In sexual health and harm reduction, grief is woven into our daily work. We experience it, we witness it, and we walk alongside our communities as they navigate it. We strive to offer compassion and care to others—but how often do we pause to offer the same to ourselves?
This virtual series explores how grief shows up in our lives and workplaces. We’ll look at how we can respond to it, and how to find hope in the process. Whether your role is direct support, education, management, advocacy, or caregiving, understanding grief is part of the landscape of what we do.
Across three sessions, we will learn about grief from complementary angles: the personal and systemic forces that shape it, the consequences of untended grief, and creative, embodied practices that help us live and move through it.
Everyone has different experiences with grief and we are purposely shaping sessions to explore information and tools together. We’ve scheduled the series with time in between events so participants can reflect and integrate what comes up. We think that you’ll get the most out of the series if you attend all three sessions, but it’s not required. One registration will give you access to all three.
Join us October 30, November 6, and November 27. See details of each session below.
This series will support:
• frontline workers and helping professionals
• grief group facilitators
• program planners
• caregivers
• administrators
The Fertile Ground of Grief: Shame, Silence, and the Alchemy of Sorrow |
October 30, 2025 | 9 AM–12:30 PM Pacific time
Presenters: Carlene Dingwall and Karyn Henkel
This opening session explores the internal and systemic forces that keep us from engaging in grief work. Together, we’ll consider what happens when grief has no place to go, and how mourning can open the door to deeper connection with ourselves and others. With resources, guided conversation, and practical tools, Carlene and Karyn will share approaches for integrating grief work into both personal and professional life. As longtime collaborators and counselors, they bring deep experience in supporting groups navigating disconnection and destabilization.
When Grief Comes to Work |
Thursday November 6, 2025 | 9 AM–12:30 Pacific time
Presenters: Yvette Perreault and Cathy Walker
Yvette Perreault and Cathy Walker of Good Grief Care bring decades of experience supporting groups through transitions, losses, and critical events. Originally developed during the HIV/AIDS epidemic, Yvette’s When Grief Comes to Work has since expanded to include harm reduction, street-level health care, intimate partner violence, and other frontline contexts. This session will address the complexities of traumatic loss and explore ways organizations can acknowledge and respond to grief within their systems and cultures.
Handiwork: Making Peace with Grief |
Thursday November 27, 2025 | 9 AM–12:30 Pacific time
Presenter: Carlene Dingwall
In this closing session, we will return to themes from earlier workshops and explore creative, hands-on ways of working with grief that does not stifle the voice of injustice. Through simple arts-based practices, we’ll discover and remember ways how making with our hands can open up space for reflection, renewal and connection.
Together we will reflect on what has surfaced across the series, explore unfinished conversations and experiment with practices that help transform grief into connection and meaning.
Please read before you register:
In registering for this free learning event:
– You agree to honour PAN’s Group Guidelines and Responsibilities.
– You agree to complete an evaluation
Media Release: In registering to take part in this event, you acknowledge that PAN may record this event and that your name, image and voice may be recorded. We will provide instructions on how to change your name onscreen, but can’t guarantee your privacy. In registering, you give PAN the right and authority to use your name, voice, and image if applicable.
After registration you should receive a confirmation email that will come from Zoom. Save the confirmation email to access webinar. Email [email protected] if this does not arrive.
For additional learning options, visit our library of on-demand webinars.
We greatly appreciate the vision of our government funders and their ongoing commitment to supporting the work of PAN. In particular we gratefully acknowledge the Public Health Agency of Canada – HIV and Hepatitis C Community Action Fund. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the views of the Public Health Agency of Canada.