Grief Support

In grief support, we engage questions as they arise, explore doubts and fears, and ponder the nature of life and death.

A resource by Rites of Passage, LLC

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At Rites of Passage, we offer confidential, one-on-one grief support through the lens of spiritual companionship.

Grief support is the practice of presence and compassion in the face of loss. As we engage with the experience of grief, it is natural for emotions to arise. 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.

“Grief is not a disorder, a disease or a sign of weakness. It is an emotional, physical and spiritual necessity, the price you pay for love. The only cure for grief is to grieve.“

~ Rabbi Earl Grollman, Longing for Motherhood

Sessions often begin with a time of silence and meditation followed by open conversation utilizing the evocative approach. (Learn more about the evocative approach here.)

Sessions are held on Zoom or FaceTime. If local to Burlington, Vermont, we can talk about possible in-person options, including walking sessions on the Burlington Bike Path. Our fees are based on a self-selecting sliding scale.

People of all spiritual and secular worldviews and gender and sexual identities are welcome.

“We bereaved are not alone. We belong to the largest company in all the world — the company of those who have known suffering.“

~ Helen Keller

E-mail us today to find out more or schedule a free 30-minute introductory call.

My Inspiration

I’m Kristabeth Atwood and I am a "pastor for people who don’t do church." I was a local church pastor for 18 years and now I bring my pastor’s heart to my work with people of all identities and spiritual and secular worldviews to support growth, healing, and transformation. My business is called Rites of Passage because I believe that acknowledging the changes we experience throughout life is essential to our personal and collective well-being. My work includes supporting people as they dive into the big questions that often arise in the face of life changes. Essentially, I hold space for people to connect with themselves, those around them, and with the sacred, whatever that means to them. In addition to my professional experience, my personal journey through the joys and challenges of marriage, divorce, re-marriage, becoming a stepparent, relocation, career changes, the trauma of violence, and loss of loved ones informs my work. I bring my expertise, experience, and heart to help my clients pause, reflect, acknowledge, and embrace the transformative power of change so they can move into the next season of life with hope.
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