Grief Companionship
Grief companionship is the practice of presence and compassion in the face of loss.
A resource by Rites of Passage, LLC
At Rites of Passage, we offer confidential, one-on-one grief companionship through the lens of spiritual direction. (Learn more about our approach to spiritual direction here.)
Grief can come about from the loss of a loved one, the loss of a relationship, the loss of health, the loss of a dream of what we thought life would be… really any experience of loss.
In a grief companionship session, we hold space for loss, engage questions as they arise, explore doubts and fears, ponder the nature of life and death, and seek to connect with the sacred within and around us.
As we engage with the experience of grief, it is natural for emotions to surface. All emotions are welcome. Whether you come to grief support with a particular religious or faith perspective, or not, we recognize that your experience of grief is unique and yours alone.
Sessions are 60 minutes and can be scheduled weekly, monthly, or as needed. Virtual sessions are held on Zoom or FaceTime. If sitting in front of a computer is not your thing, in-person options for those local to Burlington, Vermont include meeting at the Rites of Passage office or walking together on the Burlington Bike Path.
We open sessions with candle lighting, poetry or meditation, and silence followed by open conversation.
The fee for a grief companionship session is $75. (A sliding scale starting at $45 is available upon request and accommodation can be made for those who find the cost prohibitive.)
People of all spiritual and secular worldviews and gender and sexual identities are welcome.
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