Karen Tripp to be grief conference speaker

Anastasia Baptist Church and Haven Hospice reported to Historic City News that they will host nationally known speaker and Jacksonville native, Karen Tripp, MS, at their upcoming community-wide Grief Conference.

Every life will be touched by grief. The National Mental Health Association reports a million new widows and widowers in the US each year.

Grief is not left to one specific age group, race or gender.

It’s staggering to think that one in 20 children will experience the death of one or both parents by age 15. Although common, grief is one of the taboo subjects of our culture. There’s little desire to discuss how to cope with grief until it is happening to you.

Tripp breaks through the silence surrounding grief and addresses the hard to face questions with honesty and vitality that comes from her 25 years of counseling experience. Tripp will speak at the conference on September 19th.

“Grief can not be avoided by not speaking of it,” says Tripp. “There is healing in facing the difficult questions that come up in the grieving process. “Hospice has revolutionized the grieving process. The long-term hospice care for the bereaved after their loss is very beneficial. It’s wonderful that Haven Hospice is so involved with this conference.”

Topics to be addressed at the conference include:
— How does grief work?
— Why are my family and friends uncomfortable with my grief?
— Will this grief ever end?
— Why do I sometimes feel so alone?
— How do I move on?

The all-day seminar will provide specific coping strategies and concrete how-to’s that will enable those suffering loss to be proactive in their lives rather than reactive. “We want to offer ways to lift despair and to build hope. Our aim is for those who attend to find the encouragement they seek, the support they want and the healing they need,” says Tripp.

The conference will be from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and will be held at Anastasia Baptist Church in St. Augustine Beach.

Registration prior to the conference is $15 or $20 at the door. Continental breakfast, lunch and conference materials are
included. Special inspirational door prizes will be given away throughout the event.

Tripp will sign copies of her books and the new devotional CD of her writings mixed with music entitled “The First Moments After Grief.”

Register online at www.anastasiafamily.com or by calling the church at 904-471-2166 Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Anastasia Baptist Church is located at 1650 A1A S., Anastasia Island, one mile south of the lighthouse.