Speaking Grief

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Speaking Grief

Grief is an experience for which there is no cheat sheet—no one-size fits all approach. How do you help people become more comfortable with this experience without being able to tell them exactly what to do when they encounter it? While there is no clear-cut answer, it starts with acknowledging that grief exists. And, it’s hard. It’s hard to go through. It’s hard to respond to.

Local experts will share insights and resources to help those who lost loved ones

Resources From:

Fernside

The Community

Companions on
a Journey

Speaking Grief
Website

Jan Borgman

Bereavement Specialist and Certified Celebrant

See MoreJan Borgman, MSW, LISW-S, FT is a Bereavement Specialist and Certified Celebrant. She is a Licensed Independent Social Worker and a Fellow in Thanatology. Jan has been specializing in the provision of bereavement services for over 25 years, providing individual, family and group counseling as well as facilitating groups for those dealing with issues of grief and loss. She is a frequent presenter for local, regional and national organizations and has presented at national conferences for the Association for Death Education and Counseling (ADEC); National Alliance for Grieving Children, (NAGC); The International Death, Grief and Bereavement Conference, the Association for Oncology Social Workers (AOSW); and for the Society for Social Work Leaders in Health Care (SSWLHC).

Jan is the co-founder and facilitator of the GriefWork Network, a gathering of bereavement professionals who have been meeting monthly for the past 24 years. She co-authored a research article that was published in Omega, Journal of Death and Dying, has written three Care Notes, published by Abby Press and has had several articles published in Grief Digest. She has had the privilege of being a member of the Board of Trustees for the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science for the past 10 years.

Neil Fogarty

Dodds Memorials

See MoreNeil Fogarty is a third-generation memorialist and currently President of Dodds Memorials. Neil has over 30 years’ experience in the memorial industry, working from the production area as a teenager, through every phase of the business. Neil graduated from Miami University in 1995 and married his college sweetheart, Kerry. They have 3 children, Caleb; Ellie; Aliya, and live in Troy, Ohio.

Neil is credited with several industry awards including the Monument Builders of North America’s Aspire Award in 2014, 2019 and the 2020 Cremation Memorial Design of the Year. Neil also teaches a 2-hour seminar at Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science on the importance of memorialization in the grieving process. Neil is an active member of the Xenia Rotary Club, Troy First United Methodist Church, and is the Troy FUMC Church Camp Director. Dodds Memorials is a 157-year-old company dedicated to creating lasting visions of love for caring families.

Sheila Munafo-Kanoza

Companions on a Journey

See MoreSheila Munafo-Kanoza acutely knows the heartache associated with loss. At the age of 37, she lost her husband, Vince, following his 10-year battle with cancer. His death shattered her whole world. As she picked up the pieces, Sheila realized that beauty could come from brokenness.

Hope, strength, and healing can be found by being vulnerable with others about the struggles and joys you experience after the death of a loved one.

While praying about what God wanted her to do with the rest of her life, Sheila heard the words “one day you will have a bereavement center.” Searching through the dictionary, she found that the word “bereaved” meant “to be robbed.” This resonated with Sheila…she truly felt robbed. Companions on a Journey Grief Support Services was founded in 1997. Twenty-four years later, her passion for walking alongside others in their grief journey has only grown. She holds numerous certifications, is an instructor, and nationally published author in Bereavement Education and Support.

Her education includes Miami University, American Academy of Bereavement – Nationally Trained/Certified Bereavement Facilitator, Nationally Trained Advanced Bereavement Facilitator who trained and worked with specialists and families after the Oklahoma City Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building bombing and in New York City after 9/11. She is a commissioned trainer for the National Catholic Ministry to the Bereaved; Nationally Trained Facilitator through the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention for adults, children and teens, and a Certified QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) Gate Keeper Instructor. She is a member of the Association of Death Education and Counseling, The National Alliance for Grieving Children, The American Academy of Bereavement and Grief Works, the Butler County Suicide Prevention Coalition, The Partnership for Mental Health, Inc and The Association of Suicidology.

Sheila is part of the SERA (Suicide Education, Research & Advocacy) Collaborative Development team with Cincinnati Children’s Hospital for her pioneering work in the field of postvention to suicide and has been a keynote speaker for
several mental health organizations to assist in the prevention and postvention of suicide. She has been recognized for her work with several awards which include: Women of the Year Award; Athena Award Finalist; Woman of Excellence; West Chester Chamber GBI award for outreach work to the community & Moeller Founder’s
Day Award.

Sally Ries

Fernside

See MoreSally Ries is a Program Coordinator at Fernside: A Center for Grieving Children, the nation’s second oldest children’s grief center and a national leader in providing grief support services and outreach and education to the community and families. Fernside is an affiliate of Hospice of Cincinnati and provides all services free of charge with the help of generous donors who support our mission.

Sally is a Cincinnati native and graduated from Xavier University. She joined the Fernside staff in 2010 after having volunteered for three years. As an alum of the program, Sally feels a special connection to Fernside. She and her husband, Jim, and daughter Grace (then eight years old) participated in our Evening Program following the death of their four-year old son, Charley. Sally also represents Fernside on Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center’s End of Life Care Committee.

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