What I do
Photo by Wendy Mulder
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Political and Climate Grief Circles
1.5 hr Zoom sessions
No costI host regular online grief circles that are open to everyone. These are intimate group spaces where people can share honestly, participate in guided meditation, and engage in quiet self-reflection.
We welcome the whole range of grief responses to the broken world we live in—pain, numbness, anger, anxiety, and despair are all welcome, as are feelings of joy and connection. Grief and anxiety related to our personal lives is also very welcome.
These circles also strive take into account the way that systems of oppression (e.g. colonialism, white supremacy, capitalism) deeply influence our emotional and spiritual lives. We seek to identify and divest from these systems of oppression by honoring our grief and centering presence, community, and collective liberation.
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Spiritual Direction
60 min one-on-one sessions.
Cost: $75 CAD
Sliding scale available.
Free 30 min consult available.Spiritual direction is for anyone; you don't have to consider yourself religious or even spiritual! It is an opportunity to have someone help you clarify what makes you feel most connected, authentic, and alive. And then design practices and methods that can help you feel this way more often!
For some background, I was raised in the protestant Christian tradition. And although I still belong to a Reformed congregation, I consider myself a student of the contemplative Christian tradition, which takes a universalist approach to our faith (ie. the Christ story is just one of many that touch onto a universal truth).
I bring this universal approach into my sessions and generally adopt whatever language you use / are comfortable with in order to discuss the wild mysteries of love and suffering and being alive.
As just a few examples, this language can come from the realms of art, music, somatic work, psychedelics, human relationship, service to the community, connection to land or nature, connection to ancestors etc.Of course, if you are interested in connecting (or reconnecting) with Christianity, I am happy to help you find the version of it that fits for you. On the other hand, if you want to talk about how messed up, homophobic, and colonial the Church is, I’d sincerely love to join you there as well.
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Climate Grief Coaching
60 minute one-on-one sessions
Cost: $75 CAD
Sliding scale available.
Free 30 min consult available.These are intended mostly for climate organizers and community workers but open to whoever is interested.
It can be seem really daunting to engage with our feelings about the climate crisis, but climate grief work is not an all or nothing thing. It is something you can do gradually, in bits and pieces. And although it can be incredibly hard, it also opens you up to so many good feelings of connection and aliveness (I swear!).
If we have a session, I'm happy to meet you wherever you're at: numbness, anger, fear, despair, sorrow. All of it belongs.
We can brainstorm coping strategies or support networks, I can suggest resources, or, we can simply sit and talk about how fucked up it all is (it's truly so fucked up).
*Please Note: My background is in community and hospital chaplaincy and although I have experience working (and living) with mental illness, I am not a trained therapist. This means although mental health will inevitably come up, I am not best suited to be the main support for acute mental health concerns. (List of low/no cost counselling options in Edmonton). I am, however, happy to meet and help you find the right resources for whatever you’re struggling with.
Feedback about grief circles
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“Such a refuge!”
Yes, the grief circles were wonderful and such a refuge! I loved the different exercises, the mixture of teachings and unstructured conversation. Gabrielle validated our shares and the participants held space for one another respectfully and with appreciation.
– Circle participant -
"I was surprised by my emotions"
[The grief circles] ended up being very powerful… I was surprised by my emotions and by my comfort with contributing. Thank you for creating this brave space.
— Circle participant
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"We could talk about anything"
I loved the instruction that you didn't have to find a silver lining, and that any feeling, and absence of feeling (numbness) was welcome, that we could talk about anything, not just about climate and political issues.
— Circle participant
Feedback about spiritual direction
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"I could not recommend her enough!" - Gabriel
"Working with Gabrielle has been truly life-changing. She held space for feelings and thoughts I didn't even know were there, and helped me find a connection to the sacred that is now sustaining me on a daily basis.
Her advice and wisdom is so precious, and she welcomed all parts of me and every emotion. Working with Gabrielle helped me find a way back to spirituality, and the journey was full of joy. I could not recommend her enough!" -
"From our first session, I felt a real spark of both safe and sacred connection" - KJ
Gabrielle has a gift for generously holding space with you––no matter the direction you may be exploring, or even indirection you may feel like you’re experiencing.
From our first session, I felt a real spark of both safe and sacred connection that was fostered by her curiosity and kindness. Her work is trauma informed, and she uses different practices, like mindfulness meditation and grounding exercises and is open for practices you may want during a session, even agnostic prayer. I feel held across literally thousands of miles through the screen when we have our sessions.
Every time we meet, I feel like a new layer is discovered or unveiled related to my capacity to discover more, experience, and love––in relation to my others, the land and the ground of being. Through her companionship, I’ve been able to explore the spiritual core of my grief and how it really is so entangled with my capacity for joy. I’ve also been able to connect more to the earth and the land in ways that feel so intimate and almost unimaginable to me before.
I feel like the space Gabrielle creates is very special and rare––to be working with someone who is able to help you do this in ways that connect your activism, philosophy, to a grounded practice of spirituality. I would recommend Gabrielle to anyone looking for a safe and beautiful place to explore and deepen meaning and connection in your life.
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"Talking with Gabrielle was a core part of how I’ve come to articulate my faith" - Julia
Talking with Gabrielle was a core part of how I’ve come to articulate my faith and the political commitments it both opens up and demands.
She encouraged me to follow my first glimpses of the ground of unconditional love to their radical conclusions: trust that the work of liberation is happening even through failure. And she guided me into getting out of my head, trust that my thoughts are not holding up reality themselves, and do the work.