Grief in Relief: Therapeutic Processing and Artmaking Circle
Grief in Relief is an eight-session, in-person program that invites a small circle of women into a series of embodied conversations and creative practices to explore and move grief intuitively so we can grow our capacity and confidence to well-tend experiences of loss with ourselves and with others. Each session includes facilitated discussion and guided artmaking.
Grief and loss take infinite forms, and all are welcome in this circle.
Over eight in-person sessions we will:
- learn and unlearn about the nature of grief and loss - drawing upon creativity, intuition, and nature for inspiration
- explore the ways we carry grief in our bodies – physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually;
- intuitively moving grief like a river using expressive and intuitive arts - creative writing, journaling, music, visual artmaking and more; and
- practice truth-telling and deep listening
Upon completing this course, you will be able to say with increased confidence:
- My relationships with grief and loss are expansive and deep.
- I acknowledge, honor, and move grief creatively and with ease.
- I trust in my ability to meet others in their grief and loss experiences in ways that are mutually supportive.
- I have capacity for joy, vulnerability, connection, and resilience.
If you are ripe for this kind of transformative work for yourself and your community, I do hope you’ll consider stepping in with us.
This group is facilitated by therapist, Caroline Fraase, and artist and healer, Lisa Cheney-Philp.
Please note: All of the experiential activities offered in this program will be guided. No prior experience is necessary and participation is always a choice, not a requirement.
Winter/Spring 2026 Program Details
- dates are February 12, 19, 26, March 5, 12, 26, April 2, 9
- limited to eight participants
- meets weekly on Thursday afternoons in northwest Fort Collins
- 12:00pm- 2:00pm
- investment is $555, all materials included
- register at CarolineFraaseTherapy@gmail.com
Grief in Relief: Pet and Animal Loss Circle
Are you grieving the loss of an animal you love?
Are you ready to be seen, heard, and held in your experience?
Are you willing to lean into creativity and community for support?
If yes, join us for Grief in Relief: Pet and Animal Loss Circle where we will practice remembering our love for the pets and animals we've lost along the way in a four-session, in-person exploration using creativity and community as our guides. Each session includes discussion and expressive arts practices facilitated by artist and healer, Lisa Cheney-Philp.
All forms of grief and loss for pets and animals are welcome (death, rehoming, serious illness, etc.).
Over four in-person sessions we will:
- learn and unlearn about the nature of grief and loss - drawing upon creativity, intuition, and nature for inspiration
- explore the ways we carry grief in our bodies – physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually;
- move grief like a river using expressive and intuitive arts - creative writing, visual artmaking and more; and
- practice truth-telling and deep listening
Please note: All of the experiential activities offered in this program will be guided. No prior experience is necessary and participation is always a choice, not a requirement.
Spring 2026 Program Details
- limited to eight participants
- all sessions will meet in-person at the Canine Learning Center in Fort Collins
- Once at least four people are committed, we'll choose a schedule that works for all
- investment is $222, all materials included
- learn more and sign up at Lisa@womenofthewater.com
Craftivism: Crafting, Activism & Community
“Do not lose heart. We were made for these times.”
- Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estés
Let’s practice activism and crafting together in community!
Craftivism meetups are facilitated by artist and healer, Lisa Cheney-Philp and public speaking coach, Amanda Fuel.
Each month we:
- gather in brave space to explore a theme through guided discussion,
- co-create a Craftivism project,
- learn from a guest speaker, and
- share resources that inspire our visions for progress and change.
These meetups are part of the World Empowerment Experience and are free for members. For non-members, a $10-$20 donation is suggested. Please RSVP if you intend to join us as it helps us plan for supplies and spacing needs.
In 2026, we'll be meeting regularly on the third Saturday of the month:
- Saturday, April 18th, 10am-12pm, Always Be Creating
- Saturday, May 21st, 10am-12pm, Always Be Creating
- Saturday, June 20th, 10am-12pm, location TBD
Visit our Craftivsm Meetup page for full details and to RSVP for upcoming events.
Spring Grief Retreat: Release, Reclaim, Receive
Have you experienced the loss of someone or something you love dearly?
Are you longing to be seen, heard, and held in your grief by a compassionate community?
Are you open to creativity, intuition, and nature supporting you along the way?
If yes, we wholeheartedly invite you to join us for a therapeutic half-day grief retreat to explore and soften into the layers of loss, practice moving grief through our bodies creatively and with ease, and foster relationships with ourselves, each other, and the natural world.
In this experience:
- Release patterns of vigilance, control, paralysis, overwhelm and isolation
- Reclaim, flow, capacity, and connection with self, others, and nature
- Receive compassionate support, guidance, and community care every step of the way
Nestled in the heart of Old Town Fort Collins, Source Point Acupuncture is just minutes away from Lee Martinez Park and the Poudre River, and will be our home base for the afternoon.
