Camp Widow San Diego
Friday
Camp Widow Opening Session (9:00 AM - 10:00 AM)
Join Soaring Spirits International Founder & CEO, Michele Neff Hernandez, for opening remarks. Read More
Block 1 (10:15am - 11:45am)
Moderator: Teresa Beshwate
Our Newly Widowed workshop track has been designed for widowed people whose widowhood began within the past twelve months. Read More
Moderator:Anne-Marie Lockmyer
Our Recently Widowed workshop track has been designed for widowed people who were widowed anywhere from one to three years ago. Read More
Moderator:Markell Morris
This track is designed to meet the needs of people widowed between three and five years. Read More
Moderator: Dr. Nancy Saltzman
There are many common misconceptions about the length of time widowed people will need the support of their community. Read More
Lunch (11:45am - 1:00pm)
Block 2 (1:00pm - 2:30pm)
When we suffer the loss of a loved one, our lives are forever changed. Even as time passes, there will be those times when the grief can come roaring back out of nowhere. When things feel out of control, it can help to know there are ways we can learn to calm the chaos within […] Read More
Human brains think about 60,000 thoughts per day. Some are true and useful, while others are nonsensical and cause extra, unnecessary suffering during a time that is already profoundly difficult. In life after loss, our thoughts can be overwhelmingly dark and hopeless. And in contrast, our thoughts that can light the path forward. In my […] Read More
When grief and trauma get stuck in our bodies, our minds can cause us additional pain. In this workshop we will explore how to use mindfulness, movement, breath, sound and story to free emotional challenges where they may be stuck in the body. Mindfulness promotes healing by helping us understand how we feel, and where […] Read More
In this workshop you will see examples of how art and soulcollage® can be used in your grief process. I will share paintings and soulcollage® cards I made in the first year following my husband’s death that turned into a book of affirmations for people-traveling-with-grief. You will then be guided through the process of what […] Read More
Dating in general is hard. Dating as a widowed person, when you never thought you would have to date EVER again – can be INCREDIBLY scary & confusing. In this workshop, we will look at the basics of dating, AND so much more. From guilt and fear, to self-esteem and self-worth, how to get back […] Read More
Moderator:Simone Polak
This workshop gathers our LGBTQ+ Community together to share our experiences as a widowed person in a safe space. Read More
Block 3 (2:45pm - 4:00pm)
Figuring out how to do money on your own can be intimidating. After the loss of a partner, many of us are now in charge of household finances for the first time, and money can bring up a lot of intense feelings like grief, guilt, fear, inadequacy, and more. This workshop will provide you with […] Read More
Communicating Your Grief to Your Support System is an interactive presentation on navigating the communication barriers and breakthroughs with your support system. We will discuss the importance of identifying roles, managing healthy boundaries, and how to be assertive and directive with your requests for needs, accommodations, and space during your grieving period and beyond. Read More
For people who want help envisioning a new future, re-establishing their personal and professional identity and discovering career possibilities that integrate what is most meaningful to them. Read More
Loss of a spouse or child is one of the most devastating events a person can endure. Maybe you feel that joy is no longer on the table or an option anymore. Gina Pastore, Debbie Siciliani, and Debi Rooney describe how to take the beginning, faltering steps that blossom into a joyful life – of […] Read More
This workshop will offer support for widowed people whose partners died by suicide. We will discuss coping strategies, offer psycho-educational information and provide time and support... Read More
There are many suggestions passed around on social media regarding what you should not say to someone who is grieving. Phrases like “She is in a better place.” or “You will find another partner.” though well-meant can cause additional pain to widowed people and create divides between friends and family members. In this workshop we […] Read More
We Have a Widowed Person for That (4:15pm - 5:30pm)
Every widowed experience is different, and yet the way the person you love died may influence how you grieve. At Soaring Spirits we’ve discovered that connecting with other people whose loved one died in the same way as yours offers a unique and powerful comfort as you move through your grief. We Have a Widowed […] Read More
Evening Reception (5:30pm - 7:30pm )
Saturday
Morning Session (7:00am - 8:00am)
Keynote Address (9:00am - 10:00am)
Please join John Polo, long-time Camp Widow presenter, coach and author of 4 books-Widowed. Rants, Raves and Randoms, Widowed 2: Now I Live, How To Date a Widow and The Stupid Sh*t People Say to Grievers. John came to his first camp in 2017 and has been presenting at every camp at least once a […] Read More
Block 1 (10:15am - 11:30am)
Create Bad A** Boundaries! Become a Master Boundary Maker Unlock yourself from the confines of energy depleting conflict, guilt, and the ‘shoulds’ within your most challenging relationships! Create freedom, ease, personal space and deep self-care possibilities by becoming a master boundary maker inside your grieving and healing journey. In this workshop, Jim will use a […] Read More
Connection. You need it. I need it. We all need it. What happens when it is broken? In this workshop we will explore how you and I process our grief and the importance of sharing our story. We will discuss and answer the following questions: *How can processing your grief make you a better parent, […] Read More
Moderator:Dr. Linda Shanti McCabe
Linda will be moderating a discussion about the challenging (and sometimes heartwarming) experience of parenting grieving children. She will be joined by a diverse group of widowed panel members who will share their personal parenting experiences addressing a variety of topics and answer questions related to parenting after being widowed.
