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Seminar Presenters for 2009 National Conference on Widowhood |
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Topic |
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Barbara Daoust
Widow, Artist, and Designer
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Change Your Thoughts… Change Your Life.
If we visualize our dreams and take action, we can open ourselves to opportunity. For centuries, psychologists, motivational speakers, athletes and coaches have been working with affirmations and creative visualizations to help motivate, inspire, and change people's lives.
In this seminar, Barbara will share her own journey and describe how her personal affirmation changed her life.
She will lead everyone through a guided meditation and demonstrate how the power of thought, commitment, and action can change your life.
You will learn how to use a personal affirmation to gain courage, inspiration and hope as you choose to move forward in your life.
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Taryn Davis
Widow, Founder of American Widow Project and Creator of American Widow Project, a documentary sharing the stories of six young military widows.
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On May 21, 2007, 21-year-old Taryn Davis lost her husband, Michael, to a roadside bomb in Baghdad, Iraq. Feeling lost and alone in the new life she'd been thrown into, she began traveling around the country to hear six other stories of love, tragedy—and survival. She took this journey “because I knew that there would be other women in my shoes who would want to hear it.” The American Widow Project is not only about those who made the ultimate sacrifice but also those left behind to carry on their legacy.
www.americanwidowproject.com |
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Robin A. Edgar
Workshop facilitator,
and nationally known Author of
In My Mother’s Kitchen: An Introduction to the Healing Power of
Reminiscence
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The Healing Power of Reminiscence
Nationally known author and workshop facilitator Robin A. Edgar offers “The Healing Power of Reminiscence” workshops based on her book, In My Mother’s Kitchen. This interactive workshop will demonstrate how to use sense memory to recall and recognize the individuals and incidents that shape our lives. A variety of hands-on exercises illustrate the creative process she uses to record family histories as well as to cope with loss or change due to the death of a loved one. Join Mrs. Edgar for an opportunity to identify memories that will become a verbal history for your family that will preserve the joys of the past for future generations.
www.robinedgar.com |
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Mie Elmhirst, M.A.,
Widow, and Principal & Founder of Widows Breathe Coaching and Elmhirst & Associates Coaching. |
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Widow Humor… Reclaiming Our Lives Through Stories and Laughter
"I am a perfectionist. So when I found myself a widow, I wanted to be a good one. However it did
not take long before I became quite convinced that I was, in fact, a bad widow. A good widow would have a salad on the dinner table every night. A good widow would join the PTA. And above all, a good widow would not think about sex.”
~Mie Elmhirst
The most we can expect from ourselves each day is to show up, and do the best we can. Mie Elmhirst, a widow and life coach, shares stories that give us permission to be exactly who we are…like the time she ran sobbing through the snow at 6:15 AM in her PJs and hiking boots to her neighbor’s house because the septic man needed the camper to be moved, the tires on the camper were flat, and she needed an MAN to help! Please join Mie, a woman who refused to accept sadness as a permanent condition, as she shares her struggles, her triumphs, and her every day stories with laughter, grace—and the assurance that you too can laugh through the tears.
www.widowsbreathe.com |
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Ann Estlund
Widow, and Author of
For Widows Only
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My Journal: A GPS for Life
Whether you are a terrified new widow, a tentative recovering widow, or a seasoned widow trying to spread her wings and learn to fly, a journal can be a valuable tool for discovering where you are now, and defining where you want to be tomorrow. Your journal may be a blank book, a spiral notebook, a scrapbook, or even a secret document on your computer. Whatever method you choose, learning to use a journal regularly can help you create a full and meaningful life by focusing on setting and meeting personal goals, exploring your daily feelings and reactions, and even creating lasting memories for yourself or your family. Join Annie Estlund for this informative and thought provoking look at using journaling as a GPS system for reaching our life goals, and finding our way back to a rich, full life.
Discussion will be led by Annie Estlund, author of For Widows Only, and its two websites.
www.forwidowsonly.com
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Carla Fine,
Widow, and Author of
No Time to Say Goodbye, Surviving the Suicide of a Loved One, and Touched by Suicide: Hope and Healing After Loss |
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No Time To Say Goodbye:
Losing Your Husband To Suicide
Carla Fine, whose 43-year-old husband killed himself in 1989 after 21 years of marriage, will speak about the chaos and confusion that widows face after the suicide deaths of our husbands. She will discuss the silence and stigma that surround suicide, and the unique blame and guilt that widows often confront from our relatives as well as the community. Carla will talk about how to help our children understand the suicide of their fathers, and how to make our families stronger and healthier through honest dialog and open communication. She will also offer advice about how to deal with the anger and feelings of abandonment we experience following our husband’s death, and will provide a “safe place” to discuss our most private feelings about suicide with others who have also “been there.” By speaking openly about our journeys, widows who have lost our husbands to suicide will discover that we are not alone and that we will be able to heal and even thrive in the aftermath of our transformed lives.
