Current Program Offerings


 

Good Grief Offerings
Joy and sorrow are the twin energies of love -- which live through everyone. Grief, therefore, is simply stuck love, asking us to welcome its message and medicine so that we may more fully live into the love of who we are. Threshold after threshold of living, we dance with the joys and sorrows of loving. As we do so, we continuously give rise to the beauty of our being -- which unifies us with all of life's beauty.

Griefs may differ, but we all share the journey. Whether from death, divorce, illness, abandonment, conflict, loss of dreams, feelings of loneliness or unworthiness, or witnessing harm to the earth and humanity, grief is a normal, human experience -- and tending to our grief is vital to our overall health and wellbeing, as individuals and for the whole of life.

Grief has a life of its own, and grief invites us to allow ourselves to be with it however it calls. Welcoming grief, no matter how it is moving through us, initiates the journey toward an expanded love for ourselves, the people in our lives, and the world.

Whether your grief is new or has been a lifetime companion, Good Grief invites you to be with the love that is inherent within your sorrow.

Community Grief Circles
*We meet the 1st/3rd Thursdays of every month.
Community grief circles meet in-person from 6 to 7:30pm on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of every month. A meditation opens the space and syncs our hearts, and, in sacred community, we quietly witness those who feel called to share. Community circles are drop-in and open to anyone in the community. A suggested donation of $25 is appreciated but not required. We meet at our downtown cottage: 33 NW Louisiana Ave, Bend OR.

Private Grief Circles
Similar in nature to the open community circles, but held within a closed container of up to 8 people who meet consistently. Sometimes, when we welcome grief, we need the same group of people to hold us from week to week. In order to allow the group to come into healing concert with one another, a commitment of at least 2 months is asked of each participant. Private circles are always forming, and vary on dates, times and frequencies. Call or email to be added to the list, and note the day/time/frequency of interest. Once 6 people have committed, the circle begins. Each session is 2 hrs, and the cost per session is $45.

Grief Apprenticeship
This program is typically for those who have suffered a grief between at least 1.5 to 2 yrs prior. Commonly, it is at about this threshold of time that grief is asking us to create a new and transformative relationship with it, ourselves, and life itself. The grief apprenticeship is the journey towards welcoming us home to self, and thereby the whole of life. Opening to the healing power of grief allows us to experience a sense of liberation and peace within, as well as a unity with life. Groups are in-person and begin in the fall and spring. Space is limited to 5 participants per group. Weekly sessions are for 2 hours and run for a minimum of 12 weeks.

Investment: Please inquire about our sliding scale. Price includes a monthly one hour individual session, as well as ongoing text/phone support as needed. Please call 541.223.9955 or email us at [email protected] to register. Groups are held at our cottage: 33 NW Louisiana Ave., Bend, OR 97703.

Family Grief Groups
This program empowers teens and their parents (caregivers) to create a healthy relationship with the universal challenges of grief, allowing the family as a whole to both heal and thrive. Teens and caregivers journey through a 6 week Good Grief curriculum in separate but concurrent groups. Each group has its own grief counselor and mental-health therapist. The Family Grief Program was created so that families are better able to support one another in creating a new sense of wellbeing, both within themselves and within the family. In doing so, together they have the tools of awareness to successfully navigate the ongoing challenges of life.

Family Grief Groups are in-person and ongoing. Each session is two hours per week and meets for six consecutive weeks. Teen groups are limited to 8 participants. At least one parent/caregiver is required in the concurrent and weekly caregiver group, but two adults are preferred. A dedicated grief counselor and mental-health therapist accompanies each family group.

Investment: Please call 541.223.9955 or email us at [email protected] to register. Groups are held at our Good Grief Cottage: 33 NW Louisiana Ave., Bend, OR 97703, next to Hawthorne Healing Arts Center.

 

qtq80-3VAlLw

Private Sessions for Individuals and Couples
We are here to support your journey into wellbeing. Please contact us if you are in need of individual or couples care. Currently, we are conducting sessions via the phone as well as in-person at the Good Grief Cottage. We offer a sliding scale for payment.

Grief Retreats
Grief is a time for one's being to rest. With this in mind, a 2 to 4 day grief retreat is offered to those in immediate need or who would like a short-term immersive experience with grief.

Grief 101 Workshops
Grief is universal but is commonly misunderstood, if not undervalued, within our current culture. Ongoing workshops are provided for the community on a quarterly basis. Within these two hour workshops, we explore the different types of grief, how grief can manifest in our lives, and how grief is our guide to healing and transformation -- both personally and for the world.

Workshops are for the community as well as for workplace trainings in grief awareness. Please call or email for more information.

