Grateful words from our community, thoughtful reading, and helpful links for your grief journey.
We are deeply grateful to the Tri-County Women’s Centre for inviting us to participate in Mental Health First Aid training. Opportunities like this help us grow not only in knowledge, but in compassion, understanding, and confidence to recognize when someone may need support.
A heartfelt thank you to the presenters from Aging Well Nova Scotia for the care, knowledge, and passion you brought to the day. You did an exceptional job creating a space where learning felt meaningful and where every voice mattered.
At Circles of Grief, we know that sometimes the most powerful thing we can offer another person is simply to notice, to listen and to stay.
We continue to learn because every person matters. Every story matters. And no one should have to walk through grief, loss, or a difficult time.
A Circles of Grief community project
Clare Wind Phone | A Place for Remembering
Honouring the Village that Built a Dream
“A Wind Phone is a disconnected phone, symbolic of having the wind carry the message that is in one's grieving heart. It serves as a tool for teaching children and adults about emotional wellness, offering a safe space to process complex feelings that are often difficult to articulate.”
Concrete slab foundation by Oceanside Excavating.Renald Comeau & Mitchell HicksPhone: (902) 769-7954
Phase 01: Foundation
Our Foundations: Deep Gratitude to Oceanside Excavating
We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Oceanside Excavating for doing such a wonderful job preparing the land and beginning the placement of our Wind Phone.
Your work has helped turn a dream into a reality. This Wind Phone will embrace a community of grief, memories, love, and healing, providing a peaceful space where people can feel connected to their loved ones and know that their grief has a place to be expressed.
Thank you for helping us lay the foundation for a very special part of our community. Your contribution will be remembered and appreciated for years to come.
Volunteers from the Bangor Museum Committee.Guy Amero, Ronald LeBlanc, Real Genette & Aldric Comeau
Phase 02: Construction
From Hands to Heart: The Bangor Museum Committee
With Heartfelt Gratitude
A very special thank you goes to four remarkable men from the Bangor Museum Committee who have generously given their time, skills, and craftsmanship to bring the Circles of Grief Wind Phone to life.
They have volunteered countless hours, sharing not only their talents and expertise, but also their hearts, as they carefully construct a place that will hold such deep meaning for our community.
This Wind Phone is more than a structure. It will become a quiet place where people can speak to someone they have lost, remember, reflect, and simply sit with their grief. Their hands are helping to build a space where love and memories can continue to have a voice.
It truly takes a village to honour those we have lost. We are deeply grateful to these four men for being such an important part of that village and for helping turn a dream that began more than a year ago into a beautiful reality.
From all of us at Circles of Grief, thank you for sharing your time, your craftsmanship, and your hearts with our community.
Your generosity will leave a lasting legacy of love, remembrance, and compassion.
The Circles of Grief is working towards having a "Wind Phone" installed in Clare in order to provide a quiet space for reflection, remembrance, and processing grief.
The Wind Phone is a disconnected phone, symbolic of having the wind carry the message that is in one's grieving heart. They serve as tools for teaching children and adults about emotional wellness, allowing them a safe space to process complex feelings that are often difficult to articulate. Memory badges will be mounted on the inside wall turning private sorrow into a collective supportive process.
The voices of those who have walked this path before you.
"Thank you so much for the invite to this group. I feel so much better after spending the couple hours with people that understand. I may never had gone without your invite."
— Circle Member
"Walking into the circle was the hardest thing I've done since the funeral. But leaving, I felt lighter. For the first time in months, I didn't feel alone."
— Circle Member
"I didn't know what to expect. I just sat and listened, and that was enough. No one tried to fix me. They just understood."
— Circle Member
"Grief doesn't follow a schedule, and neither does this group. I come when I need to, and I'm always welcomed without question."
— Circle Member
"I was afraid to cry in front of strangers. But in the circle, they weren't strangers for long."
— Circle Member
"Joan has a way of holding space that makes you feel safe enough to fall apart — and strong enough to put yourself back together."
— Circle Member
From the Heart
Reflections, stories, and insights on grief, healing, and community.
April 2026
Krista's Story
My journey with grief began on December 5, 2023, when my mother passed away. Her passing was not peaceful—she suffered, and my family and I had to witness it.
Soon after returning home, I began vomiting, and my chest hurt so intensely that I was convinced I was having a heart attack.
