Welcome to Your Community
with people who get you, see you, understand you, support you.
The original program since 2014
“I felt really heard for the first time. I’ve been to many support groups but this is the first time it felt like I wasn’t being judged.””
“In the midst of my grief, I was held with grace, understanding and kindness. I could not recommend Yasemin enough.””
All Rights Reserved ©2014
Grief is often an isolating, painful and confusing process.
Tend Your Grief in Supportive Community
Feel less lonely and separate in your experience
Share and Connect with others
Be in a spiritual community that is inclusive
Be in a space with others having similar experiences
Lean into supportive practices for healing while honoring your grief
Find the space and room to feel less sad
for your kind of grief
There is the general sense of grief. And there are the unique elements for different kinds of grief. We connect them in a way that will be meaningful for you.
Upcoming Groups
Widows Grief Circle and Support Group
12-weekly live online meetings
April 13 - Jun 29, 2024
Saturdays 11am - 12:30pm EST USA
$300 (this comes to $25 per session)
Other Affinity Groups, listed below:
Widows Bereaved Spouses & Partners
Bereaved Parents
Aging
Wisdom Circle
from Coping to Resilience, Growth and Transformation
Welcome to our online grief support group, where you'll find a safe space to navigate your healing journey. Be in a compassionate community while meeting the complexities of grief. Through expert guidance, you will gain tools and resources to cultivate mindfulness and embark on a path of healing.
Being in community of people who have similar experiences is different. It is supportive in ways that may not be possible by simply relying on family and friends. Those who have similar grief experiences get each other. Being in a grief support group with gentle and expert guidance can make a huge difference in what you get out of being in the group.
Mindful Grief Circles© is a uniquely designed support group, healing circle and community space, founded on grief research, time tested experience leading and perfecting the program, personal experiences, mind-heart-presence practices supported by neuroscience. We focus on a healing and supportive community where sharing and embodied mind-heart reflections merge for the sacred purpose: to accompany grief in the most supportive way.
Testimonials
What some of the past participants shared
What to Expect:
You will have the Opportunities to Participate in Activities*:
o Approach: We bring intention and attention to focusing on not only the suffering but also the hopes and contributions towards healing as a community.
o Goals and Intentions: During our time together, we bring up the personal and collective grief that we are experiencing freely. We do this an open, respectful, loving and kind setting. Our goals and intentions include turning towards our griefs; reflecting and talking freely and as a community about
o Methods: Include but are not limited to working with grief through contemplative, mindful and compassionate approaches
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Benefits of the Community
o Expert Guidance that is grief and trauma sensitive
o Opportunities for inquiring about topics around grief and loss that are not always possible in your daily interactions with others
o Deeper dive understanding the nature of (your) grief and working with challenges
o Be Heard and Seen as you need, as we allow voices, including yours, in the grief circle/support group to be heard
o Connect: with each other during the program. Participants often form long term bonds.
o Support and Hold Space for each other
About the Support Groups
o Attend to your grief in a community that aligns with your grief experience:
o Turning towards your grief for healing, in supportive ways, with expert guidance and in community.
o We have communities created out of similar experiences and sensitivities to the nature of loss.
o Communities include bereaved partners, bereaved parents & family members, living with a life altering illness and/or caregiving, significant losses, and collective grief.
The support group gatherings take place Live Online.
You will Learn Techniques for
o relaxation and calm
o working with difficult emotions
o fostering supportive communications for your needs
o grief sensitive meditations
You will have the Opportunities to Participate in Activities*:
o Sharing in a safe space
o Guided meditations and mind-body-heart awareness practices
o Reflecting
o Journaling
o Mindful movement
*as much or as little as you choose
In between the meetings:
o You will have access to recorded guided meditations and reflective exercises. You will decide on how much to practice.
o You can have direct access to your grief guide, circle keeper, and facilitator.
©2014
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Less occasionally, we have specific cohorts for the following groups. If you would like to join a dedicated support group for any of these, please feel free to email info@griefcircles.com with your interest or fill out the request form below. You can also request a private support group for your organization or members.
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Other grief and loss due to death of a loved one
Aging
Caregiving (for loved ones)
Caregiving (professionally)
Living with Illness
Eco/Environmental grief
Collective Grief
Other
Who can join? “Is this for me?”
o All those experiencing grief and loss are welcome to the support groups and grief circles.
o All beliefs are welcome. We welcome all points of views, respectfully.
o Minimum age requirement is 17 in the group. *
What if you wish to share this with your organization or community?
A support group can be created only for the members of your organization or community. Many non-profits, for example those serving a particular illness, or particular group of bereaved members, choose to start a new Grief Circle with me for their group. Please scroll to the bottom of this page to fill out your request form to start discussing together how best to support your community.
Your host and guide:
Yasemin Isler is circle keeper, grief guide, certified integrative thanatologist and end-of-life doula, full time core faculty in Lesley University’s Mindfulness Studies graduate program, senior teacher at Harvard Medical School Center for Mindfulness and Compassion, certified teacher in numerous mindfulness programs, mindfulness and meditation teacher trainer and mentor, personal life and transformation coach, hospice volunteer, speaker and writer. Her research and work are interdisciplinary including focus on grief, resilience, growth, transformation, and stress response.
A widow herself, she started her MCCG™ program in 2014 in response to the unaddressed needs of many griefs. She has since supported thousands of grieving individuals including parents, spouses, caregivers, those living with debilitating illnesses, and individuals and communities experiencing other adversities and losses.
A few more things about this program
Our grief circle is not a conventional support group or talk therapy session. We spend time equally on sharing what’s here, reflecting, inquiring together, turning inwardly, practicing to be in the present moment.
We start with the foundation that nobody is broken or needs fixing. We trust in the inner resources and wisdom to come through. We are here to support our grief, be open to healing and learning what needs to be learned, unique to each person.
We do not focus on giving advice, unless it is directly asked and is called for.
It is rooted in the MCCG program.
During these grief circle/virtual support group sessions, we balance sharing and learning new skills. The meetings are more informal and less structured than the MCCG courses. If you are interested in a structured course, please visit our MCCG course page. You can sign up for both to get different benefits and experiences.
All beliefs are welcome. We welcome all points of views, respectfully. No prior experience with mindfulness is required.
Not to be duplicated or copied in content or concept, in whole or part, without permission.
All Rights Reserved ©2014 -
“It was a revelation to open up to more than where I was stuck. The practices were very supportive.””
“This is my journey. I will do it my way. But I am so grateful to have found a safe space to be who and what I am.””
“I feel hope that healing is possible. AND, I feel validated that I can have all the scary grief feelings.””
“A true gift.””
“I felt cared for.””
“It is not easy to accept these feelings, let alone share with friends or colleagues. I needed this to be whole again. I am learning to ‘befriend’ my grief.””
“I look forward to each meeting to connect back with my community.””
Join the Upcoming Grief Support Groups & Grief Circles
For your Community
Would you like a one-time or series of grief circles for your community or organization?
Schedule a support group for your community or organization:
Sign up with your email address to receive news and updates.
Grief and Trauma informed - Grief and Trauma Sensitive - Grief and Trauma Aware