Annual Spirituality and Bereavement Symposium
In Collaboration with Bo’s Place

Bo’s Place exists to offer support and community to those who have experienced the death of a loved one. A non-profit, free-of-charge bereavement center, Bo’s Place offers multiple grief support services for children, families, and adults, and provides education and resources for those who assist people in grief.

Each year, through our Center for End of Life and Aging, the Institute works with Bo’s place to organize and host a half-day symposium focused on spiritual, religious, and cultural dimensions of death, dying, grief, and bereavement. The event draws both clinicians and those who are bereaved, providing them with tools, concepts, and experiences that can enhance a clinical practice and provide perspective in difficult times.

The theme of the event varies from year to year. Past themes include the following:

2015 - Grief as a Spiritual Journey
2016 - Encounters with the Decesased: Spirituality and Meaning Making
2017 - The Colors of Mourning
2018 - Where Are They Now? Exploring Perspectives on the Afterlife
2019 - Mind-Body Medicine: Self-Care for the Grieving Soul
2020 - The Branches of Our Tree: Unique Relationships and the Meaning of Each Loss
2023 - Healing and Collective Grief