Voices of Grief: Honoring the Sacred Journey
I purchased the rights to introduce the film, Voices of Grief, to Indianapolis-area audiences in the hopes of supporting its clear message: to restore compassion, forgiveness, and loving kindness for the journey of grief. Additionally, the filmmakers bring greater clarity to the importance of ritual and ceremony, and the inclusion of art and music for healing grief, honoring loss, and building resilience.
Voices of Grief was created over a period of eight years while the filmmakers gathered people and stories from various grief groups. Executive Producer Kathy Sparnins’ vision was to weave together these real stories with some of the renowned teachers on the subject of grief. She felt they needed seasoned voices as a kind of “blessing” for change. Voices of Grief offers new energy to community conversations around how we can begin to honor the process of grief, mourning, and remembering, rather than “burying it in an unmarked grave” (Thomas Lynch, one of the film interviewees).
Experts in the film include Paula D’Arcy, Rabbi Harold Kushner, David Kessler, Marianne Williamson, Dr. Alan Wolfelt, and, as mentioned, Thomas Lynch. The film has received a number of awards from film festivals and was featured in the recent National Funeral Directors Association International Convention & Expo, as well as the American Psychological Association Convention. In June 2018, it was featured in the American Funeral Director Magazine (a copy can be provided to you if you wish to review it). The film is available at no cost, and I provide facilitation of a group discussion for an honorarium of $75.
Here is a sample of ways that the film can be used:
Hospices, Hospitals and Health Care Facilities Training: The film can be used for staff awareness/sensitivity training, as well as professional staff training of lay ministers, such as Stephen’s Ministers, and hospice personnel. It can be used as a fundraising event.
Caregiver Family Support Organizations and Funeral Homes: Voices of Grief can be used to provide support and aftercare of grieving families.
Community Service Offered by Schools, Colleges, and Universities: It can be shown as part of a film night sponsored by an organization as a free event/service to the community.
Holiday Presentation by Social Service Organizations: As a holiday grief presentation, the film can be a significant resource to be shown in concert with a speaker and a musical choir.
Trauma Support: The film has been used as a central grief presentation on trauma after a shooting in the community where an organization brought in a trauma counselor specialist to help support the community in its grief.
Community Partnership: As a collaborative tool, organizations of many types can invite a community partner to facilitate a joint program or event, and offer guided conversations with audiences after the film, led by a Celebrant trained in end-of-life issues, a grief therapist, a minister, or a life coach. (I am a life coach, Certified Life Cycle Celebrant, and bereavement counselor.)
If you have an interest in showing or viewing the film, please contact me at elaine@elainevoci.com and let’s talk!
