“In grief, family and friends can feel like strangers, and strangers can feel like family… Strangers who have experienced grief themselves can understand us in ways even family cannot.” — David Kessler
Hi. I’m Jennifer, a Certified Thanatologist and Grief Coach.
I was 56 when my beloved Father died at 89. Grief swallowed me up and broke my heart. Dad was my rock and my world. And so, I went looking for a grief group — a community of compassion and support. The problem was that I couldn’t find one for adult children who had lost a parent or guardian.
It was like society was telling me that grieving Dad was silly because of his age. There’s actually a name for that — disenfranchised grief. What a bunch of hooey. Grief for our parents is just as huge, heavy, messy, overwhelming and scary as any other kind of loss.
So, I created the group I couldn’t find.
So here is our place to speak to our truth about how grief lies down on us. How awful it feels when our grief is dismissed. This is our community. It’s a culture of kindness, connection and support. Everyone is important, and everyone’s grief is accepted. I created this group because I know from my own personal journey after my dad died, that being with people who honestly understand the depth of grief’s pain can help us endure because we no longer have to hide our grief or pretend to be ‘healed’ and “OK”.
Here’s What You Need to Know
Start Date: June 25, 2026
When: Every Thursday evening
Time: 7:00 to 9:00 PM. Please arrive by 6:55 PM – 7:05 PM
Location: Zoom. You will receive the Zoom Link on the Monday before Thursday’s group.
Cost: Free
Who can join: Adults over the age of 20 who have lost a parent, guardian or both parents. Open to
adults in Toronto, Ontario, and the GTA.
How To Register: You need to fill out the registration form first. Once I receive it, I will send you confirmation.
Please understand that when you register for this group, you are agreeing to the following information about ‘My Disclaimer’ and the group’s ‘Comfort Agreements.’
My Disclaimer
I am a Certified Thanatologist and Grief Coach.
• In this group, I provide coaching, peer support, and educational resources.
• I am not a medical doctor, psychiatrist, or licensed psychologist.
• I do not provide medical advice, clinical diagnoses, therapy, or medication management.
• My services and this group are not substitutes for professional medical or mental health care.
Group Comfort Agreements
Please turn all electronic devices to silent and close other apps and computer programs during group and silence notifications.
Please remember to keep your cameras on throughout the session to ensure confidentiality and safety. While virtual backgrounds are not allowed, you are welcome to use a blurred background if you’d like. If you need to step away for a moment, simply click the ‘thumbs up’ icon on Zoom or send a quick message in the chat to let me know you’re okay, then you can leave and rejoin when you’re ready. If you need to leave early, please just let me know. We’re here to support each other and make this a comfortable space.
In online groups, it can be challenging to hear everyone when multiple people talk at once, so practicing turn-taking is really helpful. Kindly avoid interrupting others while they are sharing and remember to keep your audio muted when you’re not talking. This small effort makes a big difference in creating a pleasant experience for everyone.
Respect and staying non-judgmental are really important for creating a safe and welcoming space. We encourage you to listen attentively when others share and to honour each person’s perspective, even if it differs from your own.
There may be topics or discussions that may be difficult to hear. If you feel a grief button has been pushed, please take a moment to take care of yourself. Just let me know in the chat box if you need to step away or turn off your camera.
Feel free to share your emotions and experiences—it’s a wonderful way to connect, without giving advice or telling others what to do. Try using “I” statements to express yourself; sharing your personal journey invites understanding and opens the door to different perspectives.
Everyone has the right to pass. I only want you to share what you feel comfortable with. There will never be any pressure from me for you to do more than what you feel safe with.
There is no hierarchy of loss. Everyone’s loss is horrible because it is theirs. Please let us all keep this in mind and work hard not to compare or judge other people’s experiences.
If, however, you are feeling uncomfortable or need a private chat, please use the private chat to let me know what’s going on, and I will deal with it as politely as possible in the group.
Let’s all work together to keep our time together private and secure. Think of this space as a sanctuary, where anything shared stays within Zoom. Remember to respect everyone’s privacy by not revealing anyone’s identity or personal details outside of our group chat. Please avoid screenshotting, recording, or making notes with participants’ names. This way, we create a safe and trusting environment for everyone.
If you have any questions, please contact me using this link Contact Me
If you wish to join, click this link and fill out the form. Once I receive it, I will send you confirmation.