Mountain Regional Military Survivor Seminar and Good Grief Camp

Getting Connected to the Seminar

The TAPS app allows you to stay organized at seminars and find pertinent workshop information with the click of a button. You will be able to receive real-time notifications from TAPS and save any sessions that you want to attend to your own calendar. While the app is Seminar-focused, most TAPS services are available through the TAPS app, as well.

Virtual Workshop Access: Those who registered for the virtual workshops will receive an email with the virtual workshop information.

Download and install the TAPS App on your device using the button links or QR code below. If you have any questions or need further assistance, contact appsupport@taps.org.

SCHEDULE AND SESSIONS

7:00 p.m. — Pre-event What to Expect, Your Seminar Questions Answered
Attending in person? Please join us for a pre-event Zoom meeting to talk about what to expect at a regional seminar. We will also review safety and health standards that will be in place for our Regional Seminar. We will discuss hotel check-in, registration, meals, mask requirements and many other details that have been taken care of for us to gather safely in-person. Access to the Zoom meetings will be emailed to those who registered for the virtual workshops.

• 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. - Peer Mentor Training

• 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. - Family Registrationn

• 5:00 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. - Family Dinner

• 5:45 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. - Good Grief Camp Zone (Ages 5-18)

• 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. - First Time Attendee and Peer Mentor Gatherings

• 7:15 p.m. - 8:15 p.m.

  Dessert Sharing Group Sessions for
  Illness Loss
  Accident Loss
  Suicide Loss
  Combat Loss
  Homicide Loss
  (designated areas will have signage indicating type of loss)

• 8:30 p.m.

  Young Adult and Legacy Mentor Gathering

• 7:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. - Family Breakfast
  There will be areas reserved for a Men's Only social and a Young Adults social.

• 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. - Family Registration

• 8:45 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. - Good Grief Camp

• 9:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. - Opening Session with Bonnie Carroll and Dr. Frank Campbell

• 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. - Workshops and Sessions

  Coping When Memories Hurt – Audri Beugelsdijk
  We don't ever want to forget our loved ones and memories can bring both joy and pain. Sometimes we push memories away because we can't experience them without an upwelling of emotion that is difficult to cope with. We will explore coping techniques, including how linking positive memories with negative experiences can help us navigate our grief and remember even when it hurts. This session will not be live streamed.

  Is My Loss Traumatic – Dr. Frank Campbell
  Traumatic grief has characteristics different from the more traditional grief associated with death. Dr. Frank Campbell will describe elements that stand out when experiencing traumatic grief that compromise the activities of daily living and impact sleep, physical health and overall well-being. When assumed to be characteristics of "normal" grief many find processing their loss overwhelming resulting in a more difficult grief journey. Participants attending are encouraged to ask questions or share personal experiences they are coping with to gain insights and practical solutions that have helped others cope more effectively. This session will not be live streamed.

  Befriending Your Grief – Amy Pike and Karrie Filios
  Grief is a normal response to loss and can impact how we feel, how we think, and how we see the world. Befriending your grief equals caring for yourself mind, body and spirit while still staying connected to your loved one. This session will be offered virtually.

• 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.

  Lunch and Peer Group Sessions for
  Spouses and Significant Others
  Siblings and Adult Children
  Battle Buddies, Friends and Extended Family
  Parents and Grandparents
  (designated areas will have signage indicating type of relationship)

• 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. - Workshops and Sessions

  Using Art as an Expression of Grief for the Artist and Non-Artist – Jennifer Baldwin and Jenna Preston
  This interactive workshop will invite participants to use non-verbal, creative expression as an alternative method to help engage in the healing process. Art making has many uses as a healing tool and participants will learn a variety of art directives that may support their grief journey by exploring the use of metaphors, image prompts, and/or experimenting with simple art making tasks. You do not have to be an artist to benefit from the healing process of art making! This session will not be live streamed.

  How to Grieve Like a Man (Men Only) – Dr. Frank Campbell
  In this interactive workshop, we will discuss the ways men may reveal their grief and share our experiences. Our goal will be understanding and insight, not changing the way others grieve. This is an ideal workshop for men in attendance who may be dating a survivor, as well as for men who are actively grieving the loss of a loved one. This session will not be live streamed.

  Managing Difficult Emotions After Loss  - Andy McNiel
  It is common for many of us to struggle with many difficult emotions after a person in our life dies, including, but not limited to anger, guilt, and regret. We may feel a sense of responsibility for the circumstances leading up to a person's death. We might regret missed opportunities as we think back on our relationship with our person. We may have intense anger associated with aspects of their death or issues related to our relationship with them. Whatever it is that might influence these feelings, difficult emotions can be challenging to navigate. This interactive session will take a closer look at some of these emotions and offer ideas for managing the impact they have on our lives after loss. This session will not be live streamed.

• 3:15 p.m. - 4:45 p.m. - Workshops and Sessions

  Continuing Bonds Through Art – Jennifer Baldwin and Jenna Preston
  This workshop will expand on ways the use of metaphors and themes from nature can help us process grief and continue the bonds we established with those we have lost. The iconic Aspen tree found in Colorado, with their interconnected roots and cohesive groves will be the inspiration for this art-making workshop. This session will not be live streamed.

