Creative Bereavement Drop-in Sessions
Switchboard’s LGBTQIA+ Suicide Bereavement Program is hosting a series of creative bereavement sessions where participants will connect with loss after a suicide by participating in expressive exploration. When we experience grief, we feel big emotions, creativity and movement. Creative expression can allow us to understand our experiences differently, help us in our relationship to grief, and assist with connecting to our feelings and experiences that can feel beyond words.
All sessions will be held online via Zoom. We will aim to hold these sessions every 2 months; our first session for 2024 will be in February.
Please register and leave your details for a call back to discuss your interest in attending.
One of our staff will be in touch to discuss with you what it might be like for you to attend this session or explore other support options.
Session 3
Date: Thursday 15 February
Time: 7.00pm - 9.00pm AEDT
Facilitator
Frankie Hanman-Siegersma (they/them) is a descendent of Dutch, British and Irish settlers, living on Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung country in Narrm. Frankie is a narrative therapy practitioner. They work within community-led LGBTIQ+ suicide justice at Aftercare, and with folks whose lives have been shaped by the effects of ‘mental illness’. Frankie is interested in the movement away from neoliberal, individualistic therapy towards justice-doing responses based in cultural and community practices. They enjoy facilitating opportunities for ritual, poetry, music, pop culture in their work alongside community members.
Activity
Frankie will be guiding participants through a series of practices belonging to a body of knowledge called ‘Re-membering’ conversations. Re-membering is shaped by the idea that identity is founded upon a multitude of people, places, and events from the past, present, and future, rather than on a core self. Re-membering conversations in the context of grief and loss ask us to connect with the precious values, beliefs, and hopes of our loved one, and how we might be keeping these close to us in our lives. Participants are invited to bring along any materials in which to respond to prompts and questions. This might include pencils, paints, movement of some kind, or a notepad and pen. There will be diverse ways to participate depending on what feels good on the day.
Registration
Places are limited so please let us know as soon as you can if you would like to come along, we will do our best to accommodate for everyone.
If you'd like to join other LGBTQIA+ people who have lost someone to suicide and be involved in these creative series, please register via this event. One of our team will then get in contact with you to speak to you further about your interest in coming along.
If you have any questions about the event before you'd like to register please reach out: 0437 918 239 or via email: bereavement@switchboard.org.au
Need materials?
Reimbursement is available for art supplies for each session.
Bereavement Support
Switchboard also hold LGBTQIA+ Suicide Bereavement Support Groups. If you'd like to speak with one of our bereavement team about coming along, or had any questions about the groups, please get in touch. You can contact the team via phone 0437 918 239 or via email: bereavement@switchboard.org.au