Gallatin Valley Circle of Compassion invites community members to participate in their annual conference, “Mountains of Courage: Conversations on Death & Dying.” The single-day conference is designed to explore the end of life journey by providing a relaxed setting for individuals and caregivers to discover available resources, tools and information.
The conference will be held on Saturday, April 6th, at the Best Western GranTree Inn from 9am–4pm. Early registration is encouraged as space is limited. The registration fee includes lunch. Doors open at 8:30am.
Presenters and panelists will include health professionals, spiritual counselors, social workers, community support services and caregivers. Participants will have the opportunity to explore practical issues, emotions, myths and traditions and learn how to shift the current paradigm. They will learn about practical tools and resources to assist in making informed decisions when faced with end of life issues.
Keynote speaker, Reverend Bodhi Be, is an ordained interfaith minister whose presentation is entitled “Beginners Guide to Aging, Dying & Death in the 21st Century.” Bodhi is a funeral director, an end-of-life and bereavement counselor and educator; a hospice volunteer; a teacher and trainer of death doulas; a speaker and workshop leader. He has trained hundreds of doctors, nurses, hospice staff, social workers, ministers, chaplains, therapists, artists and lay people in the spiritual, psychological, emotional and logistical care of the dying and care of the dead, and for four years has taken dozens through a certification program for death doulas.
The host for the conference is Gallatin Valley Circle of Compassion (GVCC), a volunteer group of local community members who are professionally and/or personally touched by the human experience of death and dying. Their mission: “Connecting, educating and supporting our community on matters related to death and dying.” GVCC’s intention for the conference is that participants will feel empowerment, courage, a sense of calm and confidence, and the ultimate realization that one does not have to be alone on this journey.
Conference fees are $50 with discounted admission for veterans and students. Lunch is included in the cost. CEUs are available. Workshop information, additional conference details, and tickets are available at www.mountainsofcourage.com. •
