Holding Space with Claire Bidwell Smith and Corey Kennard
This is a unique time in our world for people who are experiencing grief and loss on many different levels. As a therapist who has specialized in grief and anxiety for over a decade, I hope to use the knowledge and tools I have amassed to help others who are struggling. These weekly discussions are open to anyone who wants to join, and each week I'll be bringing on a special guest to help explore our collective grief and anxiety. We will offer coping tools and techniques and take live questions from participants. If you can't make it to the call you will receive a recording.
After the discussion, we'll break people up into small breakout rooms to continue the conversation.
Claire Bidwell Smith is an internationally renowned author, speaker, and grief expert. She is the author of three books of nonfiction: The Rules of Inheritance, After This: When Life Is Over Where Do We Go? and Anxiety: The Missing Stage of Grief. Her books have been published in 18 countries and Claire lectures and writes regularly about grief.
Corey L. Kennard is Pastor of Amplify Christian Church and also serves as an activist in the field of healthcare. His holistic approach (body, mind, and spirit) serves as the foundation for his desire to see all human beings treated with dignity, honor, and respect in all facets of life. He began his active work in ministry as well as the business sector over 25 years ago. Corey earned a Masters Degree from Ashland Theological Seminary and carries out his passion for people as a daring and devoted agent of change. In addition to serving as a Pastor and healthcare activist, Pastor Corey is a Spiritual Life Coach, Motivational Speaker, and Partner/Board Member for several community organizations that seek to uplift the poor and vulnerable in society. As a credit to his work, he has received the Michigan Chronicle's Men Of Excellence Award as being one of the Top 50 Most Influential African-American Men in the Metropolitan Detroit Region.
Corey has been involved in the field of healthcare for over 20 years with over a decade of experience in the areas of Palliative Care and Hospice. He currently seeks to enhance the patient/family experience in healthcare settings. His work has also included leading a spiritual care team at one of Detroit's largest hospitals, and formerly serving as a Faculty Lead for Duke University's Institute on Care at the End Of Life (ICEOL) national training program called, "APPEAL." In this role, he was instrumental in co-creating a national teaching module for understanding spirituality at the end of life for African-Americans. He has provided intensive, hands-on consultation, as-well-as informative and motivational conference presentations to Healthcare Professionals and Faith Community Leaders on the importance and impact of a person's spirituality while facing illness. He had also served as a National Advisory Board Member for The Hospice Foundation of America, and as a Co-Director of a Community Faith "Advance Care Planning" Project for the University of Virginia.
His thought provoking and energizing speaking style has made him a choice of organizations and educational institutions seeking conference speakers, workshop presenters, or inspiring lecturers. Such organizations include The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO), the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AAHPM), Reimagine End of Life, the Center to Advance Palliative Care (CAPC), and the University of Washington's Cambia Palliative Care Center of Excellence. Corey is becoming one of the most sought after and preferred national speakers on the subject of faith and its impact on medical care.
As a writer, Corey is an avid Blogger, and has also been a New York Times contributing columnist. He has been published in the Journal of Palliative Medicine, written motivational columns for the Detroit News, and authored a previous book entitled, “Goliath Must Fall” (2005). His latest release, "Hamburgers & A Holy Man" (2018), is currently available on Amazon.com and Kindle.
Pastor Corey shares his life’s work with his wife Kristen, and they are the blessed parents of three wonderful children – Kayla Ariana, Kourtney Lael, and Corey Lynn II.
