Praise

Thank you again for being such a wonderful support and role model in doing grief differently. Lots of love to you.
— J.W.
This class was incredible. A safe place to grieve and do movements to heal the heart.
— J.B.
Thank you Susannah. I’m deeply grateful you chose to look grief in the face, it has has such a deep impact on all of us. Blessings to you.
— J.S.
You are such a special healer, thank you for taking such good care of us!
— A.W.
Connecting with others who are experiencing grief and being able to share some of my own experience was profound. This group experience has enabled me to feel less isolated in my grief, which is an enormous relief! This was a wonderful heart-opening experience...A gift!
— E.W.
Susannah- Just wanted to thank you for your heartfelt efforts to make the class so meaningful for each and every one of us. I feel so “tended to,” and as the one usually doing the tending, I really appreciate it. I leave class on Tuesdays with a real sense of peacefulness that carries on into the following days. You are really helping.
Many thanks.
— J.S.
I can’t seem to find the words adequate enough to express my gratitude to your for this opportunity and the gifts you have given me!
— T. B.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart! I shall hold dear to my heart how you helped me cope with the hardest time in my whole life.
— J.D.
Yoga for your Grieving Heart made a huge difference for me. It really gave me some tools to keep my head above water and work with grief. I was not as overwhelmed by it. So thank you, thank you, thank you. It was the right thing at the right time.
— L.A.
Hearing everyone’s stories and seeing our commonality, the nurturing atmosphere, the quiet warmth, the lack of demands and the biggest thing may be that I have better tools to help
— A.B.
I found it to be a unique and valuable offering. I felt supported, heard by a group of nonjudgmental people, and informed with new ideas for self-care and breathing/yoga techniques. I felt validated, which is so important to anyone who is grieving... Many tears flowed, which was painful, but a good thing - being able to cry openly with little fear.
— J.L.
Thanks for your understanding the nature of grief...although I wouldn’t wish it on anyone, it is helpful to meet people who actually understand what it feels like.
— B.L.
A year ago, I lost my cousin after he had spent months in a coma after a horrific car crash. He was a bright, intelligent, humorous, and friendly human being. His loss was devastating not only to me but countless others.
In the midst of my inconsolable heartache, I was informed about a 6-week class called ‘Yoga for Grieving Hearts.’
This class completely changed my life.
My beautiful, insightful instructor taught me tools not only to assist in healing my deep soul sadness, but also how to recenter myself and help others through their grieving & healing process. She taught me that feeling every single painful & beautiful emotion is okay, and it is a part of our life journey.
So often in this life, when we experience devastation & trauma, we think we have to “toughen up” and hide our true emotions from the world. Yoga opened my heart and showed me otherwise. So, I would like to give endless gratitude to Susannah....
— C.R.
The group experience has been a relief, such a comfort, and encouragement to value my grief. To be in a group that offers trust, compassion and understanding was truly a gift.
— R.W.
I loved this group sooooooo much. It gave me safe space to reveal inner turmoil without judgment. Knowing I am not alone gave me freedom to be in my grief.
— S.E.
This was a welcoming and affirming opportunity to gather, grieve and restore. I am more patient and less judgmental with myself, because many things were validated, and I know I’m not alone in my ups and downs.
— L.A.
Taking this class with my daughter has been one of the most positive experiences I have ever had with one of my young adult children. It had helped us appreciate each other’s life journeys and has allowed me to be vulnerable in front of her as an adult rather than as my child.
— J.G.
It was incredibly impactful to be connected with a group of people – all different- but sharing this experience – listening is powerful and yoga helps me feel more at one with my body. I wish the class was longer!
— N.H.
This group sharing of grief gave me comfort and strength. I feel less lonely. Following through on self-care is now more on my mind.
— C.H.
I enjoyed meeting very nice people who share the same sadness and sorrow in grieving a loved one.
— N.B.
I’m now starting to understand my own healing process and feeling its okay to feel whatever I’m feeling.
— A.A.
Because of this group, I now feel more hopeful and more calm as I begin to believe that “this too shall pass”, and that I will survive.
— J.K.
Overall, it was so helpful to have a place to go where we all felt safe and loved and in a place where our feelings and each other mattered and where we could find support in one another. Thank you for a great experience!
— A.D.
Feelings of peace during the yoga and centeredness that is so elusive.
Connecting on a deep level with people who understand.
Being heard.
Support for where we are.
— N.C.
I used to feel very much alone in my grief. Now I feel part of something. I feel connected and accepted. I felt free to be myself in my grief, with other people who actually want to hear me!
— V.M.
Please know that this group has been wonderful. I look forward to taking more classes with you.
— S.E.
Thank you so much for sharing your gifts and connecting our group of women to feel less lonely in the grieving process.
— C.H.
Thank you for providing us a space to express ourselves so completely, this class allowed me to relieve myself of some of my grief in a way no other space has allowed.
— S.T.
This group provided a safe space to share with others in similar grief and feel supported.
— J.M.
I experienced a sense of peace, and learned some techniques to use when I can’t sleep. A better understanding of grief and thankful for being able to share within the group, that was so helpful. A safe place to share and not be judged- a real gift. Having my experience heard and also hearing others journeys so helpful. Knowing I’m not alone.
— S.F.
Feeling more connected and less alone, learning tools to cope, feeling validated in my feelings, meeting amazing strong women, learning new yoga poses, sparking journal topics, carving out time to be with my grief, ongoing resources (books, handouts, quotes), hearing others stories. These sessions helped me to better access my grief, understand it and accept it. I treasured this experience- so grateful! Thank you Susannah!!
— L.S.
