While no death is easy, the unexpected loss of a loved one puts “grief on steroids.” No opportunity to say goodbye, so many things left unfinished, the last disagreement perhaps emblazoned in our hearts…the farewell can be heart-rending.

But an unexpected death and the grief in its wake is not the end of the story. Through courage and creativity, it is possible to work through the loss to effectively integrate it into the rest of life. Far from a predictable sequence of “stages,” grief is an organic, life-changing—and if we choose it to be—life affirming opportunity for growth.

William G. Hoy has been walking alongside bereaved people for nearly 35 years. Before going to his current post as Clinical Professor of Medical Humanities at Baylor University in 2012, Dr. Hoy directed the clinical counseling programs for Pathways Volunteer Hospice in Long Beach, California where he served for more than 16 years. He is a prolific author and sought-after speaker, annually providing more than 45 workshops and keynote addresses across North America. He and his wife, Debbie, live about 25 miles from the Baylor campus in rural central Texas.

Registration materials will be released soon; please check back for additional details next month.