Grief lecture this weekend in Richardson

By Grelan Muse Sr.

Inside The Pew

Dealing with grief can be a touchy topic for people. Journalist and media consultant Linda Jones has found the greatest benefit in using words to help others overcome.

Jones will facilitate an event, “Writing Through Grief” beginning Friday, April 22 at the Dallas Mediation Center in Richardson, 727 S. Floyd Road. In Friday, Jones said an introduction and conversation is planned to start at 7 p.m. and end at 8:30 p.m. The actual workshop takes place from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 23.

On Friday, an open donation is requested (give what you can). The Saturday workshop costs $65 per person. Included in the workshop is a copy of “It’s Only Temporary” journal.

The workshop will explore writing as comfort, journaling techniques and exercises, mood monitoring and music mediation and poetic approaches and affirmations. Participants are asked to bring a pen and a writing pad.

Jones has used her talents to create a series of writing series, including "Finding Your Inner Scribe" and “Zen & the Pen,” and "What I Want You to Know (Before I Go),” an introduction to memoir workshop. 

“My Writing through Grief workshop grew out of the memoir workshop. I found that during several of the exercises in my memoir workshop, a number of the participants would write about the loss of a loved one even though my prompts were never directly related to death or loss, Jones told Inside The Pew.

“It was noticeable enough for me to create a workshop that just focused on using writing as a means of navigating through grief. 

She said ministers and counselors have suggested the workshop to individuals because it is a different route to handling grief.

“Some are squeamish about the title and feel that I should come up with something a little more euphemistic. That's because many people are intimidated by the act of writing and squeamish about the topic of grief. Those who want me to change the name also mistakenly think that we will be gathering to write about grief. That is not what we do. My workshop is designed to show how the writing process can help them get through it.”