PSU DuBois to host virtual event for grief

DUBOIS — The Penn State DuBois Office of Student Engagement, in partnership with the Human Development and Family Studies program coordinator Jessica Clontz, is co-hosting a virtual community viewing of the WPSU documentary “Speaking Grief” in November.

A panel discussion featuring three bereavement experts will immediately follow. All portions of the program are free and open to the public.

This entire program and panel discussion will take place via Zoom, and is planned for 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 5. Those who wish to participate are asked to register at https://www.tinyurl. com/speaking-grief

According to WPSU, “Speaking Grief” explores the transformative experience of losing a family member in a death while living in a griefavoidant society. This national public media initiative includes a one-hour television documentary, media-rich website, social media campaign and numerous community engagement events, all aimed at starting a national conversation about grief.

Organizers say they worked to organize this program as a community service. They say grief is universal and inevitable, yet we struggle as a society to talk about such a life-altering experience which leaves grieving people isolated rather than supported.

Panelists participating in the evening’s discussion are:

• Jackie Naginey Hook, MA, a spiritual director at Life-Cycle Celebrant and endof-life doula who coordinates the Helping Grieving Hearts Heal program with Koch Funeral Home in State College, which includes the Having the Talk of a Lifetime, grief companioning, memorable funeral ceremony creation, remembrance service facilitation, legacy reception coordination, community outreach and end-of-life support. She is the co-founder of Learning to Live: What’s Your Story?, a co-facilitator of HEART — Helping Empty Arms Recove. Together, a member of Grief Connection and writes articles for the Centre Daily Times, Centre County Gazette, Huntingdon Daily News and Centered magazine.

• Evelyn Wald, LPC, MS, MDiv, is the program director for TIDES, a program for grieving children and their families. She has more than 25 years of experience as a grief and loss therapist and facilitator of many grief groups.

• Colleen Lanzoni, LPC, is the mental health counselor and adjunct HDFS instructor at Penn State DuBois. She has 20 years of experience in the mental health field working with adults, families, and children. She serves as the grief counselor for the Clearfield Jefferson Suicide Prevention Team’s Healing Emotional After Loss to Suicide support group.