The Mental Health Ministry of St. Michael’s Parish will conduct a Grief and Loss Workshop. The event is scheduled for Nov. 6, 8:30 a.m – 11:00 a.m. at St. Michael’s Family Center in Poway, CA 92064.
Grief and Loss Workshop at St. Michael’s Parish
The Grief and Loss Workshop is organized through the Mental Health Ministry of St. Michael’s Parish initiative. The FB page, Family Life and Spirituality, San Diego, announces the details of this event.
It will be on Nov. 6 from 8:30 a.m – 11:00 a.m at St. Michael’s Family Center at 15410 Pomerado Road, Poway, CA 92064. The workshop aims to provide learnings about grief and loss and insights on how to best deal with people experiencing such conditions.
The Speakers
Dr. Sidney Zisook
Professor of Psychiatry, at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD)
According to his profile in UC San Diego, Sidney Zisook, M.D, works as director of the University of California, San Diego Residency Program and a distinguished professor of psychiatry at the university.
His medical career includes working as a former clinical fellow at Harvard Medical School. As cited from the same webpage, Dr. Zisook is actively involved in research regarding mood as both a primary and secondary manifestation/disorder. Dr. Zisook's work has been focused on the differentiation from depression and the treatment of grief and bereavement.
A lot of his research also focused on natural history.
Meanwhile, his clinical focus is the treatment of adults with grief, mood, and anxiety disorders.
Cyndi Peterson, M.D
Physician, Speaker, and Author
Cyndi Peterson introduces herself as a podcaster, an author, and a speaker on her website. She is a wife, a mother of five, and is a retired board-certified dermatologist.
She also had appearances on Ave Maria Radio, Catholic Radio, and EWTN Television. Moreover, Peterson has also been featured in many print articles.
She is an accomplished speaker. Her previous speaking engagements include sharing her story at several Marian Conferences, has spoken at numerous parishes and meetings across the country and overseas.
Before the pandemic, Peterson led pilgrimages to Medjugorje.
Jim Reiser, M.A, LMFT (Licensed, Marriage and Family Therapist)
Bereavement Coordinator at Hospice of the North Coast
In 2019, Jim Reiser published The Stages of Grief on the Hospice of the North Coast website. Currently, he works as the Bereavement Coordinator at Hospice of the North Coast.
According to his LinkedIn, Reiser was also a former therapist at MIRA Costa College and Marriage and Family Therapist at South Bay Community Services.
Mental Health Ministry of St. Michael’s Parish
As indicated in the church webpage, the parish’s Mental Health Ministry is under the auspices of the Diocese of San Diego. Its mission is to serve individuals experiencing health challenges and their families as well.
The Mental Health Ministry offers God’s hope and love through education, practical support, and spiritual companionship.
The volunteers of this ministry include people who also experienced and had overcome mental health challenges at one point in their lives.
Volunteers are either professionals or others that have experience in working with those affected by mental health challenges.
