Healing through Grief Conference
Healthy Coping Strategies In Your Journey Through Grief
November 18, 2025 | 9am - 4pm
Superior Inn, 555 Arthur St. West, Thunder Bay, ON
- In-person Registration Fee: $60/person. In-person registration fee includes all sessions, a registration gift, coffee/tea service in the morning, and lunch.
- Virtual Registration Fee for Individuals in the Region: $20
A Full Day Conference allowing participants to gain healthy coping strategies from local experts in the field.
The conference will include various workshops and a panel discussion on the topic of Seeing Grief Through Different Lenses
with panelists:
- Dr. Kathy Kortes-Miller (Panel Moderator)
- Dr. Holly Prince
- Hannah Albani, Northern Ontario Regional Lead for the Ontario Caregiver Organization
- Nikita Matichuk, Nurse practitioner at Ontario Health atHome
Local practitioners in alternative therapies will be available in our vendors market.
This conference would not be possible without the generous support of:
Palliative Carelink
NorWest Community Health Centres
Thunder Bay Community Foundation
CERAH
Opening and Closing Ceremonies
Elder Beatrice Twance-Hynes
Elder Beatrice Twance-Hynes will open and close the conference with drumming and a prayer. She will also be present throughout the day to offer support to conference attendees.
Beatrice Twance-Hynes is from the Bear Clan (maternal), Deer Clan (paternal) and from the Biigtigong First Nation (formerly Pic River First Nation). She has lived in Thunder Bay since 1988 with her husband Gerry. She is a wife, mother, and grandmother. Beatrice has a Native Teacher’s Certificate from Lakehead University and an Ontario Management Development Certificate from Confederation College and numerous courses in human resources. She has worked in Human Resources at Dilico Anishinabek Family Care, and has been their Cultural Manager since December 2012. Beatrice is a traditional women’s dancer who makes her own regalia. She is a grandmother pipe carrier, a sacred circle facilitator, songwriter, singer and drummer.
Panel Discussion: Seeing Grief Through Different Lenses
Panel Moderator: Dr. Kathy Kortes-Miller
Kathy Kortes-Miller, MSW, PhD is an Associate professor in the School of Social Work, the Director of the Centre for Education and Research on Aging and Health and the research chair in aging and end-of-life at Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, Ontario Canada. Kathy has a passion for contributing to improving the end-of-life care for all. Kathy's research is interdisciplinary and collaborative and she is a founding member of the Canadian Grief Alliance. She is the author of the book "Talking About Death Won't Kill You" with ECW Press and her most recent projects include a podcast called "Disrupting Death"; Conversations about medical assistance in dying.
Panelists
The following individuals will participate in the panel discussion:
Lead, Indigenous People's Health & Aging Division, CERAH
Northern Ontario Regional Lead for the Ontario Caregiver Organization
Nurse practitioner at Ontario Health atHome
Concurrent Morning Sessions
In-person attendees will have the opportunity to choose from one of the morning sessions. Virtual attendees will be able to join the hybrid session only.
The session will be 60 minutes in length.
Hybrid: Grief Yoga
Grief and Self Care
Concurrent Afternoon Sessions
In-person attendees will have the opportunity to choose from one of the afternoon sessions. Virtual attendees will be able to join the hybrid session only.
The session will be 60 minutes in length.
Hybrid: Understanding Emotions in Grief
Moving Mindfully Through Grief
Agenda for both In-Person and Virtual Attendees
- 9:00 - 9:30 - Registration, coffee, vendors
- 9:30 - 10:00 - Opening Remarks & Ceremony
Song and Prayer by Elder Beatrice Twance-Hynes - 10:00 - 11:00 - Panel Discussion: Seeing Grief Through Differing Lenses with moderator Dr. Kathy Kortes-Miller and panelists:
- Hannah Albani
- Nikita Matichuk
- Dr. Holly Prince
- 11:00 - 11:15 - Break, Visits with Vendors
- 11:15 - 12:15 - Concurrent Workshops (in-person participants will choose one. Virtual attendees will have access to hybrid sessions only):
A. Hybrid: Grief yoga with Kelly McKinnon
B. Grief & Self Care with Diana Prairie - 12:15 - 1:15 -Lunch Break/Visits with Vendors and Regional Lunch & Learn (VIRTUAL)
- 1:15 - 2:15 - Concurrent Sessions (in-person participants will choose one. Virtual attendees will have access to hybrid sessions only):
C. Hybrid: Understanding Emotion in Grief with Claudia Otto
B. Moving Mindfully through Grief with Lisa Laitenen-Egbuchulam - 2:15 - 2:30 - Break, Visits with Vendors
- 2:30 - 3:00 - Grounding Activity
- 3:00 - 4:00 - Closing Remarks, Closing Song and Prayer
Participants receive certificates
Personal Lens on Grief Art Exhibition
November 2025
In conjunction with the Healing Through Grief Conference, an art exhibition will be held during the month of November. A Personal Lens on Grief is an innovative way to reflect and share your grief journey through using pictures. By sharing our grief experiences and feelings through pictures, we can encourage discussion, collaborate for change and build a community of support.
Alternative Therapy Vendors
We are looking for local practitioners in the following areas to be part of our vendors market:
- Reiki
- Relflexology
- Massage therapy
- Art therapy
- Movement / Dance
- Yoga
- Aromatherapy
- Therapeutic Touch
- Meditation
- Naturopathic Medicine
- Counselling Clinics
Cost of Table: $100, includes lunch for 1 person
