Before anything else — say hello. You don't have to share everything. You don't have to have the right words. You just have to show up, exactly as you are, and let us know you're here. Here's all I'd love to know: Your name — what would you like us to call you? Who you lost — not how, but who. Their name, and one thing about them you never want the world to forget. What brought you here — one sentence is enough. What made you take this step today? That's it. No performance, no pressure. Just you, saying hello, in a space that is genuinely glad you came. I'll go first. My name is Marieke. I lost my father Bram in 2011 and my mother Betty in 2022. They both died from lung cancer. My dad Bram had a laugh you could hear and see from the other side of the house. My mom was always there support my dreams and ambitions. Both my parents had the funniest jokes and a great sense of humor. I'm an only child, so I'm the only one holding these memories and life feels empty without them. I miss them every single day. 💔 I built this community because I couldn't find what I needed when I needed it most. And I never want anyone to feel as alone in their grief as I did. I think it's important to have people around us who understand what it is to lose a loved one so we can support each other. So — hello. We've been waiting for you. 🌿 — Marieke

I am so glad you are here. Finding your way to this space took something — and I want you to know that it matters. My name is Marieke. I lost both of my parents, Bram and Betty, and for a long time after that I grieved completely alone. Not because there was nobody around me — but because I couldn't find a space where I felt safe enough to say everything. Where I didn't have to manage how my grief made other people feel. Where I could just be in it, without someone trying to fix me or rush me through. So I built one. The Healing After Loss Circle exists for anyone who has lost someone they love and is tired of carrying it alone. Whether you lost a parent, a partner, a sibling, a friend, a grandparent or someone the world didn't fully acknowledge — you are welcome here. Your grief is valid. And your person is welcome here too — not just the grief of losing them, but who they actually were. Here is what is waiting for you: Start with the Understanding Your Grief mini course — three free lessons that will change the way you understand what you are carrying. You will find it in the classroom. Introduce yourself in the community when you are ready. Tell us your name. Tell us who you lost. Tell us one thing about them that you never want to forget. We would love to meet them. Visit the Free Resources section for your free grief journal and self-care checklist — both yours to download and keep. Join the conversation in The Grief Lounge whenever you need a space to put something down. And if you are ready to go deeper — The Healing Path is our full paid course, with five modules, live group calls, a complete resource library and a community of people who truly understand. Future learning modules and workbooks will be automatically added. You can find out more in the classroom. A few things I want you to know before you begin: There is no right way to be here. Some days you will want to read and share and connect. Other days you will need to close the screen and just be with what you are feeling. Both are welcome.

Every Monday I post a new reflection question — something gentle to help you process what you're carrying and put words around what's hard to say. You never have to answer. You can read and sit with it quietly. But if something comes up, this is a safe place to say it — and you won't be saying it alone. Come back whenever the prompt calls you. There's no deadline and no wrong answer. 🌿

This space belongs to them. Share a photo, a memory, a story, a name. Tell us something about who they were — not how they died, but how they lived. The way they laughed. The meal they always made. The thing they said that you hear in your head on ordinary days. Your person is welcome here. Not just the grief of losing them — but them. All of them. Say their name. We want to know who they were. 🌿

This is our open community chat. This is your space. Say anything here. The hard days, the small wins, the things you can't say anywhere else. The memory that came out of nowhere this morning. The fact that you made it through the week. The feeling you don't have words for yet. Nobody will try to fix you here. Nobody will tell you to look on the bright side or remind you they would have wanted you to be happy. We just hold it together — whatever it is, however it comes. Show up as often as you need. Or just read and know you're not alone. Both count. 🌿