Grief Group: The Wild Edge of Sorrow

Rituals of Renewal and the Sacred Work of Grief

 

Usually in our culture we only touch grief when we lose a loved one,
however now more than ever much is being lost and there is much to grieve.


You are invited to learn and work with your grief in this group. Whether your loss is a loved one, a job, environmental destruction, racial trauma and systemic oppression, ancestral lineage or anything that stirs sorrow or grief for you. Together we will share and grow our relationship with grief as we read The Wild Edge of Sorrow by Francis Weller.  Anchored by the book, we will heal with our grief through writing, sharing, listening, and both individual and group ritual.

Everything we love we will lose.  Most of us have lost someone or something valuable already.  Grief unfelt, unattended to, or stuffed down interferes with life.  Life is renewed and fed by the cycles and passage of time, but time alone does not heal.  We can re-align back into the flow of life gain vibrancy by harvesting the meaning and purpose from our experiences, especially those that stir grief by tending to these processes intentionally.

Join us for a 6 week experiential group to deepen in relationship to grief, form community, be in ritual, support others, and connect more fully to your human experience including life, death, and more renewed vibrant life.

In this group you will explore, deepen, and strengthen your connection and relationships to:

  • Yourself
  • Grief and Loss
  • Healthy Adult Life Development
  • The World’s Challenges and Sorrows
  • Our Relationship with and Impact on Nature
  • People that have lived before you
  • Your ancestry
  • Cycles of life and death
  • Shared human experience

You will leave renewed and re-committed to living fully, nourished and enlivened by the depths of your soul.

Group will meet for 5 weeks of educational and prep work culminating with a final ritual to move through the energies of grief in a supportive community container.

Thursdays 6:00-8:00PM, September 29-November 3, 2022. (Ritual will be 6:00-9:00).

$300 for series. $60 for ritual alone.  (Stand alone ritual is only an option if you have previously attended a grief ritual. Otherwise, you need to attend at least 4 sessions of the group.)

Facilitator: Chuck Hancock, M.Ed., LPC has been apprenticing with grief since childhood and has been focusing on healthier expressions of grief through ritualized community shared practices over the past decade.  Drawing on conventional western approaches as well as his study with mentors of indigenous practices of America and West Africa Chuck creates a group container creating a supportive healing relationship with all forms of grief we experience in life.

 

Opening in Men’s Group

If you’ve been wanting to join the Men’s Group, good news! There are two openings for new members in our Men’s Interpersonal Process Group.

This men’s interpersonal process group can help you get more real, more honest with yourself and others propelling you into deeper relationships and deeper success through challenge and support by other men. It is a real-time lab, where you will experience yourself and others with greater awareness and be able to try new behaviors and ways of
relating to being more effective in your life.

All topics and goals are welcome. Common themes are anger, depression, anxiety, personal identity, masculinity, relationships with women and/or other men, assertiveness, sex/sexuality, disconnect from emotions, work problems, fatherhood, confidence/self-esteem, accountability, honesty, spirituality, and finding purpose and meaning in life.

This group has been running weekly for the past 5 years facilitated by Chuck and over a decade prior to that facilitated by a psychologist who retired passing it on to Chuck. The long-running stability, diversity of age, background, and experience of the members, and experience of the facilitator are rare.


The ideal man will have had previous or current experience in therapy or other personal growth, but motivation and desire for greater self awareness will also enable you to benefit if this is your first growth experience.


All men are welcome in this group. You are welcome with all of your struggles, your gifts, your challenges, your gender, your sexuality, your personality, your pain, your shame, your questions, your desires.


All of you are welcome here!
Tuesday Evenings
5:00-6:30

$50 per group. 8 week minimum commitment, but most people will want to continue on long term for the support, authentic relationships, and unique opportunity to grow with a safe, established, circle of men and trained, experienced, professional facilitator.

Facilitated by: Chuck Hancock, M.Ed., LPC. Chuck has over a decade of experience participating in and leading men’s groups, experiential groups, therapy groups, wilderness groups, interpersonal process groups, ritual and rites of passage programs, and teaching college courses. Chuck is highly trained in treating trauma, mindfulness,
somatic therapy, and is a member of Colorado Group Psychotherapy Society and a perpetual student of intrapersonal and interpersonal relationship patterns.

