April 2026 Meeting Notes
APRIL 7, 2026
MEETING NOTES
This month 12 of us came together with our all time favorite guest, Stacy Sims, for an evening of self-awareness and learning the power we have over our bodies and minds.
We had a new person this month- just less than one month out- and as always, it took us all back to our first days on this grief path. We talked about how exhausting grief is- how much energy and courage it takes to make those first steps towards some new sort of normal and wellness. It is a journey without a destination- a path that never ends. One dad shared how, even decades out, he can still be taken back to those early moments. For sure, the pain softens, our brain begins to make room for something other than horror and pain. In some ways, as our new person said, we even learn to appreciate what we have more, all the while grieving what we lost. We are honored to sit beside the new folks- the degree of trust needed to feel okay sharing such personal stories. And, we wish that no one ever had to have a need for us.
So- Stacy began, as she always does, by inviting each of us to briefly share our stories and ways in which we can identify physical manifestations of our emotional trauma. Lots of people spoke about sleeplessness. Some experience muscle pains/tension, stomach issues. Gaining weight, losing weight. Difficulty engaging in activities. We hit upon the cruel comments we have had to endure- whether “well-meaning” or not. In the past we have discussed how some parents, in their attempt to convince themselves of why a similar tragedy could never happen to their children, say things that are unkind. Sadly, we all seem to have had to deal with this issue- I can actually feel myself tightening up just writing this!
Of course, we can’t just discuss these concerns without learning ways in which we can mitigate these symptoms. Stacy began by discussing the six movements of our spine and how exercising these actually helps improve our oxygenation and blood flow to our vital areas. They are side to side, front to back, rotate each direction. (L/R x3) Exercises that help with this:
1) Rotating breathing – while sitting up in the chair, arms overhead, reach one arm to the side and behind as far as you can reach. Breath in while rotating, exhale back to center and repeat on other side.
2) Side bending stretches – while sitting on the chair, hold onto the seat with one hand while bringing your other arm up and over your head until you feel the stretch. Breathe in, breathe out.
3) Sitting cat & cow – sitting up in chair, place your hands over your news, softly gripping below the knee. Inhale & roll your head down while curling your lower back out- like a cat. Exhale and slowly arch your back and head.
We learned to slowly tighten a body part, like foot – feel what tight feels like and then relax. Work your way up your body tightening and relaxing. Sometimes we don’t even realize how tight we are.
One way to loosen is to just shake it out- the goofier the better! Laughing increases endorphins so be silly!
Silent meditation- there really isn’t one right way to meditate (and as a person who doesn’t meditate, you probably should not take advice from me!). Stacy has some meditations on The Well’s internet site.
We ran out of time as Stacy was going to walk us through a writing exercise. For poetry enthusiasts, she shared The Well’s Mindful Poetry Moments 2026. I will scan in the worksheet Stacy gave us- if you are interested in writing your own poem or just filling in the blanks you can do so and send to Stacy. I apologize- can’t remember if all submissions are published or just select ones, but writing is great therapy, so nothing to lose!
Our next dinner out is Thursday, April 23rd. Location yet to be determined.
Our May meeting special guest has to have surgery so will be rescheduled. More on May to come.
Karen