Thursday Evening Workshops
We are thrilled to introduce our Thursday evening workshops as part of this year's conference. Workshops are only for conference attendees, and are an additional cost on top of the conference registration fee. Each workshop is priced differently; you can find the workshop options and their pricing when you register for the conference, and will be asked during registration if you'd like to register for a workshop. Workshop instructors will briefly address various ways to grieve, process, and heal through their workshop topic.
Memorial Flower Arranging Workshop
Taught by Cherie Wright and Zanna Perry
Description
In this workshop, we’ll guide participants in creating a floral arrangement to place on their loved one’s grave. We’ll teach the basics of floral design while sharing how flowers can represent hope and healing. Our hope is to create a quiet, meaningful space where each person can reflect, create, and feel the healing peace that flowers bring. Flowers are God's gift to this world.
Bio
Cherie Wright and her granddaughter Zanna Perry believe flowers are a symbol of hope and healing, and they love helping people express emotion and creativity through flowers with their business, Wright Flower Company. Cherie’s husband, the company’s original owner and designer, passed away from cancer, and Cherie and Zanna continue his legacy by sharing the beauty and hope that flowers bring.
Writing Workshop
Taught by Krista Isaacson
Description
Discover the healing power of writing during times of grief. This workshop gently guides you through a unique process to honor and record personal memories, even those touched by pain and loss. Writing can transform sorrow into strength, providing clarity and helping you understand your feelings. Using a proprietary system of ten carefully crafted prompts, you will mine a meaningful memory for sensory and emotional detail. These prompts invite you to explore the depth of your experiences, uncovering gratitude, insight, and moments of comfort and connection with Christ that foster healing. In this supportive space, sharing your writing with the group offers encouragement and validation. Together, you will find new paths to strength and resilience, knowing you are not alone. Join us and let your words become both a balm and a bridge toward hope and faith.
Bio
Krista M. Isaacson is a married mother and grandmother whose grief journey has been blessed by the gift of words. She is the award-winning author of the memoir Unbearable Burden: One Mother's Decision to Trust God When He Asked the Impossible, the story of losing her two-year-old daughter to a cancerous brain tumor only thirty short hours after diagnosis and how Christ taught her to survive that loss. Krista is a contributing writer with LDS Living Magazine and coauthor of Women Read Scripture: 365 Daily Devotionals from the Old Testament. She is also a sought-after speaker, presenting at BYU Women's Conference, BYU Education Week, and other cherished opportunities where she testifies of Christ's love and grace.
Soundbath and Meditation Workshop
Taught by Syd MacFarlane
Description
Experience a restorative and meditative sound bath led by singer & sound practitioner Syd Macfarlane. This session includes a gentle introduction to the chakras, simple guided breathwork, journaling, meditation & live music, affirmations and a sound bath designed to calm the mind and restore energetic balance while focusing on an intention geared to help you process your pain.
Bio
Syd MacFarlane is a singer, songwriter, and sound practitioner who has spent over a decade touring the country and performing on stages to thousands nationwide. Blending her extensive background in live music with a deep passion for mental health and holistic wellness, she now creates experiences that connect sound and soul. Her work invites others to slow down, tune in, and rediscover harmony within themselves. Through her work, Syd transforms music and sound into a space for reflection, healing, and renewal.
Watercolor Class
Taught by Jana Parkin
Description
Create a beautiful watercolor painting of a sunrise, step by step, with a brief introduction to the medium and easy-to-follow instructions. All necessary supplies are provided, including Jana’s drawing pre-printed on watercolor paper for you. Lose yourself in the soothing process of working with color and water in a safe, comfortable environment. Jana is a very encouraging instructor with a very high rate of success. You’ll be amazed at what you can do!
Bio
Jana is an award-winning watercolorist who has taught watercolor at Utah Valley University for 18 years. People often ask, Why watercolor? Water and light are spiritual elements, and Jana has chosen to specialize in watercolor because she loves harnessing the power of those elements in her work. Jana has a special place in her heart for those experiencing grief, as she is no stranger to grief herself, and is looking forward to sharing some of her healing journey and the role that watercolor painting played in that healing. See more of her work, learn about workshops, exhibitions and events, and sign up for her monthly newsletter at janaparkin.com. Create a beautiful watercolor painting of a sunrise, step by step, with a brief introduction to the medium and easy-to-follow instructions. All necessary supplies are provided, including Jana’s drawing pre-printed on watercolor paper for you. Lose yourself in the soothing process of working with color and water in a safe, comfortable environment. Jana is a very encouraging instructor with a very high rate of success. You’ll be amazed at what you can do!
