Friends of California Grief Center,

We celebrate the women who have been pioneers in the fields of mental health, trauma recovery, and somatic healing, including Dr. Bessel van der Kolk’s longtime collaborator Dr. Pat Ogden, EMDR founder Dr. Francine Shapiro, somatic experiencing expert Dr. Raja Selvam, and grief and loss specialists Dr. Pauline Boss, Dr. Jennifer R. Levin, and Dr. Joanne Cacciatore. Their groundbreaking work has expanded our understanding of healing, offering pathways for those grappling with trauma, grief, and deep emotional suffering. Through their research, practice, and advocacy, they have empowered countless individuals and communities to reclaim their wholeness. May their contributions continue to illuminate the path toward resilience, connection, and collective healing.

Catharsis Theater For Everyone: Living in the Age of Grief (Free)

Every month, we open our doors in downtown Culver City for a free Catharsis Theater show—not just to perform, but to gather, to grieve, to heal. Grief is ancient, older than words, older than history itself. Thirty thousand years ago, people sat in circles, told their stories, moved their bodies, and leaned on each other—because healing has never been a solitary act.

Psychodrama, one of the oldest and most effective therapeutic techniques, has stood the test of time because it speaks to something primal in us—the need to make sense of loss through action, story, and human connection. As one of the safest and most researched approaches to healing grief, it offers a stage where the unspeakable can be spoken, the invisible can be seen, and the unbearable weight of mortality can be shared, lightened, and—if not solved—at least lived with a little more grace.

That’s why we do this. Because grief support isn’t a luxury; it’s a human right. Because loss—whether of a person, a relationship, a country, or a sense of self—is not meant to be carried alone. In this space, grief is given shape, voice, and movement. And in that act, something shifts. Maybe not all at once. Maybe not in a way you can name. But in the way that matters: the way that reminds you that you are not alone.

✨ Event Details: Catharsis Theater for Everyone: Living in the Age of Grief
📅 Date: Saturday, February 15, 2025
⏰ Time: 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
📍 Location: The Blue Door Theater, Culver City
🎭 Host: Brian Stefan, LCSW (California Grief Center)
💵 Cost: Free

Register Here 

Upcoming Opportunities for Connection

💛 Mindfulness-Based Grief Relief (MBGR) Practice Group
Healing Ourselves through the Present Moment (HOPE)

📅 Next Virtual Session: February 22 | 10:00 AM (PT) | 1.5 hours (Zoom)
🔗 Register Here

At the California Grief Center, we offer grief therapy and group experiences designed to support you through loss. Visit www.caligrief.com to learn more about our services and upcoming events.

With care and compassion,
Brian Stefan, LCSW
Founder, California Grief Center