Two leading grief experts and authors – Marisa Renee Lee and Claire Bidwell Smith – offer steps we can take to move from grief avoidance towards grief acceptance. In addition, they will share insights into how the process of writing was a tool to process their own losses.

Following their discussion, we invite you to join small peer-led breakout room sessions guided by the following prompts:

- How are you staying present and taking care of yourself as you navigate the shock and upheaval of a new loss?⁣
- What steps can you take to carry your grief with intention in order to continue to grow, heal, and thrive?

[These prompts relate to two stages in the Conscious Grieving framework developed by Claire Bidwell Smith.]

Marisa Renee Lee is a called-upon grief advocate, entrepreneur, and bestselling author of Grief is Love. Deemed "the friend we all wish we had in times of need" by Elaine Welteroth, Marisa is able to utilize research-based advice and wisdom to help others navigate the complicated and dark emotions we face when experiencing loss, offering unique insights for women and Black communities.

In addition to her work in the grief space, Lee is a former appointee in the Obama White House and CEO of Beacon Advisors, a mission-driven consulting firm primarily focused on racial equity. She is a rabble-rouser of social healing: former managing director of My Brother's Keeper Alliance; co-founder of the digital platform Supportal; and founder of The Pink Agenda, a national organization dedicated to raising money for breast cancer care, research, and awareness.

Lee also regularly contributes to Glamour, Vogue, the Atlantic, MSNBC, and CNN and serves as an expert for Ritual's well-being app. She is a Harvard graduate and an avid home cook. Marisa lives in upstate New York with her husband, Matt, their son Bennett, and their dog, Sadie.

https://www.marisareneelee.com/

@marisareneelee

Recognized as one of today’s foremost experts on grief, Claire Bidwell Smith is a licensed therapist, international speaker, and the author of five books published in 22 countries. Led by her own experience in grief and fueled by her work in hospice and private practice, Claire strives to provide support for all kinds of people experiencing all kinds of loss. Claire has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, NPR, MSNBC, CNN, Scientific American, Goop, Oprah and many more outlets. Her most recent books Anxiety: The Missing Stage of Grief and Conscious Grieving have provided groundbreaking and transformative approaches to the process of grief.

www.clairebidwellsmith.com

@clairebidwellsmith