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If you or a loved one are affected by a work-related tragedy, FamiliesConnect Online Workshops offer a chance to learn healthy coping skills, alongside others who’ve been through a similar experience.
Each workshop session is led by a grief counsellor, Threads of Life staff member or skilled volunteer. There will be practical tips and information specifically tailored for those dealing with a life-altering workplace injury, occupational disease, or workplace fatality. Participants are free to share as much or as little of their own experience as they feel comfortable doing.
Workshops are offered at no charge, thanks to the support of Threads of Life’s partners and funders.
Registration is first-come, first-served. Seats at each workshop are limited, so if you register and find you cannot attend, please notify us.
If you have questions or need assistance, please call 1-888-567-9490 or email [email protected].
Upcoming workshop sessions you don’t want to miss…
FamiliesConnect Mini Series: Finding Meaning Beyond Career Identity with Mackenzie Costron - Feb 5, 19, Mar 15, 19
Feb 5 @ 4pm Atlantic, 3pm Eastern, 12pm Pacific (convert for my time zone)
Feb 19 @ 4pm Atlantic, 3pm Eastern, 12pm Pacific (convert for my time zone)
Mar 5 @ 4pm Atlantic, 3pm Eastern, 12pm Pacific (convert for my time zone)
Mar 19 @ 4pm Atlantic, 3pm Eastern, 12pm Pacific (convert for my time zone)
In the wake of workplace tragedy, it can be challenging to rediscover who we are beyond the identities tied to our careers. “Finding Meaning Beyond Career Identity” is a transformative series designed to support individuals as they navigate this journey of self-reclamation. In partnership with Costron + Co: business and life strategists, and Threads of Life, this series offers a compassionate space to explore life areas and cultivate personal values that embody purpose, resilience, and growth.
You do not need to attend all sessions of this series to participate. All are welcome. The series is flexible to accommodate varying needs and interests, making it accessible to everyone. Live and recorded music can also be integrated into our sessions based on the interests of group members, creating a meaningful and personalized experience.
Registration is limited for these sessions.
About the facilitator: My name is Mackenzie Costron (she/her), and I live, work, and play in K’jipuktuk/Halifax, Nova Scotia. One of the blessings in my life is working with an inspiring group of humans—therapists, healers, visionaries, and change-makers—who are dedicated to supporting others through life’s most challenging moments. My journey is shaped by my work as a Certified Music Therapist (MTA) and Registered Counselling Therapist (RCT).
Processing Emotions and Building a Resiliency Toolkit to Cope with Stress - with Johanna LeRoux - March 19
Wednesday, March 19, 2025 at 7pm Atlantic, 6pm Eastern, 3pm Pacific (convert for my time zone)
None of us are immune from stress. Work, children, family, the news, and even social media can all contribute to, and affect our daily stress levels, and the added emotional upheaval of grief, dealing with an injury or chronic illness, or caregiver responsibilities, can easily leave us feeling overwhelmed.
Stress does not merely affect us emotionally and mentally. The hormones our bodies produce when we are mentally or emotionally stressed also impact our physical health. Ongoing elevated levels of these hormones can create, contribute to, or intensify chronic health issues.
We cannot always eliminate stress from our lives, however learning strategies to help us identify and process our emotions so that we can build what I like to call a “Resiliency Toolkit” to manage our stress, can allow us to take better care of ourselves, mentally, emotionally and physically as we navigate life’s storms.
Johanna is a Threads of Life member, Volunteer Speakers Bureau Presenter, Volunteer Family Guide and Group Facilitator. She has been a Program Assistant at the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit for 20 years, supporting various health and safety programs. Previous to that she worked in a variety of positions including at a young offender facility; managing a large horse farm; with the Red Cross; and with a telecommunications company. She also runs her own small home business.
Johanna found Threads of Life in 2007, a year after the death of her son Micheal due to a workplace injury. Like many of this session’s participants, she struggled with putting the shattered pieces of her life back together after such a devastating loss. Through her involvement with Threads of Life, she learned how to take steps toward healing, and finding purpose and joy in her life again.
FamiliesConnect Mini Series: The Heart of Healing: A course in emotional recovery - April 3, 10,17, 24
April 3 @ 8pm Atlantic, 7pm Eastern, 4pm Pacific (convert for my time zone)
April 10 @ 8pm Atlantic, 7pm Eastern, 4pm Pacific (convert for my time zone)
April 17 @ 8pm Atlantic, 7pm Eastern, 4pm Pacific (convert for my time zone)
April 24 @ 8pm Atlantic, 7pm Eastern, 4pm Pacific (convert for my time zone)
Trauma, loss and crisis can sweep us off our feet, leaving us feeling lost and falling into the dark. Our emotions can become our enemies, overwhelming us with anxiety, paralysis or even rage.
This four-session course will help participants understand how our bodies respond to threats, traumas and losses and how this impacts our relationships and self-esteem. Participants will receive help learning how to address anxiety, numbness and relational distress. Questions and conversation will be encouraged throughout the sessions.
Week 1 we will consider our common human emotions, and try to understand how they work, why they come and maybe more importantly, why they DON’T COME when it feels like they should. We will look at how our nervous systems are designed to keep us safe and connected to others, and how emotional intimacy and vulnerability are the core skills of human relationality.
Week 2 we will look at grief and loss. What makes life hard are our many losses—some small and some unthinkable and life-changing. We will talk about how grief works, and why it is an excellent teacher about our emotions. We will look at the differences in how men and women grieve, and a few tricks to help you befriend your grief as opposed to escape it.
Week 3 we will discuss trauma and how it can impact our lives and our relationships. We will look at what happens to our emotional world when a trauma hits, and what it does to our brains and our hearts. It can be a big help to have a good handle on trauma, especially if we are feeling stuck and bogged down in loss.
Week 4 will be a sharing session where we can practice the emotional intimacy and connection to others that helps us recover from loss and trauma. This two-hour reflective sharing circle will provide participants with an opportunity to share and listen to each other with deep presence and attention.
*Participants are encouraged to attend all sessions
About the facilitator: Roy Ellis is a therapist, author and speaker in Nova Scotia. Roy brings 35 years of practice working with grief, trauma, sudden loss, He provides frontline support for private, government and community organizations which have experienced an unexpected death, tragedy or workplace disaster. He is a Certified Spiritual Care Practitioner (CSCP) with The Canadian Association for Spiritual Care, and received a Masters of Divinity from Queen’s University and a Masters of Education in Counselling Psychology from Acadia University. Roy has worked extensively with many organizations including Threads of Life, facilitating sessions at family forums, volunteer training, and contributing articles. Learn more at Royfellis.com
