“When the heart grieves over what it has lost, the spirit rejoices over what it has left.” – Rumi
There is little anyone can say to ease your pain when you have lost a loved one to death. While grief is a natural (albeit horribly unpleasant) response, the experience of it is entirely unnatural and intrusive. It is important that during this time you receive support from your family, friends, and community, and provide yourself with a healthy dose of self care and compassion.
At times you may feel that you need additional support, which is perhaps why you landed here today. Mindful Grief was created to offer you a safe place to sob and laugh, a compassionate listener to hear you speak your truth, and an opportunity to release tension and rest your body.
I offer individual and couples sessions, as well as 8-week groups and special events throughout the year. If you sense you are ready for this type of support, then please call me at 240-446-3030 for a confidential phone consultation, or e-mail me with any questions or a request for a session. I look forward to your call.
Jai,
Heather K. Whittington, M.A.
About Heather
Heather became a Certified Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy Practitioner in 2003, where she now mentors practitioners-in-training. She earned a Masters in Thanatology (Death, Dying & Bereavement) from Hood College in 2010. Her focus is on helping the bereaved stay healthy and increase immune functioning through mindfulness based practices, relaxation and expressive arts.
Her article “Living in the Body: Using Awareness of Physical Sensation to Cope With Loss” was published in the October 2009 issue of The Forum, the monthly publication of the Association of Death Education and Counselors (ADEC), and her observations of an 8-week Mindful Grief Support Group was presented at the 2009 ADEC Conference.
The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation invited Heather to present two workshops at their 2010 Survivors Conference, which inspired her to develop the “Relax and Renew Toolkit: Practicing Peace in the Midst of Loss,” and “Mindful Grief: Yoga & Meditation to Heal Your Body-Mind.”
Based in Frederick, Maryland, Heather offers private Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy sessions, day-long retreats and 8-week Mindful Grief groups to the bereaved. She has continued her professional development by attending workshops with Patricia Walden, Stephen Cope, Sudhir Jonathan Foust, and Bessel van der Kolk’s “Frontiers of Trauma Treatment” at Kripalu Center, which provides scientific insight into how yoga can help people suffering from PTSD.
She also presented to yoga experientials during the Center for Eating Disorders at Shepherd Pratt’s 2008 National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, and has transformed the boardrooms of many prestigious corporations with her stress management workshops, including BP Solar and NBC.
Heather is a member of the Association of Death Educators and Counselors (ADEC) and the International Association of Yoga Therapist (IAYT) and the National Honor Society Phi Kappa Phi.
