Grief Centre

It's and we couldn't do what we do without our volunteers!
👏
Lorraine is here every week helping us send out important information to our Bereavement Support clients and we appreciate her donating so much time and energy to the Grief Centre.
Plus a huge thanks to Greer, Allie and Caitlin who help us out with other tasks and projects around the organisation.
💛
If you have a spare hour (or more!) a week and would like to help us on our mission of supporting all people through loss, you find out more here: https://www.griefcentre.org.nz/volunteer/

We were honoured to be asked to speak at earlier this week at a combined in-person and online event. 
Averill discussed the grief journey - with the help of a sign language interpreter - with a lovely group who have been affected by their own, or a loved one's hearing loss.
🦻

We love doing bespoke presentations and trainings for various organisations and groups. If you're interested in arranging one for your team or community, please reach out to Cathy on [email protected]

We are so grateful to be given some incredible goodies from each week for our staff and clients.
This week they went a step further with this cute art on the box! They never fail to brighten our day 💛
Thanks ! 🧑‍🍳

P.S. who can guess from the ingredient list what scrummy treat was inside? 👇

🙌 Thank You, Auckland Foundation!

We're a small but mighty office team and we're incredibly grateful to Auckland Foundation for their invaluable contribution to our staff wages.

Their support enables us to focus on our mission of supporting all people living through loss. Together, we're building a stronger, thriving Tāmaki Makaurau 💛💙

💻Last call for the first of our June webinars!

This Tuesday we host Matthew Flynn diving into the topic of anxiety, and next week we're joined by Dr Fiona Pienaar to discuss post-traumatic growth.

Book now via our website: www.griefcentre.org.nz/webinars
🧑‍💻

Are you confident supporting your clients when anxiety intrudes?

Anxiety can increase during challenging times, and it can make it more difficult to make progress.
Join us next Tuesday for our live webinar where we'll dive deeper into how anxiety impacts your clients and come away with new techniques and resources to better support them.

Book now: griefcentre.org.nz/webinars

We're so grateful to Foundation North for their generous support! 🙏

Their funding has helped cover rent costs for our wonderful office and counselling rooms, making them more than just spaces—they're vibrant hubs for our community.
We love being here and so do our clients 💛

🌟 Every year, we send over 5,000 brochures to families going through loss. This wouldn't be possible without the incredible support of Trillian Trust, who has generously covered our printing costs for this year.

💛 Thank you, Trillian Trust, for helping us make a difference.

The second of our live webinars for June is 'Understanding post-traumatic growth' with Dr Fiona Pienaar, on Tues 18th June at 1pm NZST

In this webinar you'll learn:
- The history of the theory of post-traumatic growth and research examples
- Exploring the theory, challenges, tools
- Emerging research on PTG, particularly amongst refugees, survivors of traumatic climate events, eating disorders, and the appropriateness of PTG measures across cultures.
- How to support your clients in their recognition of PTG

You can register for this webinar, and check out our other events here: griefcentre.org.nz/webinars

We're happy to welcome the wonderful Matthew Flynn back to our zoom portal for our next live webinar on Tuesday 11th June.

Anxiety is such a common concern and can increase during grief, trauma and change. This webinar will dive into the causes and impacts, and provide techniques to help you better support those experiencing anxiety through challenging situations.

Register now and check out our other live and recorded webinars via our website:
griefcentre.org.nz/webinars

💛 What an amazing day full of learning, laughter, tears, talking, singing and connecting at our 'Let's talk about grief' conference on Friday. We had an overwhelming response with more than 160 delegates coming together to talk about grief. 💛

🙏Huge thanks to all our incredible presenters including our keynote speaker , Dr Lauren Breen, our principal sponsor Davis Funerals our delegate bag sponsor Dil's Funeral Services, our Patron Judy Bailey and all those who took a full day out to come and talk (and learn) about grief. Thanks also to:

Kayla Atkins-Gordine
Julia Sheikh
Mark Wilson
Virginia Brooks
Seno Tu'inukuafe
Sister Cabrini Makasiale
Maureen Frayling
Dr Margaret Agee
Aida Dehkhoda
Andrew Malcolm

The GC office is buzzing with excitement as we do the final preparations for our conference tomorrow!

