Exploring grief, healing, and community support with Rebecca Adams and Rachel Pope
In this Courageous Conversation, Rebecca Adams, CEO of First Light Widowed Association, shares her personal journey through loss. Joined by Louisa Smith from Griefline and special guest Rachel Pope, grief coach and author, the discussion delves into the unique challenges faced by widowed individuals and the critical role of community support in navigating grief. The conversation highlights the transformative impact of community building, peer-based support, and the importance of sharing personal stories.
Rebecca shares her experiences founding First Light and organising supportive events for young widows in Australia, drawing inspiration from her own transformative experience at a Camp Widow conference in the US. Rachel and Rebecca discuss the specific challenges widowed individuals face, such as mental health complications and social isolation, and how their work addresses these issues through practical resources and community support. They also advocate for better government support and emphasise the need for continued conversations about grief and healing.
About First Light Widowed Association
First Light Widowed Association is a charity organisation that connects young widowed people from all backgrounds and relationship structures to resources, programs and a community that will support them through the overwhelming task of re-building their world after the loss of the life they knew and the future they’d planned for.
Along with supporting the young widowed community in Australia, First Light also strives to help the family and friends of widowed people understand the best way to support their loved one during this most difficult time.
Each of us is touched by trauma at some level. Once we understand how to accept and deal with that, we can create happy and enriched lives for ourselves and become better people, partners, employers, employees and contribute positively to the world around us.
About Rebecca Adams
About Rachel Pope
Rebecca’s desire to help widowed people navigate the bereavement process stemmed from her own experience in losing her husband unexpectedly in 2013, just six weeks after their wedding. Feeling overwhelmed and unprepared to handle her grief and rebuild her life, she discovered a significant gap in widowed grief support in Australia. Her journey led her to the United States in 2014, where she attended Camp Widow, a transformative retreat for those navigating widowhood. This experience not only helped Rebecca find solace but also inspired her to establish the First Light Widowed Association in Australia.
Drawing on her leadership abilities, dedication to supporting the widowed community, and background as a writer, communications advisor, and events coordinator, Rebecca has been instrumental in leading and expanding First Light.
Rachel is a thought leader, an encourager, and a survivor. She is an author, inspirational speaker and grief coach.
As someone who has experienced compounded loss in her life, Rachel’s personal mission is to lift the lid on grief, one conversation at a time. She has lived it, survived, and resurfaced, with a proven track record to help people grow through grief, and recognise the gifts within their story. Click on the following link to visit Rachel’s website and learn more about her work:
Rachel also represents Griefline as a speaker and facilitator. Her personal and professional insights are invaluable, making her an exceptional resource for workplace professional development, speaker forums and keynote presentations. Visit Rachel’s speaker profile here.Â
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