I gained a broader understanding of others grief and clearer understanding of my own. I appreciated the support, caring, and made new friends.
— B.M
Your class was like a bowl of nourishing soup for me. .. This is such a great work you’re doing.
— C.M.
I’m not crazy!! This is all normal what I’m going through and experiencing. It’s been very hard and sad and it’s been very helpful to hear from others who are in a similar boat as me. This has helped me feel less alone.
— H.F.
I appreciated learning breathing exercises and movements to release some of the grief. Also, acknowledgement that everything I’m experiencing is normal.
— K.E.
You have created such a safe and sacred space for which I am so grateful. I will carry it with me.
— K.L.
Thank you for bringing us all together and organizing this so we could all feel less alone in our grief. I get anxiety when sharing in front of a group, but the way you had this set up really put my mind at ease.
I’m glad I’m able to share your lessons with the rest of my family.
— C.C.
I’m still so thankful for this class and Susannah was so kind and wonderful. Very happy to have come. I now have less worry, I’m more open to discussing my loss when before I wouldn’t discuss it at all or very little. I am able to go back to work, better muscle relaxation, and some good coping skills.Maybe a second part series could be possible?
— B.W.
I feel less weighted down by the grief. I think the time we had together helped me process some of it. And I have more understanding of the process and how to share it, which has helped me feel lighter too. The balance between talking and yoga was excellent. Your care with each of us was excellent.
Hearing my own voice express my grief out loud to caring people was probably the most helpful. Hearing others’ stories helped put mine into perspective too. I liked that we had a beginning, middle, and end to our group, which helped me move through the grieving process a bit more. I LOVED the yoga, especially the restorative parts. Getting wrapped up in a blanket is the BEST!
— K.B.
Thank you so much for you and the group support and for being so patient with me.
— J.S.
I’ve already recommended this to a friend.
— K.O.
I am more attuned to the likelihood that people I interact with may also be grieving or experiencing loss without me knowing. I have become more questioning and curious about my grieving process. I have realize how much more I have left to process and figure out!
I really appreciated the book recommendations and quotes in your emails too! Thank you so much. I’m so glad I found this group.
— M.P.
I now have a bit more acceptance of the journey my grief offers. A big thank you for offering this, there’s nothing else quite like it as far as I can tell.
— I.S.
I learned first hand the importance of carving out intentional time for my grief journey. At times, I have avoided “going there” for fear of it seeming like too much for me to handle. The group experience helped me realize that along with the pain and despair comes the opportunity to honor your loved one and strengthen your connection to them.
Thank you, Susannah, for this important and meaningful experience. I so appreciated your warm, welcoming, and nurturing presence. The class was well organized and provided us with many useful resources and pearls of wisdom. I’m hoping to join you for a grief walk this summer!
— K.H.
It was so helpful to see how grief manifests differently in different people at different times. It is not the same for everyone and it really helped me to process my own grief. I finally connected with my grief in a difficult, but ultimately helpful way. It was also so nice to have a place once a week for my grief to think and process and focus on it.
Thank you so much. It was truly a wonderful class and I am so glad I participated.
— S.H.
I cannot thank you enough for creating this experience for me. I looked forward to class every week and I’m very sad that it has come to an end. I hope to keep in touch with everyone from the group. You’re amazing Susannah! The work you do is so meaningful and helpful to those at such a vulnerable time in their lives.
— B.C.
I wanted to write to say how appreciative I am of our experience together the last six weeks. YFYGH really gave me something to look forward to at the start of every week. It was also the first time I had been around others who are grieving someone other than the loss of a child. I came to find that grief is a shared experience among all people, that no one’s grief is greater than another’s, and that I am capable of spending time with people other than those who have lost their children. It was a really rich and lovely experience to share and hear others share their journey’s of grief. Thank you for doing what you do and showing up for all of us. I’ve already shared your class with several people who are also grieving in hopes that they, too, can find the comfort I did every Tuesday night with you and the group. Sending best wishes, love, and gratitude to you.
— T.J.
The amount of love and care that you put into your work is inspiring. Thank you so much for all that you do Susannah! You are making change and healing our community.
— M.B.
After taking part in this experience, I feel a new sense of community and a true connection to others who are grieving just like me. I feel less alone in this process and feel comforted by the support and understanding I received from everyone in the group.
I cannot thank you enough for creating this experience for me. I looked forward to class every week and I’m very sad that it has come to an end.
— R.B.

Grief

It is an earthquake which begins so far under
that you can’t even imagine it, until you do.
The ground of sandboxes and sidewalks --
so blissfully unquestioned -- shifts, quivers,

until rumbling, it lurches, breaks apart,
and crashes everything on top of you.
Pinned in the rubble, you cannot escape --
trapped by what was once your comfort.

There is no soft hand.
There is no gentle reassuring voice.
No one hears you, and even so,
why.

When much later you are dug out,
you wish they hadn’t.
Then come
the aftershocks.

When the resulting tsunami begins,
it does so by waters first receding gently,
lulling you into more false security.
Still at sea, the wave is small, unremarkable,

until it gets closer, shallower, building.
When it crashes in, overwhelmingly,
inundating, obliterating, it keeps coming.
After more of a long time, if for some reason

you’re still around, you are washed up
with more nothing. Gasping, battered,
lost, you pull yourself out alone,
to walk away somewhere, drenched,

with damp decomposing memories
seemingly from someone else’s life,
dragged dripping now
into your new one.  

-Janet Stebbins