Together for Awareness, Healing, and Hope

Grief after perinatal loss is not something to “move on” from, but something to learn to carry with support, compassion, and understanding. Healing is not linear, and each family’s path is unique. This training aims to provide language, validation, and tools to help families feel less alone and more supported in their journey. Trauma-informed overview of perinatal bereavement, with particular attention to the unique impact of reproductive trauma with emphasis on the reproductive story, ambiguous loss, and developmental theory. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of how grief after pregnancy or infant loss can manifest emotionally, physically, and relationally. The training will normalize a wide range of responses to loss, highlight the intersection of trauma and grief, and introduce practical and evidence-informed coping strategies focused on somatic/body-based, narrative, and meaning-making interventions.

This presentation offers a compassionate space for bereaved parents to explore the complex relationship between grief and mental health. It gently acknowledges the emotional, physical, and cognitive impacts of loss while providing insight into common symptoms associated with anxiety, depression, and trauma. With a focus on understanding rather than pathologizing, it offers practical, supportive strategies to help parents feel less alone and more grounded as they navigate life after loss.

Fathers often grieve silently, feeling pressure to stay strong while navigating their own profound loss. This workshop offers a dedicated space to explore the unique emotional journey fathers experience after perinatal loss. Participants will gain insight into how fathers process grief, learn tools to support themselves and their partners, and guidance as to how to find connection with others who truly understand their pain and discover that while grief never fully disappears, healing is possible, and no father has to walk this path alone.

This presentation explores how children and grandparents experience and express grief after the death of a baby. We will discuss developmental differences in understanding loss, the unique role of grandparents as both mourners and supporters, and practical ways families can communicate, honor the baby’s memory, and support one another. Dr. Wimmer will be joined for this presentation by Dr. Joann O'Leary and Katie Ransdell.

Pregnancy after loss is not simply a new beginning—it is a continuation of love, grief, and resilience. This presentation explores the delicate balance of holding hope while carrying fear, and the process of healing while moving forward. Through reflection and shared understanding, attendees will gain tools to support themselves and others in embracing this deeply personal journey.