Speaking to Grief

Speaking to Grief

What to Say, How to Listen, and When Simply to Be There

Sunday, August 30 following the 9:30am Worship Service in the CLC

Please join us for a special presentation by Joanne Cooper, RN, BSN, M.Ac, a Clinical Liaison with Journey Hospice and Palliative Care. Pastries will be served.

Supporting someone who is grieving can feel difficult, especially when we are afraid of saying the wrong thing. Drawing from brain-based research and lessons from hospice and palliative care, this compassionate presentation explores how grief affects the mind and body, why some well-intended responses can be unhelpful, and what grieving people often need most.

Participants will learn practical language, compassionate listening skills, and meaningful ways to offer a steady, supportive presence after a loss. The program also recognizes that grief is deeply personal and may involve emotional, physical, social, and spiritual needs.

The presentation is educational and welcoming to people of all backgrounds and beliefs. In a church setting, it can also explore how faith communities can support grieving individuals and families with sensitivity, patience, and compassionate presence.

About Joanne:

Joanne Cooper is a registered nurse and Clinical Liaison with Journey Hospice & Palliative Care of Downingtown. Her professional background includes hospice and palliative care, ICU nursing, acupuncture, grief coaching, and facilitating grief-support circles. In 2009, she served on Pennsylvania’s Pediatric Palliative Care Task Force.

Joanne also brings the personal perspective of a bereaved parent. Her combined professional and lived experience informs a warm, practical approach that helps people feel more comfortable supporting others through loss while also recognizing and honoring their own grief.

If you have any questions, please contact the church office: office@stmatthews-church.org