  Metaphors for Healing - Dr. Frank Campbell
  This workshop will focus on the benefits of developing accurate metaphors to describe your feelings of loss. This approach to communication when grieving has proven helpful for getting support that is helpful from those who want to be able to provide support and have not had a loss comparable to your loss. This approach allows a different response to "how are you?" than the assumed a "I am fine" phrase many see as an expectation by society. This session will not be live streamed.

  Caring for Grieving Children – Bernadette Barton and Lyla Yaner
  The health and well-being of a child's primary caregiver is one of the strongest predictors of that child's adjustment to a significant death loss. In this presentation, staff members from Judi's House, a children and family grief care organization based in Aurora, Colorado, will review information to help caregivers navigate parenting a grieving child. The presentation will cover 1) children's common grief reactions, 2) developmental understandings of death, 3) fundamentals of coping, and 4) helpful caregiving skills. Participants are encouraged to bring their questions and concerns. This session will be offered virtually.

• 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. - Family Dinner

• 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. - Young Adults and Legacy Mentors Care Group (Ages 18 to 30)
  Please join us as we gather and have a time of sharing and support. This facilitated care group provides an opportunity to share about your grief in a safe space with others going through similar situations.

• 7:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. - Family Breakfast
  There will be areas reserved for a Men's Only social and a Young Adults social.

• 8:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. - Good Grief Camp

• 9:00 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. - Workshops and Sessions

  God Winks  – Bonnie Carroll
  Some people call them “God Winks,” some call them signs, messages or after-death communication. No matter what we call them, signs from our loved ones can be very present in our lives. Stories and experiences of the presence of our loved ones will be discussed in this open-minded and intimate sharing session. This session will not be live streamed.

  Grief Can Do THAT? – Dr. Frank Campbell
  This workshop is designed to describe many of the confusing ways grief will impact individuals and families. Our time together will also include opportunities to ask questions or present concerns from those attending. Descriptions of how Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) are impacted and how vital self-care is for management of grief. This session will not be live streamed.

  Spirituality & Grief After Loss – Andy McNiel
  Faith, belief, and spirituality play a vital role in the lives of many of us after someone in our life dies. Many of us find strength through our faith as we journey through grief. While others of us may find faith to be difficult in the aftermath of loss. Spirituality can have complicated ebbs and flows as we navigate the many challenges that grief brings to our lives. Join us for this interactive session on spirituality and grief. We will discuss how our faith has brought us strength, how our faith may have been challenged by loss, and ways our grief may have impacted deeply held beliefs. This session will not be live streamed.

• 10:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. - Workshops and Sessions

  God Winks (repeat session)  – Bonnie Carroll
  Some people call them “God Winks,” some call them signs, messages or after-death communication. No matter what we call them, signs from our loved ones can be very present in our lives. Stories and experiences of the presence of our loved ones will be discussed in this open-minded and intimate sharing session. This session will not be live streamed.

  Creating Meaning From Loss – Audri Beugelsdijk
  Dr. Robert Neimeyer says that loss "requires us to reconstruct a world that again 'makes sens,' that restores a semblance of meaning, direction, and interpretability to a life that is forever transformed." We will discuss what it means to flourish in spite of and through our grief. Participants will have opportunities to share personal observations about how meaning making has played a role in their grief journey. This session will not be live streamed.

  What is Self-Care When You Are Grieving - Jenn Flaum
  "Take good care....take care of yourself....make sure you are practicing self-care" are words of condolence and advice often dispensed to the bereaved by friends, family, and even strangers. But what does self-care when we're grieving really look like? Why, even after momentary "self-care" activities, do we still find ourselves with feelings of emptiness and the enormity of grief? Join me in a conversation to answer these questions and learn about new ways to reshape our approach to how we take care of ourselves after loss. This session will be offered virtually.

• 12:00 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. - Closing Session with Bonnie Carroll and Dr. Frank Campbell

• 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. - Family Lunch

SEMINAR FEES

There are no registration fees for our regional seminars. Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, TAPS provides lodging, all meals, materials, activities and T-shirts at no cost to you.

LODGING AND TRANSPORTATION

Lodging is provided at the Hyatt Regency Aurora for those traveling more than 30 minutes to the event. Please request your lodging in your registration form and specify how many nights you’ll be staying. TAPS covers the cost of the lodging for Friday and Saturday nights and will book your hotel room for you.

You'll need to cover the cost of your transportation to and from the seminar. 

If you have questions about lodging, please email lodging@taps.org or call 800-959-TAPS (8277).

REGISTRATION DETAILS

In-Person and Virtual Workshop Registrations are open until April 1, 2023 (look for the blue button at the top of the page). You'll receive a confirmation email once you have submitted your registration. Please email seminarregistrations@taps.org if you do not receive a confirmation email after registering.

Health Guidelines and Animals

Health Guidelines for the Seminar: TAPS will make every effort to ensure safe and healthy gatherings. We will continue to monitor COVID variants and may require testing onsite and/or other protocols based on local regulations and CDC guidance. At this time, we do not require proof of full vaccination and masks are optional. Should we have to make any changes you will be notified right away.

Animals: We love animals, but we do not allow them to attend many of our events, which are private events that are not open to the general public. We do this for the health and safety of our members. If you have any questions please contact seminarregistrations@taps.org.