Still: a Brunch for Loss Mamas + Friends
RESCHEDULED: Saturday May 8th in Dundas, ON
A posh social experience for loss mamas and friends during Pregnancy + Infant Loss Awareness month, that will leave you feeling a little spoiled and a little less heavy.
Our events are light-hearted in nature. We may drop a few curse words, cry, and then laugh till our bellies hurt.
So if this sounds like your jam, come join us!
EVENT DETAILS
OUR PANELISTS
During the event, attendees will have the opportunity to write down questions for our panelists. If there's something that you've been wanting to ask about loss, this is the place to do it!
Shannon Golletz: Psychotherapist, Recurrent Miscarriage Survivor
Shannon is a Registered Psychotherapist, a Registered Marriage and Family Therapist, and a Clinical Fellow of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy. She holds a B.Sc. (Psychology) from Wilfrid Laurier University and an M.Sc. (Couple and Family Therapy) from the University of Guelph.
Shannon and her husband are the parents of three wonderful boys and they are the survivors of nine miscarriages. Through many years of heartbreak they received incredible support from family, friends, and a small army of health care professionals.
Daily life around her house is about packing lunches, dispensing goldfish crackers, and chats on the potty (in all manner of family configuration).
You can find shannon over on Life After Miscarriage and Pregnancy Loss and Facebook.
Sue Balaz: Birth and Pregnancy + Infant Loss Doula, Adoption + Early Loss Mama
Sue is a certified Birth Doula and Infant & Pregnancy Loss Doula with a background in Social Work. In 2015, she co-created the Home Hospice Association's Infant and Pregnancy Loss Doula training and certification program, which fills the gap in services available for parents experiencing a pregnancy loss.
Sue facilitates a six week peer support group, 'Our Babies, Our Grief', in Burlington which provides grieving parents an opportunity to receive support and begin to move through their grief.
She is a wife and mother, who lost a baby to adoption and a second baby to miscarriage. She has two beautiful young adults who are her pride and joy!
You can find Sue over on Instragram and Loves Memory.
Lohifa Pogoson: Hair Stylist, Miscarriage Survivor
Lohifa, Hamilton’s own Hair Artist and Happiness Ambassador is a lover of life and all that is within it. As Owner and Lead Stylist at LoDidThat, Lohifa believes that each person has a beauty and brilliance that should be celebrated daily! As a mother, wife, daughter, sister and friend, Lohifa’s mission is to foster a community that is looking good, living well, loving life and empowering others to do the same.
Lohifa shares her insight on navigating early pregnancy loss and parenting after loss.
You can find Lohifa over on Instagram.
Jason Dykstra: Coach + Grief Advocate, Stillbirth Dad
Jason helps you hold those difficult spaces so that you don’t have to go it alone. He is a dad of four (three living), husband to one, and journeys alongside many. Jason has spent the last decade turning conflict situations into creative solutions. As an international speaker and trainer, he specializes in interpersonal communication skills, mental health, and conflict transformation.
After the loss of their son in 2016, Jason began chronicling his journey with grief and family life over at They Call Me Dad. Through that journey, he has had the privilege of hearing countless stories from people about how grief has impacted their lives. These stories led him to begin the #ShitClub – a monthly email exploring the brutaful parts of life.
You can find Jason over on Instagram, Youtube, or at Jasondyk.com
Shannon Carr: Physiotherapist, PAIL awareness advocate
Shannon is a registered women's health physiotherapist and pregnancy and infant loss awareness advocate who lives and works in Guelph.
After a tumultuous week in 2017, she became a loss mom to Benjamin who died after TFMR. She quickly became engaged in the loss community with a passion for raising awareness for all types of loss and having the hard conversations that revolve around grief, pregnancy loss, and parenting after loss.
She co-founded the Pregnancy and Infant Loss Support Series at Guelph Women's Health Associates, where bereaved parents can gather to share their experiences, heartbreak and grief integration techniques.
Shannon honours her lost son through expressions of love to her family and community, talking openly about grief, and fiercely loving her young, living son.
You can find Shannon over at Guelph Women's Health.
