Virtual Military Survivor Seminar

While we are all facing these unexpected adjustments to our daily lives, one constant remains — the love and support of your TAPS family. That is why we’re bringing our seminar right to you. We have a variety of dynamic sessions available online throughout the weekend at no cost, with all of the resources, care and love we can offer, coming to you in the comfort of your home. 

Our session presenters are leading experts in the field of grief and loss, and you will have the opportunity to gain tools and resources for your grief journey. We will have an exciting program of virtual workshops, care groups, and family programming.

Session Descriptions and Schedules

Friday, August 21, 2020

• 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Eastern

  Separate Share Group Sessions for:
  › Spouses, Ex-Spouses, Fiances, Significant Others with Children
  › Parents
  › Siblings & Adult Children
  › Spouses, Ex-Spouses, Fiances, Significant Others without Children
  › All Relations
  
  Share groups offer an opportunity to share your own story, experiences, and feelings while listening to others who have a similar story and relationship with their service member. They're structured by relationship, circumstance, or sometimes both. TAPS offers a wide range of groups with something for every survivor.

  Please review: Share Group Guidelines for Participants

• 9:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. Eastern

  We Downshift: Meditative Movement for a Restful Evening  – Emily Muñoz
  Friday evening Downshift is a way to unwind and relax in the safe space created by your TAPS family. Accessible for all bodies and levels, this is non-fitness based movement and mindfulness to help calm and soothe body and mind. Options will be offered to ensure that everyone feels comfortable and supported - chairs encouraged, mats warmly welcomed, breaks available as you need them. Breathe deeply and relax fully with us - all you need is a a space to sit or stand, with something comfortable on which to sit or kneel, and an openness to learning how we can self-soothe and reconnect.

Saturday, August 22

• 2:00 p.m. - 2:45 p.m. Eastern

  Opening Session  – Bonnie Carroll | Ken Doka
  Please join TAPS President and Founder Bonnie Carroll in welcoming our special guest and keynote speaker, TAPS Advisory Board Member, Dr. Ken Doka.

• 3:00 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. Eastern

  Finding Peace One Piece at a Time  – Rachel Kodanaz
   Personal possessions tell a beautiful story of a person's life. This workshop offers a practical approach to sorting, thinning and repurposing our loved one's belongings. Whether you have no idea where to begin or you are pondering a few items, this workshop is for you. Join us for a session learning the Ten Essentials and the power of The Magic of Six Piles of caring and sharing of your loved one's private and personal belongings, including clothes, workrooms, digital material, collections, and more. Our loved one's possessions embody memories that should be saved, shared, and treasured in the hands of those who want to forever be connected.

• 4:00 p.m. – 4:45 p.m. Eastern

  Goals, Grief and How things Change  – Renee Monczynski
  Often we find ourselves setting big goals that match our beautiful, broad, imaginative dreams. In this session, we will learn how to set realistic goals, to give ourselves credit for the small wins, to reset after lessons learned, and to achieve those wonderful dreams in realistic expectations.

• 5:00 p.m. – 5:45 p.m. Eastern

  Finding Joy on the Trail of Grief  – Rachel Hunsell
  It's easy and natural to focus on the blisters, bruises, missteps and mountains we encounter on the trail of grief. It's in your face, the rub on the back of your heel and the longing for those we've loved and lost. In this session, we'll acknowledge the real challenges we experience along the trail and uncover the joy that hides in the present moment, with tangible ways to access it.

• 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Eastern

  What's Next? Your Way Forward - Bonnie Carroll | Ken Doka | Audri Beugelsdijk | Rachel Kodanaz | Rachel Hunsell | Renee Monczynski
  Following the seminar sessions we invite you to participate in an open forum discussion with Bonnie Carroll and our seminar presenters. If you have questions that were not answered or if you would like to spend more time with your TAPS family please join us for this session.

All sessions other than sharing groups/sessions will be recorded, so if you cannot attend a session, it will be available at taps.org for you to experience at a later time.