Maureen Frayling, our wonderful founder and trustee who is also one of our presenters, appeared on Breakfast TV this morning to talk about the conference and grief in the workplace.

We can't wait to see all our attendees tomorrow for a day of learning and sharing. 💛

We're so excited to host these incredible presenters at our 'Let's Talk About Grief' conference this Friday!

They'll be bringing a diverse range of topics and lived experiences to the stage as they share their perspectives on grief literacy.

If you haven't got your ticket yet, head over to the link below to find out more and book your spot before Friday.
https://www.griefcentre.org.nz/conference/

Special thanks to our principal sponsor Davis Funerals.

Dr Lucy Hone
Āwhina Wellness
Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand
Solace Support Group Auckland
Judy Bailey Writer/Broadcaster
Funeral Directors Association of New Zealand

Today we're sending love to all mothers and mother-figures as we acknowledge the complexity of motherhood.

Extra special thoughts go out to those mothers whose children are no longer around, children whose mothers are no longer around, and those longing to be mothers.

We see you and we are thinking of you this mother's day 💛

Today we're sending love to all mothers and mother-figures as we acknowledge the complexity of motherhood.

Extra special thoughts go out to those mothers whose children are no longer around, children whose mothers are no longer around, and those longing to be mothers.

We see you and we are thinking of you this mother's day 💛

The Grief Centre Our services provide loss and grief support to anyone experiencing a significant or difficult life situation.

For many, Mother's day can bring up unexpected and complex feelings.
If you find it triggering sadness, anger, regret, grief, longing or other emotions, just know that you're not alone.
This article gives a few little tips to think about as you navigate these feelings.

‘Mother’s Day makes me want to cry’ For many, Mother’s Day is not the sentimental, pink-washed day that shows up on social media.

💛 Our thoughts go out to all those moving with grief this weekend. Remember, grief came to you my friend because love came first. Love came first. 💛

⭐💛 We are down to the last few tickets for our Let's talk about grief conference happening in two weeks' time. ⏰⏰ If you don't book now, you will miss out! 🏃🏼‍♂️🏃🏾‍♀️

bit.ly/griefcentreconference

The Grief Centre Our services provide loss and grief support to anyone experiencing a significant or difficult life situation.

🖤As Anzac Day dawns we remember all those who have died in wars and conflicts, and grieve their loss. Today, in particular, we honour the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZACS) who fought in Gallipoli in 1915.

Although Anzac Day originated in the First World War on the Gallipoli Peninsula in Türkiye, we now use the occasion to remember the service and sacrifice of all personnel who have served in New Zealand’s interests.

More than 30,000 New Zealand military personnel have been killed in wars and conflicts since 1915. We acknowledge the grief of the hundreds of thousands of whanau who have lived through the devastating loss of a child, parent, partner, sibling, friend or colleague never returning home. 🖤

The Ode
E kore rātou e kaumātuatia
Pēnei i a tātou kua mahue nei
E kore hoki rātou e ngoikore
Ahakoa pehea i ngā āhuatanga o te wā
I te hekenga atu o te rā
Tae noa ki te aranga mai i te ata
Ka maumahara tonu tātou ki a rātou.
Ka maumahara tonu tātou ki a rātou.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning,
We will remember them.
We will remember them.

Laurence Binyon

Grief Centre We provide loss and grief support to anyone experiencing any form of significant loss.

💛 Join us for this powerful webinar this Tuesday. Sarah Robb from Spring with Sarah will help you create your own mental toolkit to adapt to grief, challenge and change. 💛 Book now: bit.ly/GCwebinars

What people say about this webinar:
⭐️ I loved it and learnt so much, thank you for the opportunity. Cancer nurse specialist.

