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Heather Stang

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Feeling off after Labor Day? You are not alone.

Hello Reader, The days after Labor Day often bring a change in pace. Kids go back to school, vacations end, and the holidays begin to peek around the corner. For some, it feels like a fresh start. But for others, especially those who are grieving, this shift can feel unexpectedly heavy. In my latest blog post, Facing Fall: A Journaling Practice for Seasonal Grief Triggers, I explore why this time of year can stir up so much emotion, and how a simple mindfulness-based journaling exercise can...

Hello Reader, Just checking in — you clicked to learn more about the Mindfulness & Grief Coaching Certification, so I want to make sure you know I would love to have you join me live today at 12:00 pm ET. During this one-hour session, I will: Walk you through the 8-Step Mindfulness & Grief Framework Show what a realistic week in the program looks like Answer your questions about time, tuition, and support If you cannot make it today, there will be another session on Wednesday, September 3 at...

Hello Reader, I’m so excited to share something that means so much to me: enrollment is now open for the September 2025 Mindfulness & Grief Coaching Certification. If you love mindfulness, and help people navigate grief, this is for you. This 12-week, live online program is designed for grief professionals, meditation teachers, and yoga teacher / therapists who want practical, clinical tools to support their clients and themselves. You’ll learn the 8-Step Mindfulness & Grief Framework,...

Hello Reader, I love supporting grieving people inside the Awaken Community—and I also love teaching clinicians how to do this work with more clarity, confidence, and care. That’s why I’m excited to invite you to my upcoming webinar through the Association for Death Education and Counseling (ADEC): Mindfulness-Based Grief Therapy: Cultivating Resilience, Compassion, and Meaning After Loss 🗓️ Live on Tuesday, July 15, 2025* 🕐 1 PM ET / 12 PM CT / 10 AM PT 🎓 Earn 1 CE hour through ADEC *Can't...

Hello Reader, Before we dive into this month’s Awaken Grief Support Schedule, I want to share something from the heart. As you know, this work is deeply personal to me. Helping others navigate grief is not just my profession—it’s my meaning. It’s the path I found through my own losses, and the one I walk every day alongside you. The tools I share in Awaken aren’t just techniques—they come from lived experience, from clinical study, and from the stories and strength of this very community....

Hello Reader, We’re often told that acceptance is the last stage of grief, something we reach once the pain fades and life feels normal again. But grief doesn’t unfold in stages (don't get me started). And acceptance isn’t about “moving on”—it’s about making space for what’s already here without fighting against it. In last week’s Meditation & Journaling class in Awaken, members embodied this idea through a guided meditation and journaling practice designed to help you sit with what...

Join Us For This Week's Events Monday February 24 at 4 PM ET: Grief Support Group Tuesday February 25 at 6 PM ET: Grief Support Group Wednesday February 26 at 4 PM ET: Meditation & Journaling Thursday February 27 at 5:30 PM: Grief Yoga RSVP for classes (optional) This Week's Grief Support Group Topic: Being With Difficult Emotions (R.A.I.N.) This session introduces the R.A.I.N. framework—Recognize, Allow, Investigate, Nurture—as a compassionate approach to managing difficult emotions. Through...

Join Us For This Week's Events Monday February 17 at 4 PM ET: Grief Support Group Tuesday February 18 at 6 PM ET: Grief Support Group Wednesday February 19 at 4 PM ET: Anticipatory Grief Support Group Thursday February 20 at 5:30 PM: Grief Yoga RSVP for classes (optional) This Week's Grief Support Group Topic: Mindfulness & Grief Course Co-Working This one-hour co-working session is designed to help you focus on the Mindfulness & Grief Coursework inside of Awaken, so you can choose any lesson...

Guided Visualization for Valentine's Day Grief

Hello Reader, Valentine’s Day can be a bittersweet reminder of the love we’ve shared and the loss we carry. It’s a day that magnifies the absence of someone we hold dear, while also celebrating love—a paradox that can leave us feeling tender and conflicted. If you’re grieving the loss of a spouse, partner, or any loved one for that matter, I want to remind you: grief isn’t about letting go. It’s about learning to carry love forward in a new way. It’s about keeping the bond alive, even as life...

Join Us For This Week's Events Monday February 10 at 4 PM ET: Grief Support Group Tuesday February 11 at 6 PM ET: Grief Support Group Wednesday February 12 at 4 PM ET: Anticipatory Grief Support Group Thursday February 13 at 5:30 PM: Grief Yoga RSVP for classes (optional) This Week's Grief Support Group Topic: Self-Compassion for Valentine’s Day Grief Valentine’s Day can be a tender time for those grieving. In this session, we’ll focus on cultivating self-compassion to gently hold space for...