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: Mary Moore Hughes
Our Newly Widowed workshop track has been designed for widowed people whose widowhood began within the past twelve months. Read More
Moderator:Sade Aryio
Our Recently Widowed workshop track has been designed for widowed people who were widowed anywhere from one to three years ago. Read More
Moderator: Rachel Kodanaz
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)
“How do I find my footing?” As widowed people, no matter the time after the loss of our partner, we find ourselves faced with what, where, when, why, and how to navigate many aspects of our lives. Join Mel and Anita in this interactive, fun, actionable, and informative session specifically for finding a confident and […] Read More
After the unthinkable happens, our normal human brains operate as if in a danger zone, offering us a constant barrage of thoughts. We revisit the events surrounding the loss and analyze it from every angle. We consider how our own actions might have changed the outcome. It’s easy to dwell on how we could have […] Read More
Moderator: Alyssa Gavulic
Alyssa 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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When your spouse dies, you may think your life is over. The reality is that a new life is waiting for you, and it can be a life of meaning and purpose. Together we will look at how you can create a space in your mind and home to welcome your future. Read More
This workshop addresses the physical experience of grief and loss through guided movement and meditation. We will use our imaginations to embody both the undertow – the sorrow of losing a loved one, and the upwell – the swell of emotion and the promise of new energy in our lives. Grief really does come in […] Read More
Moderator: Bobby Moss
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)
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
Tools for Wellness During Adverse Times, developed and presented by award-winning international keynote speaker, wellness coach, comedian, and bestselling author Aidan Park, offers effective and research-backed strategies in providing support for emotional wellness. Aidan shares his personal story of becoming a widower and provides actionable and proven tools for managing painful emotions that can come […] Read More
When your predictable world crumbled with the death of your person, did you stop having faith in a God or Higher Power altogether? Or maybe now you have a renewed sense of faith that is assisting you in rebuilding a life? Possibly you feel as though your spiritual life is being altered at this very […] Read More
Moderator: Jim Spelman
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
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)
Back by popular demand, join Soaring Spirits CEO Michele Neff Hernandez as she sits down with Matt Logelin – blogger, public speaker, charity founder, and author of Two Kisses for Maddy: A Memoir of Loss and Love, which was a New York Times best seller and the basis for the Netflix award-winning movie Parenthood starring […] Read More
Block 1 (10:15am - 11:30am)
Moderator: Rachel and Taner Kodanaz
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
Grieving is hard work. Dealing with family and friends in the midst of our grief can sometimes feel like too much. Join Dr. Carrie West as she offers suggestions to help support you as you navigate sometimes difficult situations with friends and family. Read More
Author, writer, and widow Melissa Gould will guide participants in a healing writing workshop that explores the unexpected realities of widowhood. Designed to enhance acceptance and exploration of what it means to be widowed, this workshop considers that we are not living the life we were expecting due to the loss of our person. Through […] 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
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)
The loss of a spouse ranks as one of the most devastating events a person can endure. Chances are you may feel that joy is no longer on the table or an option anymore. This workshop will help you begin to make those steps back to a joyful life no matter the circumstances. Read More
As a young widow, the kitchen was the place where I was best able to express my feelings. Cooking became my go-to coping tool. Recipe by recipe I made my way through the sudden death of my husband, and found both solace and inspiration along the way. Eventually my love for cooking led to a […] Read More
If you’re asking yourself this question, you are not alone. Often-times it can feel as though we not only lost our person, but also the life that we knew and ourselves – as well. Join coach, author and speaker, John Polo, to explore the simplistic, yet complicated, reasons why so many widowed people feel like a […] 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
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
This workshop is for those who have lost partners who weren’t legally married, and/or whose relationships were not known and/or recognized 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. It will also provide a safe […] 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
Lunch (1:00pm - 2:30pm)
Block 3 (2:45pm - 4:00pm)
When you’ve been widowed, it’s easy to feel like you’re going crazy. You feel like you aren’t “yourself”, you don’t understand what is happening to you, and many of those around you don’t either. Read More
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
Experience an honest, safe and sometimes humorous discussion as you learn the ‘Top 10 Tips for Navigating Sex, Dating and New Relationships Following the Death of Your Partner or Spouse’. You’ll discover why most normal dating ‘Top Tips’ aren’t applicable to you, why you most likely won’t follow them anyway and why that’s perfect! Join […] Read More
Emotions often seem overwhelming and unmanageable right after loss. However, people who are more skilled at identifying and distinguishing between even the nuances of these negative emotions are able to use a broader range of emotional regulation strategies and thus are better equipped to cope with these emotions, despite their intensity. This workshop will explore […] Read More
We all began our widowed life not knowing exactly how to move forward. We may struggle with living in the “in between” years – the time before our partner passed, and the days and years after they pass. As we create new chapters for ourselves, rely on our cultural and community supports, and develop new […] Read More
Block 4 (4:15pm - 5:30pm)
Widowhood leaves you with a blank life slate. Plans and dreams are changed by the death of our person, and recreating a life that we love becomes part of the work of widowhood. Read More
There are a number of cyber related threats that affect the widowed community. The internet provides a valuable service, but also requires caution. These threats include stolen identity, ransomware, computer virus’, and social media disinformation and trolling. This workshop is taught by the CEO of a cybersecurity company. He is also active in the widowed […] Read More
With grief, "the only way out is through", and for me, the only way through is with humor. Read More
The best way I can describe preparing a home for a new marriage after being widowed, is that it is literally and figuratively rebuilding the hearth. Both myself and my new bride were widowed. So, what do we bring to our new home? What not? What do we create? This workshop is for widowed people […] Read More
Banquet (7:00pm - 11:00pm)
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