Speaking Engagements

FOR ORGANIZATIONS

Who taught you how to grieve? . . . and who taught you how to support those grieving?

Grief is the natural and normal response to loss. Healing is possible. My goal is to help people believe that. My presentations empower individuals with effective tools, as well as help them know they are not alone in their grief. While grief is a difficult topic, these seminars are not sad. Grief is a part of the human experience, so we laugh as well as cry together. Breakout sessions provide time for people to practice the tools they have just learned. The breakouts create a safe and empathetic space to discuss grief, share stories, and learn from each other.

Everywhere I go, I meet people who badly want to learn effective ways to process their grief. They also want to support others who are grieving but need ideas and confidence. In these seminars, participants will learn to process their own grief, build supportive communities, and extend empathy to others.

These presentations are offered to renew hope and help people progress on the healing journey. You can explore the range of seminars and presentations for in-person and online sessions by clicking the link below.

Speaking Engagements

In-person or on Zoom

Investment: $2,000/weekend with 3 meetings followed by facilitated, interactive breakout sessions, plus travel expenses and accommodations.

 or $400 per speaking engagement, plus travel expenses and accommodations.

I look forward to a consultation where we can discuss meeting your specific needs.

RECENT SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS:

Educational Institutions:

Organizations within the SDA church:

Churches & Women’s Ministries:

Presentation Topics

Being There: How to Support Those Who Are Grieving

We know how to congratulate someone for graduating, celebrate them when they get married, and rejoice over a new baby. But when a person dies, we often say nothing at all.  The truth is, we haven’t been taught how to respond to this inevitable part of life.

We are worried about saying or doing the wrong thing - and so sometimes we don't "show up" for the bereaved at all. How do you support people who are grieving?  What helps?  What doesn’t? This seminar will address these challenges.

In this seminar, we will explore how to effectively support those who are grieving. We will delve into the challenges we face when it comes to offering comfort and understanding. By gaining insights into what helps and what doesn't, we can become more compassionate and supportive companions for the bereaved.

Key Questions Addressed:

  • How do you support people who are grieving?

  • What approaches are helpful and meaningful?

  • What should you avoid saying or doing?

  • How can we personalize our grief support?

  • How can we overcome our fears and worries about saying the wrong thing?

Breakout Session: Participants will have the opportunity to practice empathetic listening and other skills they’ve learned.

Hurricanes and Other Losses: Navigating Grief and Embracing Healing

One cannot get through life without pain. . . What we can do is choose how to use the pain life presents to us. Bernie S. Siegel

Living means losing. There are so many good things in life, but there is always change. And change means loss. Even positive change can bring loss. You have a baby, for example, and it’s wonderful! But you will not do a “quick run to the store” for decades, you will lose sleep, and “free time” will quickly fade from your vocabulary!

Then there are the devastating losses. Unexpected. Unwanted. How do we survive? Is living a fulfilling life again even possible? This seminar is designed to guide you through healthy responses to grief and provide you with the courage to embrace the journey of healing.

Key Insights:

  • Embracing change and loss: Understanding that life's changes, even the painful ones, can be opportunities for growth and transformation.

  • Finding resilience in the face of adversity: Developing the inner strength and tools to navigate the storms of life and emerge stronger on the other side.

  • Understanding that healing doesn't erase the loss; it means that it no longer controls us.

Breakout Session: “Sharing our Stories.” Participants will be invited to share and given the opportunity to engage in a practical breakout session, where they can practice essential listening skills and learn valuable techniques for supporting grieving individuals.

Crying Out to God: Biblical Lament

Is it okay to be angry at God? Can we talk to Him about it? Absolutely. He already knows! And it's a relief to have examples like Job and David, who honestly expressed their feelings to God when things felt unfair or unbearable. They were not reprimanded; they became some of God's closest friends.

Lamenting is about "wailing" or "crying out." In the biblical practice of lament, we cry out in pain and seek God's help. This raw honesty about our present circumstances and remembrance of God's faithfulness leads to a place of trust and peace.

To lament means to “wail” or “cry out.” In the biblical practice of lament, we cry out and pain and ask for God’s help while also choosing to remember His goodness and what He has done in the past. Dissonance is a hard place to live. Distress about present circumstances and the knowledge of God’s goodness ping pongs back and forth until the griever’s heart can rest peacefully, even if the circumstance has not changed.