Tending the Waters of Psyche and Soul

A Depth Psychology Growth Group Bridging Inner Life and Outer Life Adventures

Some Definitions of Soul

  • an active or essential part
  • the part of the human being that thinks, feels, and makes the body act
  • the quality that arouses emotion and sentiment
  • energy or power of mind or feelings; spirit; fervor
  • the cause of inspiration or energy; leading spirit; prime mover
  • spiritual or moral force 
  • the embodiment of some quality; personification
  • the spirit of a dead person
  • the immaterial essence, animating principle, or actuating cause of an individual life
  • a person’s total self

You may or may not believe you have a soul. That is not a prerequisite for this group. If you have a desire to deepen your connection with, relationship to, and grow the health of any of the above descriptions, this group is for you. This group is a space to learn about and work with your psyche, personal psychology developed by your experiences and narrative about those experiences, interpersonal relationships (how you show up with others), and the transpersonal (anything bigger than and beyond yourself).

Join us in community for depth healing utilizing the map and mirrors of depth somatic experiential psychology. This group will bridge the world of our ordinary waking life roles and structures with that of our inner world. This is not a group about fixing you, teaching you skills, or requiring you to be “better” – rather it is a group where all of you, in your brilliance and in your struggle with shadow, is welcome. It is a group that is led by psyche, soul, and spirit informed by your life and experience facilitated by a trained guide (not a teacher).

In this group, you bring the topics – based on what is alive in you.  What is challenging you? What is inspiring you? What is showing up in your world that feels impactful or meaningful? Whether that aliveness is a dream you had, a poem or song that moved you, a meditation practice that taught you, a social media post that triggered you or brightened your day, grief that brought you to your knees, a stuck-ness so tight it paralyzes you or a movement that opened or freed you, this group is a space to bring more life and soul into your world in a community of fellow practitioners.

 

Who is this group for?

In the group process, there are many “problems” or pain points that can lead someone to join.  It could be anxiety in general, or about the state of the world and its political, social, economic, and health issues.  It could be that you are feeling depressed, stuck, stagnant, alone, misunderstood, or constantly sad.  You may have a hard time knowing your place in this ever changing world.  This group starts with the philosophy that we are all human, and we are all in this together.  And through working through our individual “problems” together, we help each other. And perhaps even see that they are not problems, but invitations to grow. This group is for people willing to engage in their own healing by giving and receiving support, and opening to wisdom and support of a variety of modalities that connect you with your heart, mind, body, and soul.

We aim toward self leadership and self actualization.  How do we do that?

We are all struggling to know and become the fullest version of our “real,” true, unique selves. We create a space to learn more about ourselves and experience new aspects of ourselves through content, process, and interpersonal relationships with other group members.

We recognize we have the tendency to deny our own needs and feelings. To pretend to be someone we aren’t or to avoid facing our true self inhibits growth. In this group, we take responsibility for owning our needs and feelings and expressing unexpressed thoughts, so the facilitator and other group members co-create the space to meet those new places in yourself and possibly have your needs and feelings met in an embodied way.

We believe each individual is endowed with the urge to expand, develop, mature, and reach self-actualization. We believe that true growth and healing come from within, and this group is designed to help facilitate that process. 

Even in the best of times, it is easy to fall into despair – by not living the life that is yours to live or by feeling disconnected from the greater story of life and your place in the order of things. In these times of chaos and uncertainty, this group will help you reconnect to the life that is yours to live and reconnect you with the bigger picture and meaning to provide fuel and inspiration for the challenges we face.

Logistics

Ongoing. Weekly. Thursdays 11:30-1:00. In person with a zoom in option for health or travel.

Open to all genders age 25+.

8-week minimum commitment to allow for relationships and group containers to form.  Stay as long as the group is beneficial to you.

Financial Investment $30-$60 per group sliding scale.

About the facilitator: Chuck Hancock, M.Ed, LPC is passionate about group work being an important part of our growth and healing journey.  With over a decade of experience guiding individual and group processes in council, dreamwork, interpersonal process groups, psychodrama, meditation, Hakomi somatic psychotherapy, ego state (parts) work, Jungian psychology, movement, music, and nature based practices. He weaves all of these practices together to help clients locate themselves in the world co-creating new experiences of authenticity, depth, meaning, insight, and inspiration.  With the diversity of members, modalities, and lineages the community formed in a group experience offers more possibility and amplification of the growth process.  

