Southern Regional Military Survivor Seminar and Good Grief Camp

Getting Connected to the Seminar

The TAPS app allows you to stay organized at seminars and find pertinent workshop information with the click of a button. You will be able to receive real-time notifications from TAPS and save any sessions that you want to attend to your own calendar. While the app is Seminar-focused, most TAPS services are available through the TAPS app, as well.

Virtual Workshop Access: Those who registered for the virtual workshops will receive an email with the virtual workshop information.

Download and install the TAPS App on your device using the button links or QR code below. If you have any questions or need further assistance, contact appsupport@taps.org.

SCHEDULE AND SESSIONS

7:00 p.m. — Pre-event What to Expect, Your Seminar Questions Answered
Attending in person? Please join us for a pre-event Zoom meeting to talk about what to expect at a regional seminar. We will also review safety and health standards that will be in place for our Regional Seminar. We will discuss hotel check-in, registration, meals, mask requirements and many other details that have been taken care of for us to gather safely in-person.

• 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. - Peer Mentor Training

• 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. - Family Registrationn

• 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. - Family Dinner

• 5:45 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. - Good Grief Camp Zone (Grades K - 12)

• 6:15 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. - First Time Attendee and Peer Mentor Gatherings

• 7:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

  Dessert Sharing Group Sessions for
  Accident Loss
  Illness Loss
  Suicide Loss
  Combat Loss
  Homicide Loss
  (designated areas will have signage indicating type of loss)

• 8:45 p.m.

  Young Adult and Legacy Mentor Gathering

• 7:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. - Family Breakfast
  There will be areas reserved for a Men's Only social.

• 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. - Family Registration

• 8:45 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. - Good Grief Camp

• 9:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. - Opening Session with Bonnie Carroll and Dr. Frank Campbell

• 10:15 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. - Workshops and Sessions

  How to Grief Like a Man (Men Only) – Dr. Frank Campbell
  In this interactive workshop, we will discuss the ways men may reveal their grief and share our experiences. Our goal will be understanding and insight, not changing the way others grieve. This is an ideal workshop for men in attendance who may be dating a survivor, as well as for men who are actively grieving the loss of a loved one.

  Calming the Storm, Coping with Anger - Audri Beugelsdijk
  Grief brings out a whole host of emotions. Sometimes they almost seem to be coming simultaneously, while other times they can feel so cyclical that it leaves us feeling exhausted. One of the most difficult emotions to cope with is anger. This session will be a safe space to explore the experience of anger in our grief while developing some specific tools we can use to reframe and manage this and other difficult emotions.

  Communicating and Connecting with Your Children and Teenagers – Andy McNiel
  Children and teenagers struggle with many difficult and unsettling emotions after the death of someone in their lives. These emotions include anger, guilt, sorrow and shame, among others. Reactions and emotions like these can be particularly intense for teens. Parents and caregivers want to do everything they can to help, but are not always sure about the best ways to support their kids. This presentation will cover practical ways that you can help your child or teen after the death of someone close, including how to cope with grief reactions and family dynamics.
  This session will be offered virtually.

• 11:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

  Lunch Buffet and Peer Group Sessions for
  Spouses and Significant Others
  Siblings and Adult Children
  Battle Buddies, Friends and Extended Family
  Parents and Grandparents
  (designated areas will have signage indicating type of relationship)

• 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. - Workshops and Sessions

  Caring for Yourself and Others After Loss – Michelle Knuppe
  Grief leaves us with a number of responsibilities. We are forced to care differently - some tasks fall away and many new tasks fall on us. We might become the primary caregiver for children or other family members. After years of monitoring someone else’s mental and physical health, it may be time to prioritize our own well-being. We may have to learn to manage unfamiliar tasks and have trouble investing in things that used to feel good. Whether you’ve had to learn about health care advocacy, lawn care, self care, or anything else, this is an interactive session, designed to engage participants to consider what they are learning about the challenges of taking care of ourselves and others after loss.

  Healing in Nature  - Jason Stout
  Finding serenity in the outdoors is nothing new. Human beings have been connected to forests, rivers, oceans, and deserts as long as we’ve been walking the earth. It’s only recently in human history that our culture has withdrawn in masses from spending time in nature and replaced it with time spent in a fabricated world where we are bombarded with constant stimuli that deprives us of our well-being. Join us for some inspiring stories and explore the many benefits of spending time outdoors while we move towards establishing a deeper connection to nature and its healing power.
  This session will be offered virtually.

  Coping When Memories Hurt - Audri Beugelsdijk
  We don’t ever want to forget our loved ones and memories can bring both joy and pain. Sometimes we push memories away because we can’t experience them without an upwelling of emotion that is difficult to cope with. We will explore coping techniques, including how linking positive memories with negative experiences can help us navigate our grief and remember even when it hurts.
  This session will be offered virtually.

• 3:15 p.m. - 4:45 p.m. - Workshops and Sessions

  Is My Loss Traumatic? – Dr. Frank Campbell
  Traumatic grief has characteristics different from the more traditional grief associated with death. Dr. Frank Campbell will describe elements that stand out when experiencing traumatic grief that compromise the activities of daily living and impact sleep, physical health and overall well-being. When assumed to be characteristics of “normal” grief many find processing their loss overwhelming resulting in a more difficult grief journey. Participants attending are encouraged to ask questions or share personal experiences they are coping with to gain insights and practical solutions that have helped others cope more effectively.

  Power of Connection  - Jason Stout
  The feelings that come with death loss can have us feeling alone and disconnected from others when what we need for our healing is the opposite. Add that we live in a grief and pain avoidant culture where we run from uncomfortable conversations at the expense of our individual and collective well-being. Please join us for this hands-on, experiential, group activity where participants have the opportunity to move past these constructs and get back to the most powerful medicine of all...human connection.