For More Information or Questions
For more information or questions, please call 541.223.9955 or email us at [email protected]. Offerings are held at our cottage: 33 NW Louisiana Ave., Bend, OR 97703, next to Hawthorne Healing Arts Center. Insurance is not currently accepted.

Providing Grief Guidance & Support in Central Oregon


 

Good Grief Guidance offers an innovative approach in providing grief guidance, healing, and support in a safe and healing environment. We utilize a peer-support model for groups of people from all walks of life.


Good Grief Guidance has formalized and expanded its role within the Central Oregon community with the mission to provide grief guidance, healing, and support for teens and adults in Central Oregon. While adding value to many lives through connection and collaboration, Good Grief also aids in decreasing the isolation of grief and loss.

good-grief-guidance-goodgriefguidance-com

Our Services and Programs


Good Grief Guidance Program

A truly unique curriculum consisting of sixteen, 2-hour sessions...

The Prison Project

We volunteer our program at Deer Ridge Correctional Institution...

Youth Programs

We've partnered with therapeutic schools in the Central Oregon...

Community Grief Support

We offer a variety of opportunities and support for dealing with grief...

Our Mission is Simple...


We empower the transformation of pain and loss into a thriving force of well-being. Since 2007, we have helped hundreds of grieving children, teens, and adults as they embark upon their journeys to hope and healing.

With a focus on behavioral health and recovery, we intend to increase our community outreach and provide a safe and supportive community that cultivates personal empowerment and well-being. 

"I'm blown away by this program..."

"Thank you so much for Good Grief Guidance, and for the adventure of the past four months!! (Darlene) is such an angel in this world and such an inspiration. I am beyond grateful that I had the opportunity to do this work with you. It has been a deeply profound experience. I'm blown away by this program that you have put together from the soil of your own experience and honored to have been able to experience it."

- SB

"I absolutely loved Good Grief"

“I just want to say that I absolutely loved Good Grief and that it helped me a lot. I was slightly hesitant going into it, but after the first class or two, I began to love it so much. I learned so much about myself and life. All the activities were fun and it was really a great experience to have a close bond like that with the other boys and with Darlene. I’m still so happy that I went ahead with it and appreciative of Darlene for teaching it.”

- Conner, 16

"...Undoubtedly among the best trauma, grief, addictions and PTSD therapies there is..."

"Good Grief Guidance is undoubtedly among the best trauma, grief, addictions and PTSD therapies there is or that I have ever heard of or experienced. Darlene is a master. Good Grief Guidance deals with the source of your denial, hurt, pain and trauma. By identifying and releasing our unresolved, buried and denied trauma and pain, and by identifying the CORE of our pain, it gives us a chance to grieve the layers and layers of hurt that we harbor. Then healing begins."

- Gerald K., Behavioral Specialist Consultant, Addiction Counselor & Interventionist

"The reasons for not pursuing dreams has now dissolved into a great sea of possibilities"

"This course appears to have opened a door to something totally unexpected. I didn’t expect to feel more trusting, more in touch with my inner guides, more creative, or more energized and excited about the future. And yet, this is exactly what has happened. Many years ago I stopped creating art, even though it had once been a profound tool for transformation. Now suddenly I’ve returned to this previously abandoned source of delight and insight. The reasons for not pursuing dreams has now dissolved into a great sea of possibilities."

- Jonna C., Art Therapist, Drug and Alcohol Counselor

"What a rare gift Darlene offers to our community"

"What a rare gift Darlene offers to our community in holding the space so we can explore the many losses we all experience at some point in our lives. Whether you are looking at the loss of a loved one, a relationship or lost dreams and paths not taken, you will find compassionate guidance with Darlene.... I am grateful to have been a part of this transformative experience and so appreciative of the wonderful connections I have made with others in the class."

-MP

"A priceless program"

"Good Grief’s cutting edge use of experiential, primary processes, guided imagery, weaving, journaling, poetry and myth writing, and meditation makes it a priceless program and a miracle in process for all who are able to attend."

- Gerald K., Behavioral Specialist Consultant, Addiction Counselor & Interventionist

Grief: the Universal Issue We All Deal With


True healing of grief is a journey, but you don’t have to do it alone. Good Grief Guidance will help you create a healthy relationship with grief and restore your relationship with yourself, your well-being, and all significant people in your life.

Good-Grief-Guidance-Bend-Oregon
good-grief-guidance-1
grief-ritual-with-sobonfu-some
good-grief-guidance-central-oregon-grief-support-12

Help Support Good Grief Guidance

We invite your support for our cause to alleviate the suffering of grief and loss. Your contributions, bequests, and gifts are tax-deductible and will go towards impacting the lives of many people.