From Grief to Grounding is a space for journeying from grief toward strength—an invitation to learn how to return to presence after loss. Grief never arrives with a manual. It may come from losing a loved one, facing a major life transition, or even losing a version of ourselves we once knew. But one thing is certain: grief doesn’t ask to be erased. It asks to be acknowledged, placed, and carried in a new way.
For two months, Talk Mental Health Indonesia (TMH.id) held From Grief to Grounding—a collective learning space to navigate grief with more awareness, gentleness, and connection.
Every Saturday afternoon, participants arrived with their own stories. They didn’t go home as “new” or perfect people, but as individuals who were more present—more honest with their bodies, softer in their hearts, and more connected with others.
Because in this space, we learned that healing is a communal act—and together, we proved it.
Steps in the From Grief to Grounding Journey
This program consists of six sessions that explore different phases of grief—from denial, anger, bargaining, loss, to acceptance. But the path isn’t rigid. Like life, the process is cyclical and personal. What matters is not “how far we are,” but how present we are at every step.
Session 1 — Naming What Hurts in From Grief to Grounding
(Denial → Awareness)
The journey begins by naming what has long been hidden.
Through photo voices and inner–outer masks, participants learned that delaying feelings is human, but naming them is the beginning of reclaiming power.
Many wrote, for the first time:
“What I’ve been avoiding feeling is…”
And suddenly the breath felt longer.
Naming the feeling became the first step toward awareness.
Session 2 — Express Without Shame in From Grief to Grounding
(Anger → Expression)
In this session, we meet anger as it is—without the need to conquer or justify it.
The body moved freely; lines on paper shifted from scribbles into meaningful forms.
We learned that anger often sits beside fear and helplessness.
When given space, anger transforms into energy to create healthy boundaries.
Expression is not an explosion—it is honesty held safely.
Session 3 — Facing the “What Ifs” in From Grief to Grounding
(Bargaining → Meaning-Making)
“If only… what if… maybe I should have…”
We listened to all of it, then we placed it down.
Writing letters—to the one who left, to ourselves, or to life—helped move the burden from the mind onto paper.
Slowly, “Why me?” shifted to “What now?”
We were not completely done, but the path ahead became clearer.
Session 4 — Rooting in Nature in From Grief to Grounding
(Depression → Stillness & Reconnection)
At Kebon Tamantirto, near flowing water, we slowed down: barefoot walk, body scan, and creating nature mandalas.
We learned that nature is not just a background but a co-facilitator.
It calms the nervous system and restores attention—just as described in the Attention Restoration Theory (Kaplan & Kaplan) and Stress Reduction Theory (Ulrich).
That day, Jane guided a water meditation at the spring. We set intentions, gave space to what was heavy, and returned home with a steadier rhythm.
Session 5 — Finding My Compass in From Grief to Grounding
(Acceptance → Self-Agency)
After placing down the grief, we reviewed our direction:
What matters to me now?
What strengths do I already have?
Using a positive psychology approach, participants mapped their inner compass through character strengths—such as courage, compassion, and perseverance.
Seligman’s PERMA model (Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, Accomplishment) became our foundation.
Acceptance doesn’t mean agreeing or forgetting—it means acknowledging reality while choosing one gentle step forward.
Session 6 — Celebration & Self-Marking in From Grief to Grounding
Rain poured over the glass room at @SarangArtProject, yet warmth expanded.
This final session was both closure and celebration.
We practiced self-marking: marking “how far I’ve come.”
Artworks, poems, colors, and silence became witnesses of the journey.
This space became a place to express gratitude—to ourselves, to others, and to the process we lived through.
We learned that healing is not about “being done,” but about learning to live with our wounds—now held with tenderness.
Key Threads of the From Grief to Grounding Journey
✨ From reactive to responsive — breath becomes pause, and pause becomes choice.
✨ The body as compass — sensations are information, not enemies.
✨ Feelings need containers — when safe and witnessed, they transform.
✨ Community builds strength — we become braver because we are not alone.
Why From Grief to Grounding Matters
- Giving Language to Feelings
The stages of grief (Kübler-Ross & Kessler) help us name complex emotions. When feelings are named, a sense of control slowly returns. - Learning to Oscillate Safely
Using the Dual Process Model (Stroebe & Schut), we learned to balance confronting loss and nurturing life. - The Body as Compass, Nature as Facilitator
Exposure to nature reduces physiological stress and restores focus. We learned to read body sensations not as threats, but messages. - From Wounds to Direction
Through positive psychology (PERMA; character strengths), we shifted from “Why me?” to “What small step can I take now?” - Healing Is a Communal Act
In a safe space, when stories are witnessed without judgment, self-regulation becomes easier. We discover belonging: we don’t need to be strong alone to be strong together. - Marking So We Don’t Lose the Journey
Self-marking is a ritual to recall the journey:
Let go what drains;
Keep what sustains;
Carry forward what’s possible.
About the Modelling (Co-Design) Program
This program lives because of you.
Each session included reflections and feedback from participants, making the module grow relevant, safe, and grounded.
You were not just participants—you helped create a healing space.
What We Take Home
- Let go: old patterns that drain—denial, shutting down.
- Keep: what helps—breath, journaling, movement, nature, safe circles.
- Carry forward: small possible steps—3-minute body check-in, 5 lines of writing, or a 10-minute walk.
We are not racing. We are learning to be present—slowly, with compassion.
And when the waves come, we now know where to return:
What matters now?
Who can hold me?
What is one gentle step?
Sneak Peek: 2026
The modelling sessions of From Grieving to Grounding are not ending here. We will deepen and refine the module—rooted in the reflections, experiences, and invaluable feedback from participants. Every story, every moment of presence, and every healing process will guide the next chapter.
We hope to bring From Grieving to Grounding back in 2026—with richer depth, stronger grounding, and still the same safe space to grow together.
Stay tuned—the journey continues.
Special Thanks to:
To the facilitators and spaces that stitched this journey together:
- Session 1 (Naming What Hurts): Mbak Rini (Clinical Psychologist) & Fransisca — grief literacy, photo voices, inner–outer masks.
- Session 2 (Express Without Shame): Mas Bagas (Clinical Psychologist) — understanding anger as a signal & transforming it through art; Edith/Edith (they/them) — dance & movement for emotional expression in the body.
- Session 3 (Facing the “What Ifs”): Mbak Rini — guided imagery & expressive writing: letters to self / the departed / life.
- Session 4 (Rooting in Nature): Kebon Tamantirto (with permission from Pak Dimas & Biyung); Jane — water meditation facilitation.
- Session 5 (Finding My Compass): Fransisca — inner compass mapping grounded in positive psychology & character strengths.
- Session 6 (Celebration & Self-Marking): @SarangArtProject — a warm glass room under heavy rain; Sandjivvane, Gia, Sati — incubating ideas to installation; Mbak Rini — weaving sessions 1–6 with reflective closing.
Closing Gently, Continuing Mindfully
From Grief to Grounding is not about erasing grief,
but about finding new ways to live with it—
with a present body, a soft heart, and a community that holds.
“We don’t need to rush our healing.
We only need to show up—just a little more honest, a little more gentle.”
The journey may not be finished,
but you are not alone.
There will always be a space open to share, learn, and heal together.
Let’s Stay Connected and Grow Together
Follow program updates and more stories on Instagram: @talkmentalhealth.id
And download our free zine at: https://talkmentalhealthid.org/freebies/
Because in every story, there is space to grow.
And in every grief, there is always a seed of hope waiting to be nurtured—together.