Key Questions Addressed:

  • How does grief impact my relationship with God? How do I work through my disappointment and anger at God? Is it acceptable to be angry at God and express our feelings honestly?

  • What can we learn from biblical examples like Job, David, and Jesus who expressed their honest emotions to God?

  • How can we find a balance between expressing our present pain and remembering God's goodness and faithfulness?

  • What is the role of dissonance in lament, and how can we find peace and trust in the midst of distress?

  • What is the significance of "CART" and how does it provide a practical framework for practicing lament?

  • How does lamenting our grief and pain allow us to give it to God and receive healing in return?

Breakout Session: Attendees will be given invaluable time to practice lament through “CART,” an acronym outlining the process of lament found in the Psalms. Lament gives a way to give our grief to the One who can take burdens and give healing in return.

Recent Speaking Engagements

Shenandoah Valley Academy Alumni Weekend

SAU Convocation

SAU Vespers

Other topics are available, such as Compassionate Care for the Dying and Ambiguous Loss.  Please contact me if you would like me to present on a topic concerning grief and loss that you don’t see here.    

These seminars can be adapted for business, educational, or faith-based contexts.

What My Clients Are Saying…

  • " You will find her tirelessly listening and praying for individuals from her audiences."

    Having experienced tragedy in her own life, Alicia has known grief. And Alicia has learned how to live healthfully with grief. Telling her story and the stories of some of her clients and students over the years, she compassionately and empathetically connects with her audiences’ pain in a way that few people can from a stage. And she is not through when her talk is over. You will find her tirelessly listening and praying for individuals from her audiences.

    Dennis Negrón, PhD
    Vice President for Student Development
    Southern Adventist University
    Mental Health Week, September 2022

  • "I recently heard Alicia Patterson speak on grief and have continued to unpack and apply the wisdom shared from her own experiences and Biblical examples. "

    I recently heard Alicia Patterson speak on grief and have continued to unpack and apply the wisdom shared from her own experiences and Biblical examples. I see now that grief comes in many forms and when we can take it from a plague mentality to honoring the process and pain, life has a chance to breathe again. Thank you, Alicia, for the work you are doing in leading us through the grief and loss process.

    Connie Cole

  • "I already have had quite a few students reach out to me and say how important the message was and how much they loved your presentation."

    — thank you so much again for coming to speak with us last night. I already have had quite a few students reach out to me and say how important the message was and how much they loved your presentation. I just want you to know how much we all love and appreciate you.

    Kenzie Kratts, President of the Pre-Med Club
    AdventHealth University

  • "God, in His wisdom, has given Alicia a special gift, and placed her in a very important role."

    I recently invited Alicia Patterson to be a speaker for our worship service and to host a 2 - hour workshop for our members who might have questions about the grieving process. Each of us has certainly had a loss or maybe even several. Maybe we have lost a job, a physical ability, gone through a divorce, or lost a loved one to death. Alicia spoke to all of those and more. The worship service was a wonderful introduction for Alicia to our congregation. The afternoon workshop was truly inspirational, fulfilling, and informative. We enjoyed such a beautiful Sabbath Day with Alicia. God, in His wisdom, has given Alicia a special gift, and placed her in a very important role.

    Pastor Bob Reynolds - True Life Community SDA Church

  • "Alicia’s presentation, delivered with empathy and compassion, was deeply meaningful to our alumni and school family."

    “Alicia’s presentation, delivered with empathy and compassion, was deeply meaningful to our alumni and school family. Many approached Alicia wanting to connect immediately after her talk. Since then others have followed up to say how timely and important this topic was for them and to thank us for inviting a speaker to discuss grief and healing.”

    Janel Ware, Alumni Director
    Shenandoah Valley Academy

  • "She quickly gets her audience intensely interested in seeking real solutions in the grief journey."

    “Alicia is a very gifted speaker and unparalleled teacher. She quickly gets her audience intensely interested in seeking real solutions in the grief journey. She taught all of us how to be what God would have us be for those grieving, but also helped us be more at ease with our own journeys.”

    Jill Anderson

  • “You are an incredibly knowledgeable but also relatable speaker and that’s no small feat!”

    Tina Smith

Get In Touch

Complete this form to request more information regarding speaking engagement options & I will be in touch soon.

aliciagriefcoach@gmail.com
770-853-3657