Small Rituals for Grief

Grief doesn’t only live in life’s biggest losses, it quietly weaves itself into everyday moments. And grief can be caused by many things besides death, such as the loss of a job, change in financial status, divorce, change in health, ecological grief or societal grief.

Small Rituals for Grief is a gentle, community-centered workshop designed to offer simple, meaningful ways to tend to grief in your daily life through education and practical support. It creates space for that mission to take shape by fostering a sense of belonging and shared humanity, normalizing conversations around grief and creating space for connection among participants. Participants will learn accessible tools for emotional support that can be used beyond the event itself, encouraging ongoing care, resilience, and self-awareness.

Why This Matters Now

In recent years, many people have experienced layers of loss, whether being through death, illness, life transitions, or collective uncertainty. At the same time, there are still very few spaces where grief can be openly acknowledged, witnessed, and gently supported.

Women, in particular, are often expected to continue showing up for others while quietly carrying their own grief. This workshop offers a pause and a space where that weight can be acknowledged, and where participants are given tools to care for themselves in small, accessible, and sustainable ways.

By focusing on simple rituals that can be practiced anywhere, this workshop meets people where they are without requiring prior experience, materials, or a specific belief system.

What Participants Will Experience

This is an educational and experiential workshop (not writing-based). Participants will:

● Learn how ritual can serve as a supportive, everyday tool for navigating grief

● Be guided through a few simple, adaptable rituals using breath, touch, and the senses

● Explore how to create personal rituals that feel authentic and supportive

● Be invited into gentle, optional discussion and shared reflection

● Close with a grounding ritual they can return to beyond the workshop

About the Facilitator

Alexis Hart is a seasoned death care professional, grief ritualist, and grief educator. She has over a decade of experience across various facets of end-of-life, grief, and death care. Her extensive background spans mortuary and cemetery services, medical examiner, hospice, and grief support, establishing her as a guiding light during families' darkest moments. Passionate about nature, Alexis seamlessly integrates its healing power into her work, enhancing the support she provides to those in need. She blends ritual, creativity, and compassion to craft meaningful, inclusive spaces where grief is honored as both personal and collective, sacred and transformative. With a deep commitment to inclusivity and healing justice, she helps shape spaces where all stories are honored, and grief becomes a portal for connection, meaning, and transformation. Alexis is deeply honored to educate and serve grieving families as well as communities, offering compassion and expertise throughout their journey.

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Host or Publisher San Jose Woman's Club