Grievers Guide to Fathers Day

Join us to hear grief professionals, thought leaders, and creatives discuss how to navigate challenging seasons, sticky subjects, and topics we don't often discuss when it comes to grief.

Special guest panelists: Claire Bidwell Smith, Sara Faith Alterman, and Dr. Mekel S. Harris.

No matter how long you’ve been living with grief, there will always be days that are more challenging than others. Father’s Day is undoubtedly one for those who have lost their dad. A day you might have once spent enjoying that relationship, you now spend grieving its loss and what that has meant for all other aspects of your life.

Whatever comes up for you on Father’s Day - sadness, fond memories, resentment, regret, or nothing at all - you don’t have to manage it on your own.

We'll collectively answer questions like...

What are some of the reasons why Father's Day feels particularly hard this year?
What rituals do you have to care for yourself during this season? Particularly for the lead-up.
What are some ideas for how people can celebrate individually or remotely if they would normally celebrate with a gathering of family or friends?

Claire Bidwell Smith is a renowned grief expert and author. After losing both of her parents at a young age, Claire was drawn to helping others navigate the grief process. A former therapist in private practice for over a decade, she has counseled thousands of people, and written three books about grief and loss. Claire speaks and lectures widely and runs a series of different programs designed to help others move through loss. Claire is passionate about advocating for advancement in end of life care and also bringing awareness to our culture’s understanding of grief. She serves on the board of End Well Project, an end of life initiative that holds a yearly conference, and also Near, an organization devoted to helping people find end of life and grief support. Claire also hosts a popular virtual series for the Let’s Reimagine Death organization, in which she interviews notable figures in the death and grief space. Claire’s three books of nonfiction The Rules of Inheritance (Penguin, 2012), After This: When Life Is Over Where Do We Go? (Penguin, 2015), and Anxiety: The Missing Stage of Grief (Da Capo, 2018) have been published in 18 countries, and received many accolades and critical praise.

Sara Faith Alterman is the author of the memoir "Let's Never Talk About This Again." Lauded by TIME as one of the must-read books of 2020, the book is about Sara's relationship with her late father, Ira, a prudish punster with a smutty secret, who died of complications from Alzheimer's disease in 2015. Sara's writing has been featured in the New York Times, McSweeney's, the Boston Globe, the Boston Phoenix, and the anthology 'Modern Loss: Candid Conversations About Grief.' She's a longtime producer with the acclaimed stage show Mortified, which invites adults to read from their really awkward, really real teenage diaries. A New Englander at heart and a San Franciscan at present, Sara is a proud mother to two thriving sons and 17 dying houseplants.

Dr. Mekel Harris, Ph.D., NCSP, PMH-C, a licensed psychologist/health service provider (HSP) (and CEO of Harris Psychological Services, LLC), currently serves in private practice in the mid-South, offering psychological evaluation and support to children, adolescents, and families. Further, she offers training/education, consultative, and supervisory services to several local organizations throughout the Memphis area. Pre- and post-doctorally trained at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Dr. Harris specializes in coping and adjustment to acute and chronic illness, grief and loss, and health-related trauma. In December 2020, she completed advanced certification through Postpartum Support International (PSI) in Advanced Perinatal Mental Health. Throughout the past decade, Dr. Harris has presented at over 30 domestic and international conferences, focused on pediatric, family, and community health issues, including grief and loss. She is a TEDx speaker, blogger, magazine and podcast contributor, and author of a memoir, “Relaxing Into the Pain: My Journey Into Grief & Beyond.” In her spare time, she enjoys writing, traveling around the globe, and spending time with family, friends, and her feisty Beagle. Dr. Harris’ faith and relationships, coupled with real-life challenges, keep her tethered to what matters most in life.

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