A STAR Retreat is an opportunity to set aside time to be fully immersed in the grieving process and, with the assistance of our staff, work on recovery from grief and loss.
Stages of Grief
Grief is a natural emotional reaction occurring in response to a loss. Our society is in denial about death and loss, making the grieving process very difficult. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross identified five stages that people who are grieving go through:
Grief is not necessarily orderly, and not everyone experiences all of these stages. The goal of grieving successfully is to experience the feelings of loss, sadness, anger, etc., and then come to a stage of acceptance. Some go through just a few stages and reach acceptance, while others do not truly experience and work through their feelings. In the latter case, the person is stuck. This is called unresolved or complicated bereavement, which often leads to depression and anxiety.
Recovery from Grief and Loss during your STAR retreat
STAR provides a safe environment for you to fully surrender to your grief process. At a STAR retreat, you can go deeply into your grief and stay with it as long as you need to until you get relief from the overwhelming feelings of sadness, anger, fear, and guilt. Our staff assists you in the process and educates you on what to expect as you go through the various stages.
Grief can be compounded by past experiences such as loss of a pet, financial status, or health, as well as deaths and divorce. During a STAR retreat, you are encouraged and supported to allow yourself to grieve and express your feelings, whatever they may be. From this experience, you begin to understand that what you are feeling is normal and necessary to express in order to reach acceptance of the loss.
Also see:
The STAR Process
What Graduates Say about STAR Retreats
The Value of a Personal Growth Retreat
Frequently Asked Questions