 

 

To register for more information to decide if this group is right for you, email [email protected] or call 970.829.0478.

 

 

 

 

 

“The guest is inside you, and also inside me;

you know the sprout is hidden inside the seed.

We are all struggling; none of us has gone far.

Let your arrogance go, and look around inside.

The blue sky opens out farther and farther,

the daily sense of failure goes away,

the damage I have done to myself fades,

a million suns come forward with light,

when I sit firmly in that world.

I hear bells ringing that no one has shaken,

inside “love” there is more joy than we know of,

rain pours down, although the sky is clear of clouds,

there are whole rivers of light.

The universe is shot through in all parts by a single sort of love.

How hard it is to feel that joy in all our four bodies!

Those who hope to be reasonable about it fail.

The arrogance of reason has separated us from that love.

With the word “reason” you already feel miles away.”

~Kabir

Reconnecting to Spring

 

We are not separate from the natural world.  This myth that we are separate from nature and everything  around us is one of the greatest things causing humans suffering.  Even “visiting” nature implies we have to go somewhere to experience  it. In this day long program, we will be in nature to remember the age old practice of wandering  and listening, connecting intimately with nature both outside and inside of us to experience greater health and wholeness.  

  • Experience and connect with the season of summer in it’s unique personality and relationship to the rest of the year.
  • Find and relate to plants, animals, birds, insects, rocks, and landscape that can help you deepen into your understanding of yourself and our world.
  • Utilize Ecopsychology  and transpersonal psychology to remember your wholeness, the wholeness of our world, and experience health and healing in nature.
  • Learn about the passages and cycles of days, years, seasons, and life itself.
  • Utilize practices to help you connect deeper to yourself and your own sources of guidance, wisdom, and support.
  • Spend time together as a community in council,  gain direct teachings on nature connected practices.
  • Have solo time on the land having direct experience with these practices in your own way..

 

For more information: http://reconnectingtoournature.com/

Elemental Masculinity

New outdoor nature based men’s group offering starting in March as soon as the group is full.

elemental masculinity flyer

Learn more:

Welcome Home

 

New Trauma Therapy Group Forming

 

Owning our story can be hard but not nearly as difficult as spending our lives running from it. Embracing our vulnerabilities is risky but not nearly as dangerous as giving up on love and belonging and joy—the experiences that make us the most vulnerable. Only when we are brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of our light.  ~Brene Brown

All of you is welcome here.  Living with traumatic experiences often makes us feel like we have to hide a part of ourselves because of our own shame or because we don’t believe the world will understand or support us.  Many who have experienced trauma live with depression, isolation, anxiety, addictions, or other issues. Engaging in group therapy may sound scary, but it has been my experience that healing occurs most profoundly when we can experience human connection while being with the events and parts of us with which we felt the most alone and unsafe.  You don’t have to handle difficult things on your own.

Utilizing the latest research in treating trauma, this group draws upon the work somatic psychotherapy, experiential psychotherapy, attachment, mindfulness practices, interpersonal relationship, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), DBT self regulation and distress tolerance skills, EMDR, ecotherapy, and Internal Family Systems.

Format

This weekly group is open to all genders and will provide a safe, supportive space that teaches mindfulness, 

grounding, and resourcing skills and developing strength and resilience as a foundation.  Moving beyond skills, participants will discuss and support each other in managing current life triggers. As safety and trust deepen and when the time is right, there will be opportunities for each member to be able to process and do therapeutic work around their trauma in a group format. Harnessing the power of a safe supportive group container, people can feel even more held and safe to process events and receive support from a community of understanding people.  

Consent is key, and sometimes healing in and of itself.  Learning how to say yes when you mean yes and no when you mean no is a part of every group.  You will be empowered to participate or not participate to whatever level you are ready and wanting.  

The group meets weekly and is ongoing every Thursday evening.  In order to establish safety, rapport, and trust in the group, each person is asked to make at least an 8 week commitment to the group.  Many will stay on beyond the minimum to continue building trust, healthy healing relationships, and being able to work through challenges slowly and safely.  The group will have at least 4 and at most 8 members.

