June has spent several years deepening her understanding of and participation in peer-centered grief support, but she is not a mental health professional. While she is able to create a foundation for a supportive space to explore grief in creative ways, she also invites all participants to come expecting grief to show up in surprising, sometimes messy and uncomfortable ways. Everyone’s expression and experience can look different and exploring this uncertainty and discomfort takes courage and kindness. It also takes practice, and this practice can only serve us well in these challenging times.

June encourages us to be brave as we give ourselves this gift of potentially transformative creativity. Doing so in the presence of others is powerful and offers us connection when we are feeling alone in our grief. We can move, transform and shapeshift, even as grief shapes us, through the relationships we nurture. June reminds us to check in with our bodies, one of the most important relationships, as we create. This can help us notice where those feelings have anchored, so that we can take a breath before deciding on that next best step. She honors the “power of our own two feet” principle and encourages folks to explore, move, sing, dance, laugh, howl and communicate their needs during a group event. Their two feet and hands guide them to where they think or feel they need to be, and also when their creative exploration is complete.

Head here if you’d like to know more about June’s background in death, dying and grief.