go help my sister who was going through chemo. A couple of weeks later Sheila asked to meet Stephanie. And, of course, like everyone who met Stephy did, Sheila fell in love with her.
Right after 9/11 Sheila had joined a support group that was made up of daughters, sons, husbands and wives who had all lost someone in 9/11. The members received so much support and healing in this group environment they swore that – when the time was right – they would open a support group for others.
Sheila thought that Stephanie was going to make it. And it was a very sad day when she didn’t. But on that day Sheila realized she finally had the name for her soon-to-be-opened bereavement center.
Stephy’s Place opened in September of 2015 – a year after my sister died – and I’ve been volunteering there as a mindfulness meditation specialist since the day it opened. My time there has enabled me to support others to heal who are experiencing their own loss, while being supported in my own grief journey.
I am honored to hold the weight of loss with those who are grieving the loss of a loved one. As we say at Stephy’s Place…
We get it!