When Someone Dies: Dialogues with the Living about Death and Dying Dialogue-based conference w/ focus on death & dying returns to Bozeman
Gallatin Valley Circle of Compassion (GVCC) invites community members to participate in their annual Mountains of Courage conference, “When Someone Dies: Dialogues with the Living about Death and Dying.” The one-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, March 9th, in the Strand Union Building on the Montana State University campus from 9am–3:30pm. Early registration is encouraged as space is limited. The registration fee includes lunch. Check-in begins at 8am.
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. Sample topics include: Advanced Directives, Complicated Grief, Green Burials, Hospice, Unique Send-Offs, Music Therapy, and Spirituality at the End of Life. A full list of topics and presenters can be found on the organization’s website.
Keynote speaker, Gary Roe, is an award-winning author, speaker, and grief specialist who has been bringing comfort, hope, encouragement, and healing to hurting, wounded hearts for more than 30 years. Roe is the author of numerous books, including the award-winning bestsellers Shattered: Surviving the Loss of a Child, Heartbroken: Healing from the Loss of a Spouse, Please Be Patient, I’m Grieving, and Teen Grief: Caring for the Grieving Teenage Heart. Roe has been featured on Focus on the Family, Dr. Laura, Wellness.com, Beliefnet, CBN, The Daily Positive, and other major media. He has over 500 grief-related articles in print. He is a winner of the Diane Duncam Award for Excellence in Hospice Care. A former college minister, missionary in Japan, entrepreneur in Hawaii, and pastor in Texas and Washington, he now serves as a writer, speaker, chaplain, and grief counselor with Hospice Brazos Valley.
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 $60 with early bird registration through February 15th, $70 with advance registration between February 16th and March 7th, and $80 at the door. Students enjoy a special advance rate of $45 through March 7. Lunch is included in the conference fees. CEUs are available. Conference details, tickets and downloadable registration forms are available at www.gallatinvalleycircleofcompassion.org. Flyers and registration forms are also available at Dokken-Nelson Funeral Services and Dahl Funeral Home. For additional information, please call (406) 223-4707. •