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Death is a catalyst for feeling our most challenging emotions. Alongside grief lies anger, fear, panic, depression, overwhelm, and anxiety. Color Therapy provides the possibility of becoming friends with your emotions to soothe yourself into soft hearted feelings. In this session, Constance shares a compassionate practice to help you cope with strong emotions. You’ll learn […] Read More
Traumatic losses often divide widowed people from friends, family, society, and even other widowed people. The assumptions we make and stereotypes we hold about trauma cause ongoing pain. During this workshop we will come together with the goal of understanding our own individual trauma a little bit more. We will discuss ways to overcome personal […] Read More
Writing, Photography, Art, and Dance are all tools that each of us can use to get our thoughts and emotions out and validate what’s in our hearts. Whether you share your creations with others or keep them to yourself, the act of creative expression can be a path to healing and moving forward in your […] Read More
Block 2 (11:45am - 1:00pm)
Are you hurt or frustrated by friends or family that “don’t get it”? Do you feel judged, misunderstood and alone? Much can be done to enlighten those around you about your grief and get the support you want and need. In this workshop, you will gain insight, helpful tools, and encouragement to ease your grief […] Read More
Through the process of creating a Book Proposal for a Memoir using planning worksheets, attendees will learn how to construct their personal stories of widowhood and related life experiences in a clear and concise manner. We will start with the basics of organizing your unique thoughts and stories. Through writing, there can be healing. Read More
After a loss, the sense of not knowing which way to turn can make navigating the healing journey of transformation confusing and exhausting, often with feelings of despair, anger, fear, loneliness and disbelief. Read More
Moderator:Greg Roman & Nancy Saltzman
Can you imagine yourself on a date? Do you even want to start dating again? What will your family and friends say when you decide to start dating again? Does it matter? Read More
In the unspoken hierarchy of death, dying by overdose, suicide or complications from alcohol use disorder are at the bottom. They are deaths that bring not only the expected feelings in grief, but also shame, a pile of complicated emotions and a veil of secrecy. Sarah Keast, a mother of 2, lost her husband Kevin […] Read More
Lunch (1:00pm - 2:30pm)
Block 3 (2:45pm - 4:00pm)
While widowed people navigate grieving their tremendous loss, for many there is an added struggle about how to help their adult children. It comes at a time when you barely know how to manage your own emotions, much less your children’s. If you have an adult child who is grieving their parent and you simply […] Read More
Have you wondered why some people are able to handle everything thrown at them throughout their lives while others struggle day to day? We know that each person’s grief journey is unique. So are our resiliency quotients. In this presentation you will hear a story of love, loss, and resilience and the research that helps […] Read More
Moderator:Tom Hall
This workshop is focused on the needs of our widowers, and offered just for the men at camp. We will explore a variety of topics relating to being male and widowed. Read More
We will learn together in this educational-and-experiential workshop. Founded on the science of human healing and an up-to-date understanding of how trauma and grief move uniquely through our bodies, we will curiously explore the many different ways we can support and make space for our experience of loss and being human. You will learn: -the […] Read More
This workshop is based on my personal experience of using music, and particularly music videos, as a means to discover their power in my SEARCH for meaning-making, gaining a sense of new self and hope. Music/videos can impact, evoke, direct, clarify, and support your feelings. Music (videos) are particularly powerful at helping to navigate our […] Read More
When our world is turned upside down by death, grievers are frequently encouraged to “get back to normal.” But how? There is nothing “normal” about the person we love being physically missing from our lives. What if instead of trying to recreate the past or even accept a new normal, we allow ourselves to be […] Read More
When a person you love is grieving, witnessing their ongoing pain can be heartbreaking. Not knowing when the shadow of grief will lift or what event/sensory experience/person, place, or thing may cause a grief wave to knock your loved one down is confusing and can make providing meaningful support challenging. In this workshop we will […] Read More
Block 4 (4:15pm - 5:30pm)
Anger is an emotion that often comes with grief. It is identified as one of the five stages of grief by Elizabeth Kubler-Ross. Many mistakenly feel badly about feeling angry, not knowing that it is a necessary path along the grief journey towards healing. Some people do not realize that they are angry or even […] Read More
Is it your imagination, a coincidence or a loving hello from the other side? Learn how our loved ones in spirit wish to communicate through signs and synchronicities, how to recognize and embrace their “hello’s”, and what may be happening if you are not receiving signs. Also discover what takes place during a mediumistic reading […] Read More
Greg Roman presents 19 years of a widowers’ perspective and how other widowed people, dealing with similar widowed grief, have helped him along the way. Mr. Roman is a former Chairman of the Board for Soaring Spirits and remains active on the board. He has also attended over a dozen Camp Widow events and conducted […] Read More
With grief, "the only way out is through", and for me, the only way through is with humor. Read More
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
Banquet (7:00pm - 11:00pm)
Please join us as we celebrate Mardi Gras in July at our banquet. Costumes and/or cocktail attire welcome, but not mandatory! We welcome you in whatever way you feel most comfortable! Read More
Sunday
Closing Session Breakouts (8:30am - 9:30am)
Please join your Newly Widowed community for a discussion of the weekends’ offerings from the point of view of those who are widowed less than one year. We will also be providing information on how you can stay connected with your widowed community through Soaring Spirits’ programs. Read More
Please join your Recently Widowed community for a discussion of the weekends’ offerings from the point of view of those who are widowed from one to three years. We will also be providing information on how you can stay connected with your widowed community through Soaring Spirits’ programs. Read More
Please join your Middle Widowed Community for a discussion of the weekend’s offerings and to reconnect around the joys and challenges of being widowed three to five years. We will also be providing information on how you can stay connected with your widowed community through Soaring Spirits’ programs. Read More
Please join your Seasoned Widowed Community for a discussion of the weekend’s offerings and to reconnect around the joys and challenges of being widowed five years or more. We will also be providing information on how you can stay connected with your widowed community through Soaring Spirits’ programs. Read More