How can we support people in grief wisely, attentively, and without fear?
MAL Kasprowicza 14 and Grief House Warsaw invite you to a 2-hour workshop on supporting people in grief.
Many people want to be close to someone who is experiencing loss, but they do not always know what to say or what to do. We may be afraid of using the wrong words, asking too difficult a question, crossing someone’s boundaries, or hurting them even more. Sometimes, out of this helplessness, we begin to withdraw — precisely at the moment when our presence could be especially important.
During the meeting, we will talk about what grief is and how it can affect everyday life, relationships, the body, emotions, and the way a person functions after a loss. We will also look at why grief is not a problem to be solved quickly, but a process in which presence, patience, and simple everyday gestures of support matter deeply.
Together, we will reflect on which words can be helpful, and which — despite good intentions — may feel difficult or burdensome for people after a loss. We will talk about how not to force comfort, how not to compare losses, how not to rush into giving advice, and how to be present in a way that does not impose, but gives a sense of support.
This meeting is for everyone who wants to better understand people in grief: loved ones, friends, neighbours, co-workers, family members, people active in local communities, and anyone who sometimes feels helpless in the face of another person’s suffering.
During the workshop, we will explore, among other things:
- what is worth knowing about the contemporary understanding of grief,
- how loss can affect everyday functioning,
- what we are most often afraid of when supporting people after a loss,
- which words and gestures can bring comfort,
- what is better to avoid in a conversation with a person in grief,
- why practical help can be more important than “perfect words”,
- what role presence, silence, and patience can play,
- how to take care of ourselves when we support someone after a loss.
No prior knowledge or experience is needed. All you need is a readiness for attentive conversation and a willingness to better understand what people go through after a loss.
The meeting will be held in Polish. Registrations for the event via the website Activity Zone
Participation is free. The meeting is organised as part of the Inkubator Pomysłów (Incubator of Ideas), funded by the European Funds for Social Development programme.
Important: this is not therapy or crisis intervention. It is a psychoeducational and workshop-based meeting that may help participants better understand the grieving process and support people after a loss with greater attentiveness.
The meeting will be facilitated by:
The greatest support is not about finding answers. It is about a calm, kind presence ♥