www.carlafine.com
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Helen Fitzgerald CT, Widow, Certified Death Educator, Former Director of Training for the American Hospice Foundation, and Author of several books including; The Grieving Teen: A Guide for Teenagers and Their Friends, The Mourning Handbook, and The Grieving Child |
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Silent Grief: How to Help Your Grieving Teen
Add the challenges of the teen years to the tumult of grief, and our teenage children are often set adrift by the death of a loved one. Helen Fitzgerald, author of The Grieving Teen, and once a widow herself, will address the needs and concerns of young adults who often grief quietly—and sometimes unnoticed. Ms. Fitzgerald recalls her own failures at the time of her first husband’s death to recognize the needs of her four children – two of them in their teens – for more attention and comfort. In addition to the loss of their father, mom was no longer at home all the time, there were new housekeeping and cooking chores, they had less time to spend with their friends, and they were now uncertain what the future would hold for them and their family. Ms. Fitzgerald will present with compassion, and humor a variety of ways you can reach out to your grieving teen, suggestions for giving them the tools they need to cope with their loss, redefine their concept of normal, and live a full, happy life. |
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Carole Brody Fleet,
Widow, and Author of Widows Wear Stilettos |
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The World of Dating: Do's and Dont's,
Stories and Happily-Ever-Afters
Are you ready to try on-line dating, but are hesitant to take that first step? In this fun, informative workshop Carole Brody Fleet, author and widow, will share her own experiences with on-line dating (guaranteed to get you laughing), and provide you with a variety of Do’s and Don’ts that will give you the confidence you need to create your own on-line profile. Carole will discuss: how to put together the “perfect profile;” on-line safety rules; what to look for when choosing dating sites; when and how to go from website e-mailing to personal e-mailing to a phone conversation; when and how to meet your date; “red flag” warnings…and much more. Carole has helped many widows get back into the dating scene, you can, too!
www.widowswearstilettos.com |
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Pamela Gabbay, M.A., FT, Director of the Mourning Star Center for Grieving Children and Camp Director of Camp Erin~Palm Springs
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Do Infants Grieve?
As Program Director of the Mourning Star Center for Grieving Children, Pamela Gabbay is frequently asked about infants and whether or not they grieve. Do they experience grief and sadness in the same way as older children do when their father dies? Because infants and toddlers are nonverbal and are unable to articulate their feelings in the same manner as their older siblings, their grief experience is often misunderstood.
This session will discuss addressing the unique needs of infants and toddlers while describing methods to help comfort a grieving infant. This presentation will also feature practical ways mothers can help infants “remember” and learn about their father in the years
to come.
Hands-on Activities for Grieving Children
Children who have been affected by the death of someone they love need to have a safe place to work through their feelings. Hands-on activities designed specifically for grieving children can foster such a place. These activities are intended to promote discussion and to help the grieving child explore their innermost feelings. Remembering is very important to children and many of these activities focus on this concept.
This interactive workshop will provide you, the parent, with practical examples of grief-related activities that you can do with your children. Examples of activities include writing activities and arts and crafts activities. Activities for grieving teens will also be included in this workshop.
www.mourningstar.org |
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Judy Gantz, M.A., CMA,
Widow, and Director & Founder of the Center
of Movement Education and Research. Ms. Gantz is a certified Laban Movement Analyst and Movement Educator. |
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The Power of Movement
to Release ~ Renew ~ Regenerate
When we feel broken and shattered movement can heal our spirits through emotional release and regeneration. This workshop will explore the use of Authentic Movement to embody who we are, and allow the expression of what our bodies carry to find a voice in a safe and non-judgmental environment. During this workshop, we will talk about the role of movement in our lives, be guided in gentle somatic exercises, and given time to move with eyes closed to allow our emotions and our imagination to express in stillness and motion. Drawing, journal writing and discussion will follow the movement session.
www.movement-education.org |
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AnnMarie Ginella
Widow, and Founder/Editor of
Widow-Speak.org
a literary and humanitarian project benefiting widows worldwide.
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Conditions of Widows ~ Worldwide
Widowhood is a universal experience, but support for women without husbands varies radically from country to country. Some widows are embraced, as others are rejected. The emotional and practical support of families and communities are essential elements in healing the wounds of widowhood, but what happens when widows are not held by the people closest to them? Unfortunately, most of the widows of the world are not supported by anyone. Many widows lose their family, their children and their homes—while also experiencing the despair of losing their husbands.