⭐️Sarah was a wonderful presenter, very clear and concise. 2023 participant.

⭐️ It was really engaging and very informative. Enjoyed it immensely. Thank you to the Grief Centre for supplying us great training and to Sarah for her amazing work and experience. 2023 participant.

⭐️Great, good length with some easily digestible tools and ideas. 2023 participant.

The Grief Centre Our services provide loss and grief support to anyone experiencing a significant or difficult life situation.

💛May those of us feeling the deep ache of grief this weekend find comfort in the love - a bond that will never break. 💛

Don't miss out on this loss and grief live webinar next week with Matthew Flynn.

If you can't make the live version you will receive the recording, but you must be registered. Book now! bit.ly/GCwebinars

The Grief Centre Our services provide loss and grief support to anyone experiencing a significant or difficult life situation.

💛 We were delighted to welcome our Grief Centre Patron Judy Bailey to the office today to chat about her involvement in our 'Let's talk about grief' conference in May. 💛

Judy also kindly gifted copies of her amazing new book, 'Evolving: finding health & happiness as we age' to our grief counsellors Nola, Johann and Coralie who contributed to the chapter on grief. What an inspiring, informative read! 📖

If you'd like to join Judy at our conference book now book.griefcentre.org.nz/conference24

The Grief Centre Our services provide loss and grief support to anyone experiencing a significant or difficult life situation.

💛 We're very excited to have Sarah Penwarden facilitate this new webinar topic for both bereaved people and clinicians working alongside bereaved people. 💛

Book now: https://bit.ly/GCwebinars

Losing a loved one can create a profound disruption in a person’s sense of the world and their own identity. Storytelling is one way to bring some order to chaos. While storytelling can happen in social settings, a bereaved person can also tell their own stories through personal writing.

Writing stories of loss can also bring some order into the experience through crafting the experience anew. Personal writing can also offer a new perspective, as the bereaved person becomes an author and witness to their life and future in a new way.

In this two-hour webinar, Sarah will lay a foundation for understanding fluctuations in grieving. She will then explore personal creative writing as one way to help make meaning of grief, to remember a loved one, and create a version of a life well lived.

She will primarily focus on the use of three writing approaches:
• Journalling
• Memoir / life review writing
• Poetry (haiku, free verse)

Book now: https://bit.ly/GCwebinars

The Grief Centre Our services provide loss and grief support to anyone experiencing a significant or difficult life situation.

💛Holidays and celebrations can be tough for people missing their loved ones. Here are three simple rituals that can offer comfort and connection at Easter. 🐰

💛 Don't miss out on early bird tickets for our 'Let's talk about grief' conference! Early bird ends this Thursday 28 March... tik tok! ⏰

Bookings and info: bit.ly/griefcentreconference

The Grief Centre Our services provide loss and grief support to anyone experiencing a significant or difficult life situation.

A big thank you to Blue Sky Community Trust for supporting the printing of our bereavement cards!🌟

Your generosity is bringing comfort to bereaved families across New Zealand as they navigate their first year without their loved one. Together, we're making a real difference in supporting those in grief. 💙

Julia Sheikh shares her powerful lived experience this Wednesday in our professional development webinar and explores:

Who is a refugee?
Grief and loss for refugees
Types of trauma presentation
Challenges faced when working with refugees
How to work with refugees

Book now: bit.ly/GCwebinars

🌅 We hope you're finding the light today. If you need a little help, check out our grief support and resources. 🌄

griefcentre.org.nz

The Grief Centre Our services provide loss and grief support to anyone experiencing a significant or difficult life situation.

💛 Many of us deal with significant physical effects when experiencing grief. In this article, UCLA’s Dr. George Slavich, describes the body's response to grief and ways we can support it. 💛

How does grief affect your body? Grieving the loss of a loved one can take a physical toll. UCLA’s Dr. George Slavich describes how the body responds to grief and ways to cope.