I went to my neighbor's house, as she had lost her own mother just six months earlier. She reassured me, saying, "You're not having a heart attack—that's grief. Your heart is broken, and it hurts." At the time, I had no idea grief could manifest in such a physical and overwhelming way.
The funeral came and went, by January, I returned to work—because that's what I thought I was « supposed to do ».
However, I began experiencing what I believed were panic attacks. I felt constant anxiety, nausea, loss of appetite, and an inability to sleep. I sought medical help and was prescribed medication. Sometimes it helped, but the relief was temporary. What I was experiencing were "grief waves," and they persisted for most of the year.
I tried everything I could to avoid the pain—to go over it, under it, around it—but nothing worked. My medications were increased, and I began using marijuana to cope, as it seemed to provide some relief.
Eventually, everything came to a halt when I was hospitalized for three days.
After my discharge, I began therapy. My daughter shared a link to a grief group led by Joan Tufts.
I attended reluctantly, but even after just one session, I felt an immense sense of relief. For the first time, I realized I wasn't alone—that others had experienced similar losses and emotions.
Soon after, I saw on social media that Joan and her team had formed a support group, Circles of Grief, which I began attending monthly.
October 5th 2025, my father passed away. I was not there at the exact moment—arriving just four minutes too late.
Leading up to his death, I experienced what I later learned was anticipatory grief.
I knew he was dying, but I didn't yet understand the emotional toll it would take.
When he passed, the Circles of Grief group was there for me.
In that space, people shared their stories—losses of parents, siblings, and even children.
Through their openness and support, I began to feel less alone. Slowly, after many months, I started to heal, I'm still healing.
I have learned that grief is not something you can avoid or suppress—you must go through it. Support is essential. Without the guidance of my therapist and the compassion of the grief support groups, I don't know where I would be today. Likely, I would still be struggling deeply.
Grief took me away from my children and my grandchildren. It changed me into someone I didn't recognize or particularly like. But over time, I have begun to find my way back. I am healing. I am feeling stronger but it's slow and I've learned that I can't rush it.
I am so very grateful to Joan, the Circles of Grief support group and my therapist for helping me through this journey. And above all, I carry my parents with me.
I am Ted and Phyllis's daughter—nothing, not even death, will ever change that.
— Krista Cottreau
April 2026
Anique's Story
My grief journey began in August 2024 when I received the worst call of my life. Every plan, moment, memory and feeling flashed by and flooded me with so many emotions when the words "he's missing and they can't find him" were said to me.
Just like that, my everything, my best friend, my husband Joel was gone. My greatest fear had come true and I was left with such a heavy feeling. The wave of sadness came over me, one I had no idea could ever be so heavy.
Shortly after, followed a heavy load of trauma, anxiety, depression, stress and uncertainty. In the days, weeks and maybe even months; I went into a fog-like state where I was only a body in the room and not a person. I spent a lot of time in my head and talking to myself. This led me to miss out on my young daughter's milestones and memories that I should now have to cherish forever. Unfortunately, during that time in my grief, I was unable to care for myself. I couldn't accomplish my basic living needs. I needed help.
I seeked counseling, talked to a therapist, began medications, I tried it all. It helped for a while but I needed something more.
One day, I was sent a flyer that read "Circles of Grief". It was intimidating at first. I took some time to think about it and to read up on what this group was about. Then one day, I decided I would attend the first session.
After I attended that session I was sold. I've been to every session since and i don't intend to stop anytime soon!
Circles of Grief gives me a place to be safe, free of judgement and to release any and all emotions and thoughts I have at that time. This group supports, listens and gives hope that someday, along the way, that grief can/will get a little bit lighter.
Since attending these sessions I've made immeasurable growth. It has opened me to realize that it's okay to be sad, vulnerable and not okay. But it has also shown me that it's okay to grow and to want a life that is good and filled with happiness. It has helped me navigate and understand my trauma, stress, anxiety and depression.
Being at a young age, I didn't feel like anyone would understand what I was feeling or going through. Attending these sessions and being the youngest in the room most of the time was horrible at first, but I was welcomed with sympathy, empathy and open arms by Joan and the team. The Circles of Grief group has been my saving grace and I will forever be thankful for them.
— Anique Stuart
April 2026
Karen's Story
My grief journey began on March 1, 2025 when my husband Walter took his last breath. He had been diagnosed with cancer in April 2021 and went through chemo and radiation, tests upon tests, hospital and doctor visits and was sick off and on with the cancer since. So actually the grief journey began the day he was diagnosed.