What is the global condition of widows, and what are some of the humanitarian projects that are supporting them? WidowSpeak founder, AnnMarie Ginella, has spent many years uncovering and publishing the stories of widows from around the world. She will tell stories of widows wearing their widow hoods in diverse ways: young, old, rich, poor; some widows dance with choice; some are ducking the crossfire of survival. Her visual telling will include poignant vignettes of perseverance from widows involved in humanitarian projects that support renewal and restore hope of widows around the world. Surveying projects from Thailand, Kenya, Afghanistan and India, Ms. Ginella will include specific ways attendees can join the global neighborhood of widows helping each other survive and thrive.
A Panel of Widowed Authors
AnnMarie Ginella, founder and editor of WidowSpeak, will bring together a panel of widowed authors to discuss their stories and the predominant themes that appear in the work of a variety of authors whose work is filtered through the lens of their personal widowhood experience.
www.widow-speak.org |
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Thomas E. Malley, Attorney & President of Business Exit
Advisors, Inc. |
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Money: What, Where, Why, When and How?
Tom Malley, attorney at law and President of Business Exit Advisors, Inc., will participate in a panel discussion that will address the many financial issues widows face. What should I do with a business left to me by my spouse? Where is a safe place to invest my life insurance funds? Why should I seek legal advice when determining my financial matters? When should I buy life insurance? How do I know whether to keep my house or sell it? These questions and many more will be addressed by a respected field of experts in the fields of business law, financial planning, life insurance, and real estate. Join us for an enlightening look at how planning, saving, and wise investing can provide a financially secure future.
www.BusinessExitAdvisors.com |
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Julie Mughal
Widow, and Author of Land Without Hats, a book about the plight of widows and their children in some of the most desolate and dangerous parts of the world.
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Panel Participant: The Condition of Global Widowhood and Widowed Authors
Joining AnnMarie Ginella for both the panel discussion of widowed authors, and the panel discussion on the status of widows worldwide is Julie Mughal, author and widow. Julie wrote, Land Without Hats, a moving memoir of the loss of her husband in the Swissair 111 plane crash. Julie seeks to find understanding by talking with widows from different cultures. The book explores the difficulties faced by these women and their courage in the face of adversity. Readers get portraits of widows grappling with loss and challenging cultural constraints as the author reflects on her own widowhood and remarriage.
www.juliemughal.com |
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Michele Neff Hernandez
Widow, Executive Director of the Soaring Spirits Loss Foundation, and Founder of WidowsBond.org |
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Accepting the Gifts of Widowhood
No one willingly signs up to join the “widow club.” The initiation cost is steep, and the membership benefits far from enticing. How can we view this inescapable label as a gift? What life affirming use can be found in the despair of loss? When does being a widow become something other than a curse?
During this powerful keynote address, Ms. Neff Hernandez will share the lessons that grief has taught her with candor and humor. As you walk with her through despair to hope; through cynicism to activism; and finally through fear to love… she will challenge you to see beyond the pain of today, and inspire you to hope for a brighter tomorrow.
www.sslf.org
www.widowsbond.org |
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Miriam Neff
Widow, Author and Founder of Widow Connection |
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The New You: Finding Your Purpose
and Mission ~ Again
Who is this new woman in the mirror? The realities of our past may not determine our future. God created us, and this new day does not surprise Him. Even painful losses make room for new beginnings. Yes we've changed! We dare to like this new woman and explore her strengths. How do we find our own purpose in this new single life? The question becomes a challenge and then an adventure. Tools will be provided to create your new personal mission statement.
www.widowconnection.com |
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Kathleen O’Hara, M.A.
Widow, and Author
of
A Grief Like No Other, Surviving the Violent Death of Someone
You Love |
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A Grief Like No Other: Surviving the Violent Death of Someone You Love
Traumatic grief, as a result of murder, drunk drivers, accident, war, terrorism, drug overdose or natural disasters, presents complex challenges to widows and their families. This workshop will present the author’s own seven stages, described in her book, and discuss how these stages can help you cross the ocean of grief and not only survive, but learn how to live again. Kathleen O’Hara shares from her personal experience with traumatic grief in this unique workshop.
