I am honored to be a part of the events listed below. In the case of multi-day events, I have indicated the days of my presentation. Visit the event link to view dates, location and registration information.
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Past Events
In a world where multi-tasking, digital distractions and continuous partial attention are the norm, it is challenging for 21st century leaders to find the time, energy and creativity to innovate. Fortunately, the practice of mindfulness – paying attention to the present moment with an attitude of open awareness – can wire your brain for leadership excellence even when you work in the trenches as a hospital physician, nurse or administrator.
During this workshop, you will learn simple yet powerful mindfulness-based exercises that will cultivate the four fundamentals of leadership excellence: focus, clarity, creativity and compassion. Learn to lead from a place of choice, based on your values and expertise, rather than reactivity. You may also experience better health, a deeper connection with others, and a greater satisfaction with life – at work and at home.
Mindfulness & Grief: Reengaging With Life After Loss
Concurrent session offered Thursday, April 26 from 2:00 – 3:00 pm in room Butler E & W
In this session, I will use case studies to illustrate how the practice of mindfulness-based techniques, such as meditation, yoga and guided journaling prompts help bereaved people steady their mind, relax their body, and reengage with life after loss – a daunting task for many. Mindfulness is the practice of paying attention to the present moment with an attitude of equanimity. It cultivates the ability to stay calm even in the midst of pain.
Rather than running away from the pain of grief or obsessing over it, the mindfulness practitioner is taught to take refuge in the experience of the present moment using the six senses: sight, sound, smell, taste, touch and awareness. This steadies the mind, and clears the way for insights that contribute to meaning making, posttraumatic growth and transformation. It has been proven to reverse the harmful effects of stress and even reduce physical pain.
I will offer case studies from the online and in person Meditation for Grief Groups that I facilitate, and illustrate how formal and informal mindfulness-based practices may help bereaved people change self-defeating physical and mental habits, cultivate compassion and forgiveness for the self and others, offer skillful means to cope with the dual process of grief, receive insight into their natural wisdom and resilience, continue the legacy of their loved one, improve physical health and increase self-efficacy. Workshop attendees will be exposed to research detailing mindfulness-based interventions for physical and emotional symptoms related to bereavement, and learn to concept of skillful means – using the right mindfulness-based tools at the right time.
Learning Objectives
- Explain how mindfulness practices, including present moment awareness and compassion, can be used to relieve physical and emotional suffering.
- Outline specific meditation, yoga, and guided journaling techniques that enhance the ability to connect with the body’s wisdom.
- Review case studies that illustrate how the practice of mindfulness meditation and yoga contributes to meaning making and posttraumatic growth.
National Hospice & Palliative Care Organization, Management and Leadership Conference Preconference Seminar. On any given day, hospice and palliative care professionals face challenges in the workplace that range from emotionally draining to incredibly enriching—often simultaneously. As the landscape of healthcare changes, the challenges of leadership are unlikely to let up. Faced with the choice to wither or flourish under mounting pressure, there is no time like the present to learn how subtle adjustments to your mind, body, and actions can help you thrive.
During this participatory workshop, leaders, executives and managers will learn how to harness the power of mindfulness in just minutes a day—building resilience, leadership excellence, and equanimity in the face of adversity. No incense or special clothes are required; these simple techniques can be applied in-the-moment and on the job, increasing your ability to savor the little things while reigniting your passion for your very important work.
Preconference Dates: April 21-22, 2018. Main Conference: April 23-25, 2018.
The 2018 Fire Hero Family Wellness conference is open to spouses, life partners, parents, adult children and siblings of fallen firefighters honored at the National Memorial in Emmitsburg, Maryland. This conference will focus on finding peace and hope after loss through kindness and connections as well as provide insight into physical and mental self-care and self-compassion. Heather Stang will be leading two workshops:
MEDITATION FOR GRIEF, Tuesday, April 10 from 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Meditation can be one of your greatest allies when you are grieving, and learning how is easier than you think! During this workshop you will sample a variety of meditation techniques designed to relax your body, calm your mind, and cope with difficult emotions. You will also learn how to weave moments of mindfulness into your busy schedule, and cultivate a daily practice that will have life-long health and wellness benefits. Tuesday, April 10 from 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
SELF-COMPASSION AS SELF-CARE FOR GRIEF, Monday, April 9 from 10:15 am – 12:15 pm
Tending to our own suffering with kindness is often placed on the back burner. Some of us can’t even imagine what it would be like to have the time, energy, and wherewithal to take care of ourselves – especially when we are faced with grief. During this workshop we will explore the three principles of self-compassion, and discover how to apply them to your daily life so you can become your own best friend.
There is space for 100 attendees, on a first-come, first-served basis or until March 16, 2018. For more information about this event, please contact Beverly Donlon at (301) 447-1603.
During this four day Survivor Seminar for Military Families, Heather will offer a variety of workshops in which attendees can try out mindfulness-based techniques to reduce grief-related suffering and stress.
During this keynote presentation, Heather Stang, author of Mindfulness & Grief, will share inspirational stories and practical tips that will help harness the power of self-compassion as self-care, so participants can reduce your suffering and reengage with this one precious life. Attendees will also receive access to guided meditations, so they can practice self-compassion for years to come. This keynote is part of a day-long wellness event presented by Gilchrist Hospice as part of their continuing care for the families they support.
Managing Grief During the Holidays Workshop. The holidays are stressful enough when you are not grieving. If you have experienced a major loss, this holiday season will be different than the last, and whether you share your grief openly, or keep things to yourself, managing your internal and external struggles will be less challenging once you master a few basic coping skills and plan how you want to approach the holidays. During this workshop, we will explore how you can manage the painful and mixed feelings that accompany grief, maintain your physical health, and explore how new and old traditions and rituals can support you during this tough time. We will discuss the three principles of self-compassion: self-kindness, common humanity and mindfulness, and consider how they can help you navigate the holiday season.
LiveOnNY is meant to convey the duality and positivity of organ and tissue donation. Through donation, recipients and donors live on. Recipients live on through the selfless act of donors. Donors live on via a legacy made stronger as a result of their donation, and they live on through others.
Heather will be offering Relaxation Meditation for Grief for donor families as a service offered by LiveOnNY (This is a closed event for donor families).
Heather will be offering the closing keynote, Mindfulness In the Trenches: Self-Care for the Palliative Caregiver. This event is open to medical professionals, therapists, and other people seeking training and CEUs.
Palliative care professionals choose to provide whole-hearted care to those with life-limiting illnesses. However, tending to our own suffering is often placed on the back burner. Even when faced with our own personal loss and hardships, we often turn away from our suffering and attempt to “push through” the pain. This can overwhelm our stress response system and in turn contribute to depression, anxiety, stress-related illnesses, and even lead to professional burnout.
As hard as it may seem, we can tend to our own suffering using self-compassion techniques that are rooted in ancient spiritual practices, and proven effective by contemporary research. Once we apply the “oxygen mask” to ourselves, we can model and even share these techniques with our patients and their families, empowering them to remove some of the suffering from their pain.
This session will explore how self-compassion—in other words, simply treating ourselves as we would a beloved friend—can help us manage our difficult emotions, reduce our suffering, and exemplify self-care for both patients and colleagues alike. The presenter will review current self-compassion literature as it pertains professional burnout, discuss mindfulness-based interventions, and share a case study that will illustrate how self-compassion can support palliative care professionals and patients alike.