I was devastated. Our whole family was devastated. Our children along with myself and all our friends celebrated Walter's life together, then we scattered his ashes at the ocean as a family as well as at the lake in Ontario as a family. Then I came back home.
Everyone went back to their new normal and I broke down. What was I going to do now? We had all these plans to retire and travel together. Now I was on my own.
We have 6 grown up kids and 14 grandkids which I am thankful for and appreciate everyday. But they have their own lives. I didn't want to be a burden to them. I didn't know how to deal with being alone, doing life without him. What was my purpose now?
My oldest daughter told me about Circles of Grief. I showed up for my first meeting in September 2025. I was nervous, not knowing what to expect. These women welcomed me with open arms to this safe place to talk, listen, cry and experience my grief with others that know exactly what I'm feeling since we are all going through our own stages of grief. I am so thankful to these amazing women, the coordinators as well as the participants for helping me become whole again. Thank you.
— Karen Kucher
April 2026
Joan's Reflection — Our First Year
Today ends the first year anniversary month of the Circles of Grief.
Why did the Circles of Grief come into being?
In 2015, my family was whisked into a whirlwind of grief no one ever imagines can happen other than in a nightmare.
In August, Gerald, was diagnosed with inoperable stage 4 lung cancer.
No, we were not exempt to the cancer beast and our lives became a chaotic experience that felt like an unpredictable storm, where the emotions were of shock, anger, sadness and despair.
Not having a definition of what I was feeling I fought to be brave for him, my children and grandchildren thinking I was going to go "crazy".
I isolated myself as much as I could, as I was so ashamed of bursting out in tears in public. I always prided myself in being able to find the positive in any situation but this was not happening and so the guilt engulfed me because I felt helpless to not be able to help my husband and my children.
December 17 2015, anticipatory grief was replaced with grief at the death of my beloved Gerald.
The crippling pain and sorrow was immeasurable and the intense stress of grief lead to severe physical symptoms making it difficult to carry out daily tasks, turning simple activities into complicated chores.
Receiving community support during this grief period transformed this experience into a shared healing journey.
Experiencing this support from my community, I was determined to, "Pay It Forward".
Organizing the Circles of Grief Society was a powerful way to honor Gerald and bring together people to honor their loved ones.
Sharing one's grief story is a profoundly therapeutic part of the recovery process. Bringing sense to the chaos left by the loss and providing a safe space for those who grieve to connect with peers who have experienced similar losses, is an effective way to heal, which is what the Circles of Grief is providing.
In hosting the grief sessions, I have seen immediate relief on participants' faces when they realize they can express anger, guilt, or deep sadness without fear of judgment, knowing all too well how these emotions can cripple.
The Circles of Grief brings people together who truly "get it" creating instant bonds and community, breaking down the isolation and the feeling they are not alone. It is not just about helping others; it is about sharing our experiences that often result in personal healing.
I want to thank everyone who shared their story in the past month as we reflected on our first year as a community healing from the most traumatic experience.
"Be patient with yourself. Healing from a profound loss takes time, and there is no 'normal' timeframe."
— Joan Tufts
April 2026
Holly's Reflection
Being part of the team in Circles of Grief helps me honor a memory and a life I never want to forget.
In this group, I am surrounded by people who truly understand what it feels like to lose someone close. There is comfort in being with others who share that deep sense of loss and who don't need explanations—because they simply get it.
Circles of Grief has become a place I look forward to attending. Together, we support one another and find ways to move through such a difficult time, one step at a time.
— Holly Comeau
April 2026
Darlene's Story
I am having a hard time accepting that my husband died suddenly a year ago. Since that day, it's been a blur. If it wasn't for the Circles of Grief group I'm not sure how I'd have made it this far. They made me realize that I'm not the only one who understands the pain I go through everyday. He was my best friend, we had so many plans and now he's gone too soon. I can share my feelings with the group and I get so much support, I never feel like I'm being judged. Maybe someday I'll accept he won't be walking through the door and I know that the group will be behind me when I do. I look forward to those 2 hours every month of listening and sharing my grief, and not feeling like "I should be over it by now", and for that thank you. I will forever miss him.
— Darlene Dowell
Recommended Reading
It's OK That You're Not OK
by Megan Devine
A compassionate guide for navigating grief in a culture that doesn't understand it.
The Wild Edge of Sorrow
by Francis Weller
Explores the transformative power of grief and its role in community healing.