Modern Meditation: A Tool for Life
Join Kathleen O’Hara for an opportunity to discover how meditation can change your life. This workshop will teach you a simple three step method for using meditation to manage stress, help you navigate your own grief journey at any stage, and detail the benefits of deep relaxation. This easy to learn method will provide you with a life-long tool for better living, improved health and well-being and a more positive outlook on life. The CD Modern Meditation will be available for purchase at the conference Resource Expo.
www.kathleenohara.com |
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Colleen Phillips,
ACC CPCC
Widow and President of Phillips Coaching
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Embrace Life: Lights, Camera, Action
This interactive and engaging program is led with a "coaching approach." It is about personal reflection, positive change and forward action. This program will help "turn the lights on" and identify what most inspires you and is very important in your life now. You will create and leave with your own completed personal assessment, thrilling next steps and a new widow friend contact to support you on your journey. Be ready to be inspired, learn more about yourself, and leave with a clear sense of some positive and exciting forward action that will continue to serve you long after this conference.
Led by Colleen Phillips, CPCC, ACC a certified professional coach with a specialty in widow coaching.
www.coachingforwidows.com
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Kathleen M. Rehl Ph.D.
Widow, and Certified Financial Planner |
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Widows and Money
In this practical workshop you'll examine your relationship with money and its powerful effect on your life today. Through interactive exercises, you'll identify your money personality and "money messages" you learned when you were young. Then you'll look at your financial facts to see how you deal with money today and how you feel about your choices. At the close of the workshop you will have started your own plan, integrating your money history, facts, feelings and the power of your spiritual core to create an action plan that fits you and your values.
www.rehlmoney.com |
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Dr. Michele Reiss Ph.D. RN CS, Board certified Psychiatric Clinical Specialist |
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Little Tears: Developmental Stages of Childhood Grief
This presentation will describe childhood grief both in terms of how it is expressed, and how best to meet the needs of grieving children. Children often understand death differently than their adult counterparts; their initial emotional and behavioral reactions can vary from what one might expect. Understanding the developmental aspects of normal grief helps family members adequately comfort their grieving children. During this presentation, Dr. Reiss will explore how very young children, school age children and then adolescents might experience and react to a significant loss. Possible strategies to aid grieving children of these varied age groups will be explored, as well as how to prepare young children for an impending family death, and potential warning signs that might signal a need for further intervention. The hopeful message of this workshop is that grieving children who are surrounded by love and consistency will not just survive this difficult loss experience, but perhaps be strengthened by it.
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Brent Renison
Founder and pro bono counsel for Surviving Spouses Against Deportation |
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Double Blow: Losing a Spouse… then Losing the Right to Stay in the Marital Home – the Widow Penalty
In 2004, Brent discovered a strange practice within the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service. When a citizen from another country marries a U.S. citizen and applies for a green card, but the U.S. citizen dies before the bureaucracy gets to the application, the widow or widower is scheduled for deportation with no appeal – even if the couple has children who are U.S. citizens. Brent is an immigration attorney who represents the interests of over 170 people in this situation nationwide, mostly widows, who are seeking to overturn the Immigration Service’s rule and allow individual review of these cases. Many of these widows are stripped of work authorization – some face deportation and others are forced into the shadows. Learn about the national efforts to end the “Widow Penalty”, and how you can help.
www.ssad.org |
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Laura Wellington
Widow, and Co-founder and President of Wellington Consulting Company |
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Raising Children after the Death of a Parent
A comprehensive look at the do's and don'ts of raising children after the death of a parent. Explanations to issues such as coping with feelings, acceptance, support, and guidance will be addressed along with the positive and negative effects of outside influences and excuse making. Steps will be offered to assist in helping mentor children back into living full and happy lives.
www.wumblers.com
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Dr. Leslie Beth Wish Ed.D. MSS.,
Psychologist and Social Worker, and Co-Director of The Counseling Network of the Special Operations Warrior Foundation |
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How to Welcome Another Partner
into Your Life and Family
How can you make room in your life, and in your heart, for another partner? What do you tell your children about your new love? And how do you know you have chosen this person wisely? The loss of a spouse can cause you to avoid a relationship or perhaps to rush head-long into a new one. Whether your marriage to your former mate was a match made in heaven, a daily struggle to see eye-to-eye, or fell somewhere in between...facing the daily challenges of grieving has created a new you. Maybe your needs, abilities and self-view have changed since you first got married. Perhaps you now see that you need a different kind of mate. New love is a beautiful possibility; the success of a new relationship depends on managing issues such as integrating old family rituals, photographs, your children’s memories (or lack of them) with new ones, addressing your children’s and in-law’s loyalties, anger, confusion and anxiety, and tailoring your talks with your extended family and children according to their specific emotional needs. This workshop will offer practical, innovative and—most importantly—fun, inspiring and optimistic strategies for dealing with this complex, and exciting life step.
www.lovevictory.com |
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