Inspiration can only happen after expiration.

Grief is the process that brings us back to inspiration. By learning how to grieve, to fully exhale, to sit with ourselves and others in difficult times, without shame or judgement, allows everyone to breathe in the full inspiration of what life can be.

What others have said about Sam's workshops and training

“Dear Sam,
Thank you so much for presenting on working with the elderly in palliative care at our recent national conference. Our elder clowns gained so much from your wonderful workshop which was extremely informative as well as entertaining!

Your blend of therapeutic, medical and creative approaches perfect for our performers who work in aged care residencies with people experiencing dementia.

Your wealth of experience and knowledge in all these area is inspirational and we couldn’t have chosen a better person to present the workshop to our performers. I know for a fact that many of them have already used the tools you gave them to assist in the challenging situations they confront in their work.

They are already calling themselves the “Love Warriors” which is an honourable title. We will definitely ask you to present at future training days with our Elder Clowns and even our Clown Doctors”
— Jo Cohen - Artistic Coordinator The Humour Foundation
“Something I learned was the connection between grief, anxiety and depression and how grieving can release the blocked energy of those feelings”
— Client - Melbourne Therapy Centre
“The best part about today was the whole-hearted way that Samantha showed her wisdom and freed my curiosity. After today I am going to allow myself to reflect and identify on the continuing bonds I have within me”
— Therapist - Melbourne Therapy Centre
“This was one of the most professional and helpful grief seminars that I have attended. Thank you”
— Marilyn - Christian Counsellors Association
“Samantha was fabulous and I could have spent another 3 hours learning from her. Excellent, transformative, clear, sensitive and professional.”
— Leanne - Christian Counsellors Association
“Thank you Samantha. Staff are often faced with difficult conversations with family members as they grieve the death of a loved one. We were so pleased that your education session, Caring for the dying and preventing compassion fatigue, addressed our staff questions and concerns while simultaneously contributing to our knowledge and understanding of how we care for the dying as well as ourselves.”
— Gillian Carmichael - Coordinator Pastoral Care Epworth Freemasons
“What a great speaker. Sat on the edge of my seat enthralled by all her knowledge.”
— Participant - Tobin Brothers Funerals' education sessions for healthcare professionals
“It has been a week since I attended the session on grief and I have already found heaps of benefits in this knowledge. For example, understanding peoples difficult behaviours and it helps me to deal with this issue in terms of appropriate management and self-care. Thank you Samantha for a very extraordinary and entertaining lecture. You managed to give real insights into the topics you covered.”
— Natasha

Experience:

  • Tobin Brothers Funerals: Community Education Manager: speaking around Victoria for over 8 years to community groups and professionals. Providing sessions to fit with the groups requirements for anything between half hour education sessions and one day workshops.
  • Victorian Multicultural Conference: panel convenor and presenter
  • Australian Institute of Embalming Conference: presenter for 2 years
  • Australian Funeral Directors Association one day workshop series: New South Wales
  • Christian Counselors Association: 1 day workshop
  • Art Therapists Professional Support Group: 1 day workshop
  • The Humour Foundation Conference: 3 hour workshop
  • Melbourne Therapy Centre: 2 half day workshops for therapists and clients
  • Ramsay Health Victorian Nurses Conference: speaker
  • Budo For Peace Israel: half day workshop

Possible Topics:

  • Communication skills for tough times: no matter what life can get difficult and great communication between people can be the difference between a healthy and harmonious or conflicted and toxic workplaces, homes and lives. Learn the skills of compassionate and authentic communication to build bridges rather than creating barriers in your life.
  • Taking Control: information for creating a beautiful final legacy by maintaining dignity and control throughout aging, disease, dying and death.
  • Compassionate Care: how do we create compassionate workplaces, compassionate care of others and compassionate care of ourselves?
  • Practical Rituals: exploration of rituals from faiths and cultures from around the world, their meaning in the modern world and applications for healing, honouring and remembering in our daily life
  • Anatomy of grief: how the body and mind work and heal in times of grief, disease, anxiety and depression
  • The dark side of grief: Shame, guilt, fear, anger, relief, resentments and regrets can all be part of the grief process and learning how to walk through the tangled forest of grief to a place of peace and forgiveness can take special insights and practices

Just think of what you would like to support, improve or change and I can make a presentation or workshop to fit............