• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
Camp Widow

Camp Widow

  • Register
  • Present
  • Donate
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • Home
  • Locations
    • Camp Widow Tampa
      • Event Schedule
      • Location Information
      • Workshop Schedule
      • Tribute Tiles
      • Local Attractions
    • Camp Widow San Diego
      • Event Schedule
      • Location Information
      • Workshop Schedule
      • Tribute Tiles
      • Local Attractions
      • Camp Widow® Kids San Diego
        • Camp Widow® Kids FAQs
    • Camp Widow Australia
    • Camp Widow Toronto
  • FAQs
  • Camperships
    • Request a Campership
    • Donate a Registration
  • In the News
  • Sponsor
  • Volunteer
    • Volunteer On-Site
    • Volunteer Ambassador
    • Become a Volunteer Presenter
  • Contact Us
  • Register
  • Present
  • Donate

Camp Widow Los Angeles

Tracks

Saturday

Keynote Address (9:00am - 10:00am)

Nate Berkus

A Conversation About Grief and Love Featuring Nate Berkus

Nate Berkus

Join us for an intimate conversation about the ongoing nature of love and the lessons taught by grief that ultimately enrich our lives. Soaring Spirits founder and Camp Widow creator, Michele Neff Hernandez will sit down with award-winning interior designer and author, Nate Berkus and discuss Nate’s  journey through the loss of his partner Fernando […] Read More

Block 1 (10:00am - 11:15am)

Kiera Pollock, MSW

Newly Widowed: Help for the First Year of Widowhood

Kiera Pollock, MSW

Our Newly Widowed workshop track has been designed for widowed people whose widowhood began within the past twelve months. The content for this introduction to the Newly Widowed track is based on research done through the Soaring Spirits Resilience Center and will focus on a combination of providing campers with tools and resources designed to […] Read More

Block 2 (11:30am - 12:30pm)

Jill Johnson-Young

Normalizing Sexuality in Grief

Jill Johnson-Young

One of the least discussed issues in grief is sexuality. As a grief therapist and a widow, my experience has been that most people want to talk about the loss of intimacy when our partner dies. Many people find that reconnecting with life after a devastating loss means connecting sexually. Join Jill Johnson-Young as we […] Read More

Grady Paden

Discussion: The Layered Trauma of Grief Due to HIV Death

Grady Paden

This conversation will address the layers of trauma associated with the death of a loved one as a result of the HIV epidemic and the accompanying community loss and societal stigma that often follows. We will also make space for conversation for widowed people whose loved one’s died of complications related to HIV and are […] Read More

Grace Villafuerte

Discussion: Lesbian/Bi/Queer People who Identify as Female

Grace Villafuerte

This workshop will offer support for people who identify as female. We will discuss challenges and coping strategies, as well as providing time and support for participants to meet and interact with others in similar situations. Read More

Bryan Martin

Using Essential Oils for Support During Times of Grief

Bryan Martin

With the death of his partner Clayton to a terminal illness, Presenter/SSI Blog Writer Bryan Martin found himself lost. In his search for stability, his sister introduced him to essential oils. Two years later, Bryan has found new avenues for growth and healing through the use of essential oils while also creating spaces for those […] Read More

Kath McCormack

Support and Community for People Whose Partners Struggled with Addiction

Kath McCormack

This workshop will address the issues involved when your partner has struggled with addiction issues. We will offer coping strategies as well as an opportunity to meet other people who have struggled with similar issues. Read More

Block 3 (1:15pm - 2:15pm)

Jill Johnson-Young

Information and Support for Widowed Parents

Jill Johnson-Young

There is nothing easy about being a widowed parent, whether you have young children, teens or even adults. Our own grief is experienced in a variety of ways-emotionally, physically and behaviorally. Our minds and bodies can react with shock, rage, fatigue, appetite changes, sleep disturbances and loss of concentration. This applies to us as parents […] Read More

Grady Paden
Dan Cano-Saenz

Discussion: Gay/Bi/Queer People who Identify as Male

Grady Paden & Dan Cano-Saenz

This workshop will offer support for people who identify as male. We will discuss challenges and coping strategies, as well as providing time and support for participants to meet and interact with others in similar situations. Read More

Grace Villafuerte

Not Legally Married and Unrecognized Relationships

Grace Villafuerte

This workshop is for LGBT people who have had partners die, who weren’t legally married, and/or whose relationship was not known and/or acknowledged by others. We will discuss the many ways that this ‘invisible bereavement’ affects our grief experience and our ability to get support as we move through our grief.  This workshop is for […] Read More

Janice Martin

Using Creativity for Healing

Janice Martin

We all have the capacity to be creative. Creativity can mean something different to each person. We often think of creativity as professional painting or singing or writing, but creativity can be found in every aspect of our lives, from sewing to arranging art. Creating art can have measureable physiological results, such as reducing stress, […] Read More

Carl Barrett

Exploring Dating After Widowhood

Carl Barrett

What is “dating” going to look like after my spouse or partner dies?  How do I know if I am ready to date? When will I be ready? I want to get out and meet someone new, but how do I tell them about my spouse or partner?  How do I date without guilt or […] Read More

Block 4 (02:30pm - 03:45pm)

Dan Cano-Saenz

Offering Your Heart Again

Dan Cano-Saenz

In this workshop we will be exploring the decision to consider a new relationship, and possibly love, after the death of a partner or spouse.   We will initially look at how issues of the LGBTQ grief experience might be different, and how the response to our loss might affect our readiness to consider a new […] Read More

Kiera Pollock, MSW

Managing the Effects of PTSD

Kiera Pollock, MSW

This workshop is intended for those who have suffered trauma in relation to their partner’s death. We will look at the effects of trauma on the brain and body and look at practical everyday ways in which the intrusive thoughts, memories , changing moods and anxiety of post-traumatic stress can be eased. Read More

Annie Nebergall

Discussion: Gender Non-conforming and Trans Identifying

Annie Nebergall

This workshop will offer support for people who identify as gender non-conforming and/or Trans Identifying. We will discuss challenges and coping strategies, as well as providing time and support for participants to meet and interact with others in similar situations. Read More

Aidan Park

The Art of Being Gay

Aidan Park

In this funny and empowering seminar, Aidan Park (comedian, empowerment coach and widow) speaks about his journey to discovering “The Art of Being Gay”. Aidan endured months of extreme depression after his partner Michael died. He reached a personal breaking point, and thought “ENOUGH! I can’t go on like this. I’ve got to figure out […] Read More

Michelle C. Bonilla

Rediscovery After Loss: Finding Your “Superpowers”

Michelle C. Bonilla

When a partner dies, many of us feel not only a profound sense of loss, but we may also come to find that we’ve lost our direction, and even our sense of self. Traumatic loss, toxicity from specific challenges we face in the LGBTQ Community, such as homophobia and not being legally married, can further […] Read More

Footer

Quick Links

  • Home
  • Locations
  • FAQs
  • Camperships
  • In the News
  • Sponsor
  • Volunteer
  • Contact Us

SSI Network

  • Soaring Spirits International
  • Resilience Center
  • Soaring Spirits Gala
  • Widow’s Voice Blog
  • Widowed Village
  • Widowed Pen Pal Program
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • YouTube

Contact Info

Soaring Spirits International
2828 Cochran St. #194
Simi Valley, CA 93065

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 877-671-4071

Soaring Spirits International is a 501(c)3 Corporation EIN#: 38-3787893. Soaring Spirits International provides resources with no endorsement implied.

Copyright © 2023 Camp Widow. All Rights Reserved.