To enroll
Contact Chuck ([email protected] or 970.829.0478) to setup a free 30 minute group screening and consultation.  If it seems like a good fit, you will be able to start as soon as the group feels it is ready for a new member.  It is highly recommended that you have an individual therapist as well, but exceptions may be made depending on your situation.

Cost

$50 per group.  Some insurance accepted.  Call your insurance company and ask about coverage for group therapy.  

Still not sure?

Articles for further reading on trauma specific therapy groups

https://psychcentral.com/blog/4-things-i-learned-in-trauma-group-therapy/

https://www.verywellmind.com/the-benefits-of-group-therapy-for-ptsd-2797656

 

Download the Trauma Therapy Group Flyer  to print or email to someone who may need this group.

Reconnecting to Fall

We are not separate from the natural world.  This myth that we are separate from nature and everything  around us is one of the greatest things causing humans suffering.  Even “visiting” nature implies we have to go somewhere to experience  it. In this day long program, we will be in nature to remember the age old practice of wandering  and listening, connecting intimately with nature both outside and inside of us to experience greater health and wholeness.  

  • Experience and connect with the season of summer in it’s unique personality and relationship to the rest of the year.
  • Find and relate to plants, animals, birds, insects, rocks, and landscape that can help you deepen into your understanding of yourself and our world.
  • Utilize Ecopsychology  and transpersonal psychology to remember your wholeness, the wholeness of our world, and experience health and healing in nature.
  • Learn about the passages and cycles of days, years, seasons, and life itself.
  • Utilize practices to help you connect deeper to yourself and your own sources of guidance, wisdom, and support.
  • Spend time together as a community in council,  gain direct teachings on nature connected practices.
  • Have solo time on the land having direct experience with these practices in your own way..

Join us.  Bring your whole self.  Bring a question, need, intention, dream, or be open to find one on your journey.  We will create a safe as possible container welcome to people of all genders, ethnicities, beliefs, and experiences age 16 to mobile elder.  We will limit the group to 10 people to maintain a tight group.

Financial Investment: $25 non-refundable registration holds your spot in the circle.  Suggested additional donation of $20-120 for programming, teachings, first aid supplies and support, organization, planning, and other energy invested in creating and holding space for you.  Nobody will be turned away for financial reasons. Let’s discuss if you have questions or needs around money.

Location and final logistics to be disclosed upon registration.  Will be within 1 hour of Fort Collins and we will coordinate a carpool to minimize impact on the environment.

Reconnecting to Summer Ad

Reconnecting to Summer – Nature Based Workshop

Utilizing deep nature connection for growth and healing is available to us at all times.  Chuck is also facilitating workshops, mentoring, and coaching in the wilderness with Reconnecting to Our Nature.

Reconnecting to Summer Ad

Reconnecting to Summer Ad

Consider joining for a day long immersion on untouched private land in the foothills of Northern Colorado.  August 18, 2018.  9-5.

For more information and registration: http://reconnectingtoournature.com/offerings/reconnecting-to-summer/

 

 

Two Immediate Openings in Long Established Men’s Group

Don’t miss this rare opportunity to be a part of this long established men’s group.  This group has intelligent, committed men, some of whom have been working together for years.  For more information, see the flyer below and contact Chuck today to schedule a free group screening appointment to see if you would be a good fit for this group to be able to grow with other men.

Download and share this flyer with a man you know could benefit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Men’s Process Group Flyer 2017 (pdf version)

 

 

 

New Therapy Group for Teens

 

 

 

Join us for a new first of its kind hybrid group therapy and wilderness therapy group for teenagers locally on the Front Range based out of Fort Collins, CO.  This outdoor group was created to offer the best of coaching, therapy, and wilderness adventures to adolescents without the cost and time commitment of traditional backcountry programs.

This group is open to all teens of all genders regardless of “issue” who are simply looking for personal growth by getting outside and joining in a community of peers, connecting with themselves, others, and nature. Through exploring themselves, overcoming challenges, developing new skills,  and being guided by expert facilitators our participants learn to bring the best of the lessons and experiences of the outside…. in.

For more details, click here and or contact Chuck directly at [email protected] or 970.556.4095.

Download a pdf version of the flyer to print, email, and share with someone who could benefit.

Outside--in flyer