Seabeck Retreat Information
June 3rd - 5th, 2011
Our chapter has held a retreat at Seabeck Conference Center in
Seabeck, Washington every year for about 20 years now. There is a
quiet serenity that one feels as they cross the wooden bridge to
enter the Conference Center. The majestic Olympic Mountains to the
west, Hood Canal (part of Puget Sound) at the foot of the mountains,
and the wooded hills that slope down to the water set this place
apart from being just another conference center. (For more
information about Seabeck Conference Center visit www.Seabeck.org.)
During our retreat TCF shares the conference grounds with two other
grief groups - WICS (Widowed Information and Consultation Services)
and a children's grief group for our annual retreat. TCF, WICS and
the children's group - each have their own separate programs,
workshops, ceremonies and activities that focus on the losses
specific to their own group.
Because we have different types of losses (child, spouse, parent,
sibling) at Seabeck we try to have someone who can speak to everyone
such as Margarita Suarez, Dr. Bob Baugher, or Darcie Sims as a main
speaker. Sometimes the main speaker is a bereaved parent and
sometimes not. Gathering to hear the main speaker is usually the
only time that all the groups share the same activity. (We share a
dining room but each group has designated tables so that mealtime
can be an opportunity to continue to share our grief journey with
others with similar losses.)
Our retreat is just that...a retreat. We leave the busyness of our
everyday lives behind and that is usually what draws most people to
Seabeck. It's not a conference with a jam packed schedule but a
retreat with a main speaker, a couple of workshops, sharing groups
and a couple of memorial ceremonies. We keep it simple.
I tell everyone there are only two choices for every scheduled
session... attend or not attend. Not attending is as ok as
attending. The weekend is yours to use however you need it to take
care of your own needs. If it's time for a workshop or a sharing
group and you need a nap, fine, go take a nap. If you need to walk
on the beach and throw rocks into the water, go throw rocks. If you
need to take a walk in the woods, do it. If you want to attend a
workshop or sharing group, fine, attend it. There are no
expectations other than you do what YOU need and want to do.
A lot of people choose to not participate in all the organized
sessions and yet do a lot of grief work because they have a chance
to be in a safe and supportive setting that gives them the time and
space to work on their grief. It's a nurturing environment and we
are with people who understand what we are going through. We don't
judge, criticize, or tell others how to move through their grief
journey.
The retreat is not a weekend long pity party as one person told me
she thought it might be. It's a place where we share the memories of
our children and the love we will never lose and learn in the
process that "we need not walk alone."
We have 60+ bereaved parents that attend our retreat. I feel
confident that you will find someone at the retreat who can relate
to you and what you are going through. The Compassionate Friends
truly
feel that other bereaved parents are the greatest resource and
support for us on this most difficult journey we have to travel.
Please join us at Seabeck this year!! Contact us at 206-241-1139 or
email tcfmarge@aol.com
Marge Tomlinson
Retreat Coordinator and Seattle King County Chapter Co-Leader