Expressive Arts retreat focuses on rebuilding lives after loss

March 22, 2016 (East Lyme, CT) – Life after Loss: An Expressive Arts Retreat, is being presented by Act II Publications of East Lyme. The retreat is expected to bring people together who have experienced significant loss in their lives, offering creative experiences to explore grief, and to break open opportunities for healing. The program offerings will include Sacred Source Painting, candle and book making, Writing to Heal the Heart, round table discussions, a memorial celebration, hiking, and S’mores around a campfire.

The event is being held Friday through Sunday, April 22-24, with a registration deadline of April 4th, at the Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe, Vermont. Participants will have full use of facilities such as pool, hot tub, hiking trails and sauna while enjoying European – style accommodations and world class dining. Child care, with guided therapeutic activities, will be available.

“This will be a relaxing opportunity to really unwind, and connect with like-minded souls in a safe, non-judgmental environment,” said Chaffee. “Folks can choose to participate in program offerings as much or as little as they choose, creating a good balance of time alone and time together. It will be a weekend of creative self-expression, conversation, reflection, and just being.”

The program is being facilitated by Patricia Ann Chaffee, Community Minister at Niantic Community Church; Marlissa Mills, Coordinator of Bereavement and Family Support Services, Connecticut Hospice; Dr. Joanne Moore, author of After the Loss of a Spouse: What's Next?, a speaker on end of life issues, and publisher of Pathfinder: A Companion Guide for the Widow/er’s Journey, an online resource for those who are rebuilding their lives after loss; and Prin Van Gulden, a Vermont based farmer and fiber artist with a passion for traditional and land based crafts.

“The Trapp Family Lodge provides a luxurious environment for reflection and rejuvenation for people who are grieving, while compassion and comfort are offered with each new friendship,” said Moore. “Expressive arts, honors the memory of our loved ones, and helps us see a way to a new life path.”

Registration of $525 for the weekend includes two nights accommodations, per person, double occupancy, breakfast each day, and dinner on Saturday. Single rooms are available for an additional $140. For more information or to register, visit www.Pathfindermag.com or contact jmoore@widowedpathfinder.com or 860/448-5149.

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