  Creating Meaning from Loss - Audri Beugelsdijk
  Dr. Bob Neimeyer says that loss “requires us to reconstruct a world that again ‘makes sense,’ that restores a semblance of meaning, direction, and interpretability to a life that is forever transformed.” We will discuss what it means to flourish in spite of and through our grief. Participants will have opportunities to share personal observations about how meaning making has played a role in their grief journey.

• 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. - Family Dinner

• 7:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. - Family Breakfast
  There will be areas reserved for a Men's Only social.

• 8:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. - Good Grief Camp

• 9:00 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. - Workshops and Sessions

  Grief Can do THAT? – Dr. Frank Campbell
  This workshop is designed to describe many of the confusing ways grief will impact individuals and families. Our time together will also include opportunities to ask questions or present concerns from those attending. Descriptions of how Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) are impacted and how vital self-care is for management of grief.

  God Winks  – Bonnie Carroll
  Some people call them “God Winks,” some call them signs, messages or after-death communication. No matter what we call them, signs from our loved ones can be very present in our lives. Stories and experiences of the presence of our loved ones will be discussed in this open-minded and intimate sharing session.
  

  Spirituality and Grief: A Conversation About Faith and Belief After Loss – Andy McNiel
  Faith, belief, and spirituality play a vital role in the lives of many of us after someone in our life dies. Many of us find strength through our faith as we journey through grief. While others of us may find faith to be difficult in the aftermath of loss. Spirituality can have complicated ebbs and flows as we navigate the many challenges that grief brings to our lives. Join us for this interactive session on spirituality and grief. We will discuss how our faith has brought us strength, how our faith may have been challenged by loss, and ways our grief may have impacted deeply held beliefs.

• 10:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. - Workshops and Sessions

  Remember the Dash – Dr. Frank Campbell
  Headstones often note the date of birth and date of death and between those dates is a dash that is intended to mark the lifeline of that individual. Clearly for so many the date of death is the focus especially when it is sudden and traumatic. Traumatic death has often eclipses the life (the dash) of the individual who has died and their life should not be erased by a manner of death. Most of us know famous and historical people not by a diagnosis or manner of death but by what they accomplished while they were alive. This presentation will address the value of finding the memories represented by the dash.
  

  God Winks  – Bonnie Carroll
  Some people call them “God Winks,” some call them signs, messages or after-death communication. No matter what we call them, signs from our loved ones can be very present in our lives. Stories and experiences of the presence of our loved ones will be discussed in this open-minded and intimate sharing session.
  

  Managing Difficult Emotions – Andy McNiel
  It is common for many of us to struggle with many difficult emotions after a person in our life dies, including, but not limited to anger, guilt, and regret. We may feel a sense of responsibility for the circumstances leading up to a person’s death. We might regret missed opportunities as we think back on our relationship with our person. We may have intense anger associated with aspects of their death or issues related to our relationship with them. Whatever it is that might influence these feelings, difficult emotions can be challenging to navigate. This interactive session will take a closer look at some of these emotions and offer ideas for managing the impact they have on our lives after loss.

• 12:30 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. - Closing Session with Bonnie Carroll and Dr. Frank Campbell

• 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. - Family Lunch

SEMINAR FEES

There are no registration fees for our regional seminars. Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, TAPS provides lodging, all meals, materials, activities and T-shirts at no cost to you.

LODGING AND TRANSPORTATION

8/15/2023: Lodging is full and in-person registration is closed.  

Lodging is provided at the Marriott Riverwalk for those traveling more than 30 minutes to the event. Please request your lodging in your registration form and specify how many nights you’ll be staying. TAPS covers the cost of the lodging for Friday and Saturday nights and will book your hotel room for you.

You'll need to cover the cost of your transportation to and from the seminar. 

If you have questions about lodging, please email lodging@taps.org or call 800-959-TAPS (8277).

REGISTRATION DETAILS

Virtual Workshop Registration is open until September 16, 2023 (look for the blue button at the top of the page). You'll receive a confirmation email once you have submitted your registration. Please email seminarregistrations@taps.org if you do not receive a confirmation email after registering.

In-Person Registration Closed

Due to the overwhelming interest in our TAPS Southern Regional Military Survivor Seminar and Good Grief Camp in San Antonio, we have completely filled our hotel capacity and now must close registration. If you are looking for opportunities to connect in the San Antonio region and are now unable to attend the seminar, we encourage you to join us for the regular meetings of the TAPS San Antonio Care Group. We look forward to creating additional opportunities in Central Texas to bring our TAPS family together. 

If you are able to travel in the coming weeks, we invite you to consider registering for the TAPS Western Regional Seminar in Long Beach, California. Remember, once you arrive, all lodging and meals are taken care of there for you. In addition to our seminars, we have ongoing TAPS Togethers, Care Groups and Online Groups available where you can meet other survivors and find loving support in the TAPS community.

Whether in person or online, we are here 24/7 at 202-588-8277 to answer any questions and help you find ways to warmly connect with your TAPS family.

Health Guideline and Animals

Health Guidelines for the Seminar: TAPS will make every effort to ensure safe and healthy gatherings. We will continue to monitor COVID variants and may require testing onsite and/or other protocols based on local regulations and CDC guidance. At this time, we do not require proof of full vaccination and masks are optional. Should we have to make any changes you will be notified right away.

Animals: We love animals, but we do not allow them to attend many of our events, which are private events that are not open to the general public. We do this for the health and safety of our members. If you have any questions please contact seminarregistrations@taps.org.