There are many grief support groups available online, and they vary widely in how they approach loss. I created Awaken because I wanted something different from what I was seeing in grief support.
I wanted a space that helped people cope with the pain of loss, but also helped them answer the deeper question that grief brings up, who am I now? Awaken is about learning how to live with grief in a way that supports resilience, honors love, and allows life to continue with meaning.
Some groups follow a fixed curriculum, where a facilitator reads from a binder of best practices. Others offer open spaces where people arrive heavy with grief, share their pain, and leave still carrying it, sometimes feeling more depleted than when they arrived.
These groups help some people feel less alone, and they serve an important purpose.
Awaken was created for people who want more than survival. It is for those who want to learn how to grieve in a way that supports their nervous system, honors their loved one, and allows them to live with resilience and intention.
Grief is natural. Most people will eventually learn how to live with loss without formal intervention. But mindfulness-based, trauma-informed grief support can change how much you suffer along the way, and how consciously you choose the life you are living now.
Awaken is not about fixing grief or moving on from love. It is about learning how to live with loss without abandoning yourself or the relationship that still matters.
If you are still exploring what online grief support is and how it works, this overview of what online grief support can offer may be helpful.
Learning How to Grieve, Not Just Talking About Grief
Many grief support groups focus primarily on sharing stories. While sharing can be validating, it does not always help when grief shows up in the body, in the middle of the night, or in moments when there are no words.
Awaken teaches practices that help you meet grief as it arises in thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations. Through mindfulness, meditation, journaling, and gentle movement, members learn how to stay present with grief rather than bracing against it or pushing it away.
Over time, people often notice changes such as:
- Feeling calmer during difficult moments
- Having something to turn to when grief spikes unexpectedly
- Feeling less overwhelmed by thoughts and emotions
- Being more connected to their body rather than stuck in their head
“Before this course I was having anxiety and depression. The weekly practice was powerful, but integrating my practice into my daily life was especially helpful. I am calmer now. Even when I focus on my grief, it doesn’t seem as overwhelming.”
C.B., Awaken Member
“This course reminded me of how powerful the breath can be in experiencing the here and now. It helped me get out of my head and back into my body. It is a step toward healing my grief.”
L.M., Awaken Member
A Guided, Trauma-Informed Space
Not all grief spaces are facilitated with the same level of care. Some lack structure. Others lack emotional attunement.
In Awaken, every session is guided with attention to emotional safety, pacing, and the realities of trauma and loss. Sessions are not scripted, but they are intentional. Participants are never required to share and are always met where they are.
Awaken is led by Heather Stang, a mindfulness teacher and grief educator whose work is evidence-based, trauma-informed, and recognized by the field, including the 2025 Association for Death Education and Counseling Clinical Practice Award.
People often describe feeling deeply seen and supported, sometimes for the first time since their loss.
“Heather doesn’t just lead the group. She hears you and receives your pain in such a beautiful way. You know you have been heard by someone skillful in grief. She has created an incredibly safe space full of kindness, patience, and compassion. I felt comforted, heard, and validated every time.”
K.N., Awaken Member
Community Without Pressure or Comparison
Isolation is one of the hardest parts of grief. Many people discover that friends and family want them to feel better quickly or do not know how to stay present with loss over time.
Awaken offers a consistent, compassionate community where grief is not minimised or rushed. You are welcome to speak, listen, or simply be present.
Many members describe the community as:
- A place where they do not have to explain themselves
- A steady anchor during an unpredictable time
- A group of people who truly understand grief from the inside
“The community support is amazing. It’s wonderful to sit with others who just get it. You don’t have to explain yourself.”S.S., Awaken Member
“I call it ‘My People’ because we understand each other in ways others can’t. I have met some of the kindest, most wonderful people through Awaken.”
A.G., Awaken Member
Structure That Supports Real Change
Awaken is not group therapy. It is an educational and experiential program grounded in the Mindfulness and Grief System.
Members gain:
- Language for grief
- Insight into the grieving process
- Practices they can return to in daily life
- Support that continues beyond weekly sessions
In addition to live group sessions, participants have access to guided meditations, journaling prompts, and learning modules that support integration over time.
“Awaken has given me language for grief and an invaluable sense that what I’m going through, although terribly hard, is normal.”
K.R.F., Awaken Member
“Those moments when I couldn’t sleep, I could turn to the processes in the modules or things we had shared on calls and find moments of peace that eventually turned into hours and days.”
S.S., Awaken Member
Why Awaken Is a Paid Program
Some grief support groups are free, and they play an important role.
Awaken is a paid program because it is designed for transformation, not just temporary relief. The structure, facilitation, and depth of care require commitment on both sides.
Members invest financially, and Heather invests deeply in their experience, safety, and growth.
“The membership to this group is one of the greatest gifts I have given myself.”
D.R.
“This program has been my life jacket in a very stormy sea of grief.”
Alexis, Awaken Member
What People Often Notice After Joining Awaken
People experience Awaken differently, but many describe similar shifts over time.
These often include:
- Feeling less alone, even outside of sessions
- Having reliable tools when grief appears unexpectedly
- Understanding their grief instead of feeling broken by it
- Feeling calmer in their body, even when emotions are present
- Being able to carry love forward while re-engaging with life
“I am living more fully, breathing more deeply, and I have a better awareness of myself.”
A.R., Awaken Member
A Different Relationship With Grief
Awaken does not promise to take grief away. Loss changes us.
What Awaken offers is a way to change how you relate to grief so it no longer runs your life or disconnects you from yourself. Many people find they are able to meet grief with more steadiness, compassion, and choice.
“My relationship to life after this loss is about a profound change, and I appreciate Heather’s support in discovering it.”
G.S., Awaken Member
Who Awaken Is For
Awaken tends to resonate with people who:
- Want practical tools, not just conversation
- Are open to mindfulness, meditation, and journaling
- Want to honor their loved one while continuing to live
- Are ready to engage with their grief in a supported way
It may not be the right fit if you are looking only for a place to vent without learning new ways of working with grief.
Awaken is for those who are ready to learn how to grieve, not because grief should be rushed or resolved, but because life is still asking to be lived.
If you are looking for grief support that helps you cope with the pain of loss while also supporting who you are becoming, you are welcome in Awaken. You do not need to be ready to feel better or have words for your experience. You only need a willingness to be met where you are and to learn how to live with grief in a way that feels supportive and humane. Awaken is here when you are ready to take that step.