Together in sacred community, you'll be invited to explore a variety of guided rituals for well-tending grief that include:
- Sound healings with gemstone singing bowls, harp, drums, tuning forks, and our own voices
- Individual and collaborative artmaking with sustainably-sourced earth materials
- Meditative nature immersion with light to moderate walking
- Reflection and sacred sharing with intentions for grounding and integration
You’ll also receive a lovingly crafted goodie bag from the hands and hearts of your grief guides, Erin and Lisa, including gemstones for heart healing, sustainably-sourced palo santo for cleansing, a digital print of our collaborative art, and more.
By the end of our time together you’ll feel lighter and more in tune with the rhythms of life, death, love and loss, and ready to continue onward with increased ease, flow and sustained connection within and with the world.
Grief and loss take infinite forms, and all are welcome in these circles. Big grief and small grief. Light grief and heavy grief. Old grief and new grief. From the death of a loved one, to collective and ancestral grief, to the extinction or endangerment of plants and animals, to social injustices, chronic and terminal illness, and unfulfilled expectations or unrequited love and beyond.
What to Bring:
- We will have hot water, tea, and light snacks available. You’re welcome to bring any additional nourishment you may need as well.
- Source Point has all necessary props for our time together. Feel free to bring your own as well.
- Comfortable clothing and shoes for light to moderate walking on mostly flat surfaces, paved and unpaved surfaces
- Layers for warmth/coziness in both indoor and outdoor conditions
- Journal and pen/pencil
- Touchstones or altar items (smallish object(s) that ground or comfort you and/or relate to the grief you're carrying)
- Anything else that calls to you in the moment for reasons known or unknown - trust your intuition on this one!
Spring 2026 Retreat Details
- Saturday, May 30th, 11:30am - 3:30pm
- Limited to 15 participants (eight participants minimum)
- Location is Source Point Acupuncture, 317 N Meldrum, Fort Collins, 80521
- Self-investment is $130, all materials included
- Registration Link: Grief Retreat: Release, Reclaim, Receive – HK Higher Knowing, LLC
Please note that all of the experiential activities offered in this program will be guided. No prior experience is necessary and participation is always a choice, not a requirement. If you are not a resident of Colorado, consider arriving a day early to acclimate to the altitude. Canisters of oxygen, available at grocery stores and pharmacies are helpful for altitude sickness. Hydrate before your trip, during, and after your travels.
Meet Your Facilitators
Erin Doty is a dedicated wellness practitioner, educator, and the visionary founder of HK Higher Knowing. HK Higher Knowing, LLC With a mission rooted in heart-centered presence, Erin facilitates profound energy balance and transformation for clients. As a certified Death Doula and educator, Erin provides a vital bridge between life and the great transition of death. She is deeply committed to offering end-of-life preparedness on all levels—practical, emotional, mental, energetic, and spiritual. Her work encompasses grief support and spiritual afterlife communication, providing comfort and clarity to those navigating the depth of loss. As a death doula and educator, Erin leads two certifications yearly on Zoom: Death Doula & Self-Awareness and Mediumship programs.
Lisa Cheney-Philp is founder and visionkeeper of Women of the Water (womenofthewater.com) and co-founder of the World Empowerment Experience (worldee.org) where she serves in the roles of grief and death doula, shamanic practitioner, creative facilitator, artist, community activist and river guide. Lisa co-facilitates Grief in Relief therapeutic processing and artmaking circles seasonally and Craftivism Meetups monthly at Fort Collins locations. She also supports individuals navigating grief before, during, and after significant endings one-on-one with shamanic journeying and healing, coaching and creative facilitation, holistic end-of-life care planning, and custom artwork. Her approach is rooted in restorative practices that repair harm and build community with creativity, intuition, and nature as primary guides and allies.
Nature Mandala Workshops
Embrace creativity, embrace Life
Embrace impermanence, embrace Death
Mandalas carry the energy of wholeness, order and balance, and the process of creating them can bring these energies to our nervous system, serving as a practice of meditation, reflection, and relaxation. Mandalas using found nature beings further honor the cycles and seasons of life as we give our attention to what is budding, blooming, withering, and decaying in our outer and inner worlds.
Nature Mandalas Workshops provide a welcoming space for creativity-curious women of all ages and stages to get crafty with Mother Earth, our Inner Artists, and each other. Together, we open ourselves to explore and receive the gifts of mandala-making, which include:
- remembering our belonging with Nature,
- giving and receiving inspiration and hope,
- practicing beauty-making in well-held community, and
- exploring soul-inspired intentions through our hearts and hands
These workshops are facilitated by artist and healer, Lisa Cheney-Philp. No experience is necessary and a beginner's mindset is always encouraged.
A variety of sustainably-harvested beings from the natural world will be available for collective use. Participants are also invited to bring items with them, either to use personally, or to share with others in the group.
Spring 2026 Workshop Details
- Sunday, May 17th at the Be Free Healing Center in Fort Collins
- 2:00pm- 4:00pm
- limited to twelve participants
- self-investment is $40, all materials included
- registration opening soon at: https://www.befreehealing.com/workshops