Grief embodiement sessions
Healing Through Movement, Stillness, Presence, and Being Witnessed
Over the years, photography has become an essential part of my journey, carrying me through countless seasons of rediscovery shaped by grief, depression, and joy. My art became a way to draw out the beauty within my pain while also celebrating the quiet, unassuming moments of everyday life. I see each image I create as a personal thought portrait, born from the chaos of my mind and shaped into art that allows a fragment of my soul to heal through the process. I can only hope my art offers the same healing to others.
Collectively, we are all holding grief within our bodies. I've found a deep sense of purpose in being welcomed into spaces with those who are grieving by offering them a container to be safely witnessed in their pain. In this space, they are free to express whatever is inside them without shame or fear of how their expression will be received. Through this process, I speak visual emotion through my lens, allowing their pain to transform into something beautiful and healing. I strive to honor each individual's journey with authenticity, courage, and grace through the power of being seen and held in their unique experience.
What to Expect:
Grief Embodiment Sessions provide a safe, compassionate space to explore and honor the physical, emotional, and spiritual dimensions of grief. Through guided movement, intentional stillness, writing, and photographic storytelling, these sessions are individually tailored to help you connect with your grief as a meaningful part of your journey. They offer a way to learn how to allow grief to walk beside you rather than forever live within you.
Grief often lives in the body, creating tension, heaviness, or disconnection. These sessions are designed to help release, express, and integrate emotions that the mind alone cannot process. Every session is uniquely tailored to each person's experience, offering an unstructured space for self-expression; there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Each session is a co-creation, guided by the needs and experiences of the individual, and will include therapeutic modalities rooted in Somatic Experiencing.
Session Description:
Guided Connection: Sessions begin with journaling prompts or meditative grounding exercises to foster a connection between body and emotion.
Photographic Portraiture: During the session, we will collaboratively capture raw, authentic moments that reflect your personal journey. Through my lens, I'll guide you in expressing the depth of your emotions, allowing the camera to document your strength and vulnerability.
Reflection & Integration: Sessions conclude with movement, an invitation to choose a symbolic way to release the energy of the experience, and finally, ending in stillness with time for reflection.
Follow-Up Session: We will reconnect to reflect on your experience, review the images, and offer resources for ongoing support.
Who Is It For?
This offering is for those navigating loss, transition, or deep emotional experiences who are seeking a creative and meaningful way to honor their journey. It is for anyone new to grief or for those who have carried it silently for years and are ready to explore a new modality for healing a layer that may have remained inaccessible.
DETAILS:
Duration: 2.5 hours, broken into three sessions
Location: To be determined during the initial meeting
Cost: $600
I offer complimentary consultations if you're curious whether this is right for you.
TESTAMONIALS
“I can’t speak highly enough about my experience with Airen. Airen‘s photos are not only high quality and aesthetic, but they hold space for so much more than that- moments of grief, turmoil, intense emotions. Airen prepared me for the shoot well, with a writing exercise to allow me to drop into my body and get more comfortable with my relationship with grief. What was initially hesitation to relive the experiences that were so painful actually ended up being a somatic release throughout the shoot. I was left not only with beautiful images, but a better ability to look deeper into myself, and see how those moments show up in my body. The experience was incredibly cathartic, and I would recommend her to anyone.”
~ Molly M.
“My experience with Airen was profoundly healing. She wandered with me as I moved through a cindered clearcut, sifting through generational memories of poverty, land theft, ecocide, complicity, and loss. I was surprised to find abundant joy and resilience within such felt sorrow. Fireweed bloomed among stumps. Birds sang in the vast sky. Tremendous life and death hold hands, and working with her helped my body remember that.”
~ Chelsea O.
curious if this is right for you?
I offer 15 minutes no, charge consultations.
Inquire below:
Important Notes:
By booking, Clients acknowledge that my role is artistic and supportive, not clinical or therapeutic. I provide a compassionate, supportive space for individuals processing grief through creative expression that involves therapeutic modalities rooted in Somatic Experiencing. However, I am not a licensed therapist and do not offer professional mental health services. Clients are encouraged to seek guidance from a licensed mental health professional if emotional distress arises before, during, or after a session.
Sessions may involve artistic nudity or deeply personal imagery. Participation is always entirely voluntary and without coercion. My role is to give participants agency over their decisions in a safe and supportive environment.