Dance Movement Therapy Workshop
Taught by Jessica Westover and Darlyn Remington
Description
When dealing with grief it’s common to experience emotions such as anger, depression, and anxiety. Please join us for Dance Movement Therapy, where we use movement, mindfulness, and cathartic practices to support anyone dealing with the heavy emotions of grief. Together we will explore ways to reconnect with the body, release what feels stuck, and find moments of healing while moving our bodies. The group setting fosters connection and compassion, creating a safe space for personal exploration, healing, and renewal through movement. No dance experience needed, just an open heart and comfortable clothes.
Bios
Jessica Westover received her Masters Degree in Marriage & Family Therapy from BYU, and has been practicing for eight years. In her private practice, Anchored Healing Therapy, she strives to combine clinical expertise with warmth and clarity. She specializes in relationships, trauma, grief, parenting, depression and anxiety. She was a presenter on the topic of “Ambiguous Loss,” at the 2025 BYU Life After Loss Conference, as well as at the UAMFT Fall Conference in St. George, Utah. In other areas of her life she loves being a wife and mother, dancing, improv, good food, exploring the outdoors, and connecting with God.
Darlyn Remington is a graduate from BYU in Professional Dance, and has dedicated over 35 years to inspiring others through movement, performance, and wellness. As a former dancer with the internationally acclaimed BYU Ballroom Dance Team and Cougarettes, she had the unique opportunity to travel the world, sharing the joy of dance on global stages. She also facilitated a Grief Support Group in the Modesto California North Stake. She enjoys watching movies with her husband, and spending as much time as she can with her children and grandchildren.
Breathing Through Grief and Loss: Heart Centered Yoga & Breath Work
Taught by Tiffany Hebb
Description
Join Tiffany for a gentle heart-opening yoga practice focused on the healing power of the breath. Grief is often held in the body, especially in the lungs, and mindful breathing helps release tension, calm the mind, and open the wounded heart. Through guided breathwork, gentle movement, and quiet reflection, participants will connect with the spirit of the breath, experience cleansing and renewal, and feel peace while sensing the presence of their loved ones and the comforting power of Jesus Christ.
Bio
Tiffany Hebb is a mother of six, with five children here on earth and one son, Ollie (2 years), who passed away in 2012 following a drowning accident while living in Oregon. His loss became the spark for Tiffany’s journey toward holistic healing and ultimately shaped her purpose in supporting others through their own grief. After his passing, she became certified in yoga and meditation as a way to navigate deep sorrow in her own life, later discovering the power these tools held to help others.
Since losing Ollie, Tiffany has clung to Jesus Christ, and her testimony has deepened in ways she never expected. The peace she has felt through Him has carried her through her darkest moments, and she hopes every grieving heart can experience that same sustaining peace. She is the author of Holistic Grieving, a book that explores grief through a whole-person lens—mind, body, and spirit—and offers practical tools for healing.
Project Sunshine Workshop
Taught by Mia Mendoza, Alberto Trujano, Tanner Perez, Caleb Worthington, and Sheridan Vigue
Description
Come join us as we experience the joy of serving others and turning outward. Project Sunshine kit-packings are simple, assembly-line style service activities where you'll place the appropriate materials into a small yellow baggie (that's it!). We will give clear instructions and a quick demo before we begin, based on the exact kit type we'll be packing that night. You're welcome to pack one kit in just a couple of minutes, or stay for the full hour. Totally up to you. You will be creating sunshine for those who are enduring heavy trials. Your small efforts will be making a big difference.
Bio
Project Sunshine is a global nonprofit dedicated to delivering the healing power of play to children with medical needs. We achieve this mission through the work of passionate volunteers who assemble Sending Sunshine activity kits filled with supplies, toys, and crafts for children staying in pediatric hospitals across the country. We also collaborate monthly with Brade's Place, a pediatric palliative care facility, where volunteers spend time playing with children who have life-altering illnesses and disabilities. Our goal: to uplift an underserved population that needs joy, laughter, and light in their darkest times.