Jessica Hill: Pre/Postnatal Yoga Instructor, Birth Educator, Motherhood Empowerment Coach
Jessica is the creative spirit behind Activated Mama Yoga. Jessica helps mothers release stress and activate their highest potential in motherhood and life! She is a certified MOGA™ Mom & Baby Yoga Teacher, HypnoBirthing® Child Birth Educator, RYT200, Prenatal and Postnatal Yoga Teacher and Motherhood Empowerment Coach.
Jessica is mom to Gavin, Everly and her angel Jade. Everly and Jade are identical twins and Jade passed away shortly after the twins were born. Navigating both joy and grief simultaneously has been an experience that Jessica has used to connect more deeply to her yoga students. Loss has been her biggest teacher, leading her to find a sense of purpose from the pain.
You can find Jessica over on Instagram.
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Melissa Sulley: Founder + Maker, Recurrent Miscarriage Survivor
Melissa Sulley is the Founder + Maker behind josiah+co. Well versed in pregnancy loss, she shares her grief journey with raw vulnerability.
Melissa has been pregnant eight times, and has two tiny humans here to show for it (you can often find them dancing on Instagram stories); the other six are waiting for her somewhere in the stars. She's navigated four second-trimester losses, and two first-trimester losses in the past five years.
Melissa is passionate about building supportive communities for those impacted by pregnancy + infant loss. She started josiah+co. as a way to share her pregnancy loss journey and to help others feel less alone in their grief.
You can find her in Hamilton, ON, sipping lattes, munching on donuts, and chasing around her two crazy kiddos.
Connect with Melissa over on Instagram or Facebook.
EVENT CONTRIBUTORS
Blend Catering Co.
Blend Catering Co. will be providing our guests with an elevated culinary experience. Their delicious, gourmet food creations are a product of Chef Erica’s experience, global exposure, and passion for providing premium dining options for her clients.
Check out their website or connect on Instagram!
Brad Soucie Music
A local musician from the Hamilton, ON area.
Enje Daniels Photography
Enje Daniels is a wedding and destination Photographer based in London, Ontario but shooting all around the GTA and the world! She loves to use her art to capture lasting memories for her people. She loves to travel and prides herself on being able to do it on a budget. Food is her love language and she literally will put siracha on almost everything she eats!
Enje is a huge extrovert and loves meeting new people! You can check out her work on her website or connect with her over on Instagram.
Each attendee will receive one free edited photo from the event!
House of Penney Florals
Like food, flowers bring us together. They are present during celebrations and gatherings both joyful and not. They add literal life to cold and sterile spaces. They inspire us. They are given as gifts of comfort and congratulations… sometimes they are even therapy.
Katelyn has been playing with flowers for most of her life. Her mum, an avid gardener and florist herself, taught her the names of the blooms they passed while walking. She showed her how to identify varieties by looking at their leaves.
Katelyn began serving wedding clients over 10 years ago, by accident really, and it sparked a passion for the kind of connection and community that is created because of a love story.
House of Penney is a full service event business and floral designer committed to providing the highest quality, local and ethically sourced blooms and foliage.
You can connect with Katelyn on her website or Instagram.
Make your own rollers with Grit Wellness
Aromatherapy with essential oils, is one way to naturally support your body and emotions. Essential oils are plant concentrations that support emotions. Rollers are an easy way to support your emotions and body in great ways to lift your mood!
Essential oil rollers are an easy way to use essential oils, besides diffusing.
Come and make some rollers like:
+ Happy
+ Chill
+ Positive vibes
Each attendee will receive a complimentary gift bag at the brunch. Filled with goodies and resources from local small businesses, each item included is sure to guide you through your motherhood journey.
Thanks to numerous local small businesses we have some amazing door prizes for you!
- Embroidery hoops from Little Nest Creative
- 'Still' sweater and necklaces from This Little Light of Women
- EO Roller + Rose Ointment from Grit Wellness
- Necklace from Impressions by Jessica
- Artwork from Alexa Johnston Art.
- Still a Mama/Still a Daddy Pins from the Noble Paperie
- and more!
We hope you'll join us!