Gift of Your Greatness ~ Susan Ball
Susan’s life’s calling is to facilitate and host conversations that ignite our greatness and give hope that loss, grief and sadness can enable us to find our inner self and bring us to a place where our departed loved ones shine through us and give us the strength to be the best we can be.
Susan’s presentation will highlight how we can unlock the gifts of our own greatness, and begin to live authentically from a place of joy and hope. Through connecting from the heart and through story-telling, we can strengthen our emotional, spiritual and physical wellness.
Susan is a loss and grief workshop facilitator and author of the Universal Life Lessons series. The inspiration for her first book ‘Universal Life Lessons: From My Brilliant Blue Bohemian Butterfly’ was drawn from what Susan learnt from her courageous and remarkable daughter Anna, who died in April 2015, aged 29. Anna was the oldest-known woman in the world to have lived to adulthood with Ring 22 Chromosome Abnormality. This book gives hope to everyone that their wishes for a good quality of life can be honoured, from birth to death, regardless of their circumstances Susan’s second book ‘Universal Life Lessons: Gift of Your Greatness’ was dedicated to her dear friend Martha Farrell, who was killed by the Taliban one month after Anna died. In a personal audience with the Dalai Lama, he blessed ‘Gift of Your Greatness’ encouraging her to continue to write from her heart with love and compassion giving hope to others for peace and harmony in the world.

WORKSHOP PRESENTATIONS

Re-creating Our Story after the Death of Our Child – Karen Lang
“Nothing can imprison us or empower us more than our own thoughts.”

When we cannot find meaning or passion in our life after the death of our child, we can feel trapped, in the hope that our life will return to the way it was. When we understand the right strategies that lead us to create meaning, we will feel connected again and begin to see life outside our grief.Karen will share what she has learned through her grief after the death of her nine-year-old son Nathan in 2001 and help us understand how to re-connect to our inner strength and courage. Karen is a counsellor, Reiki practitioner and meditation teacher. Her first book Courage was published last year.

“A Lived Experience: Life After Suicide” – Olwen Schubert
This workshop will invite discussion and questions that are unique to those bereaved by suicide. Olwen will share from the wealth of her own experiences since her 21-year old son Chris died by suicide in 1991. Olwen is a past president of TCF and was a support meeting facilitator for many years. She was secretary of SOSBA (Survivors of Suicide Bereavement Association) from its outset, became its fortnightly facilitator and 24/7 telephone counsellor. Olwen has written a number of booklets to help people bereaved by suicide. She currently facilitates a monthly support group in Hervey Bay under her own banner.

Men’s Workshop “I can’t change what has happened – How do I live with this?” – Bruce Johnston
Conversation will be focused around the TEAR principle – To accept the reality of the Loss, Experience the pain of the loss, Adjust to the new environment without the lost person, and Reinvest in the new reality. To accept the reality of the Loss, Experience the pain of the loss, Adjust to the new environment without the lost person, and Reinvest in the new reality. Bruce lost his 15-year-old son Scott in 1997 after a car accident. He has a strong desire to encourage and assist others. He and his wife Ann have been offering support to grieving families for the past 8 years and are the TCF contact in the Toowoomba region.

“Towards Transforming Tragedy” – Sue Vos
In a guided process which will include TAT (the Tapas Acupressure Technique), we will enter in the stillness of our heart. Our intention will be to connect with our beloveds’ wishes for us and to open the door to a new way of being in the world. Sue shares out of her personal experiences of transformation. She is a healing facilitator, certified TAT professional and spiritual companion with a special passion for transforming grief. Sue’s 24-year-old son Simon died in 2006 and she lost her sister Alison to suicide in 1998. Note: TAT is a gentle energy therapy which assists us to create change with ease and grace. It helps transform limiting beliefs, anxiety, fear and provides relief from trauma without having to talk about or relive it.

Grief: what’s your GP got to do with it? – Dr Len van Ingen Schenau
In this interactive workshop participants are invited to tell their stories and ask Dr Len about their concerns, e.g., what is the difference between grief and depression; can grief turn into depression; medication – when is it appropriate…are there alternatives. Dr Len van Ingen Schenau is a medical doctor with over 40 years’ experience in general practice/family medicine. Dr Len has experienced the loss of a brother and stepson and is a member of TCF.

Is my grief normal? What do I do now? – Helene Hipp
This workshop looks at myth busting in grief and makes practical suggestions for living with grief in healthy ways. It provides some guiding principles for well-being, including mindfulness. Helene is a grief counsellor and educator with Karuna Hospice, a community based palliative care nursing, grief and loss service.

PANEL
Insights on Grief: Panel Discussion – Bereaved Parents & Siblings
This workshop is an opportunity to ask questions directly to a panel of bereaved parents and siblings.You will come away with a deeper understanding of how the death of a child impacts personal and family life. It will be especially valuable for professional people who interact with or provide support for the bereaved and wish to improve their care for people in grief.