David Kessler is the world’s foremost expert on grief and loss. His experience with thousands of people on the edge of life and death has taught him the secrets to living a happy and fulfilled life, even after life’s tragedies. He is the author of six books, including the new bestselling book, Finding Meaning: The Sixth Stage of Grief. His books and work have received praise by so many, including Saint (Mother) Teresa.
David’s personal experience as a child witnessing a mass shooting while his mother was dying in a hospital helped him begin his journey. For most of his life, David has taught physicians, nurses, counselors, police, and first responders about the end of life, trauma, and grief. He facilitates talks, workshops and retreats for those experiencing grief. However, despite his vast knowledge on grief, his life was turned upside down by the sudden death of his twenty-one-year-old son. It inspired him to write his newest book, Finding Meaning
David’s volunteer work includes being an LAPD Specialist Reserve for traumatic events as well as having served on the Red Cross’s disaster services team. He is the founder of www.grief.com which has over five million visits yearly from 167 countries.
https://grief.com/about-david-kessler/
Zabie Yamasaki, M.Ed., RYT (she/her) is the Founder of Transcending Sexual Trauma through Yoga which is an organization that offers trauma-informed yoga to survivors, consultation for universities and trauma agencies, and training for healing professionals. Zabie has trained thousands of yoga instructors and mental health professionals and her trauma-informed yoga program and curriculum is now being implemented at over 30 college campuses and trauma agencies including the University of California (UC) system, Stanford, Yale, USC, University of Notre Dame, and Johns Hopkins University. Zabie is widely recognized for her intentionality, soulful activism, and passionate dedication to her field. She is a survivor, mother, partner, daughter, sister, friend, and activist. Zabie has worked with thousands of survivors of trauma to support them in their healing journey, ground them in their own worthiness and remind them they are inherently whole. While her background is in addressing sexual trauma, Zabie works with others to provide healing after collective traumas through movement and yoga.
http://www.zabieyamasaki.com/about/zabie
Christy directs all aspects of the A Window Between Worlds (AWBW) live and on-demand trauma-informed art facilitation trainings and outreach initiatives. She began her work with AWBW as a trained Program Facilitator at the YWCA of San Gabriel Valley’s Outreach and Shelter Programs. She has also facilitated groups with incarcerated survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and other forms of trauma. Christy deeply believes in seeing the light in all people and environments, striving to create a world with healing and equity for all. She lives this personal mission in her work as a trainer and art workshop facilitator by supporting others in utilizing creative expression to connect to their resilience and practice self-care.
https://awbw.org/about-us/our-approach/
Ayana Shepherd is an Associate Clinical Social Worker who has worked in the human services field for over 20 years with varying populations. Individuals that she has supported over the years include, at-risk youth, individuals in recovery, individuals with special needs, and individuals who have experienced trauma related to sexual assault. To maintain longevity and health in a profession that is equally as rewarding as it is demanding, she understands that self-care is a necessity and hence began “Self-Care Advocacy” as a passion project to encourage people to routinely engage in self-care. Self-Care Advocacy has since blossomed into an entrepreneur endeavor that provides education, resources and community connection for women evolving in their journey to better taking care of themselves.
Ayana Shepherd is the Co-Founder of B2B Support Services (Blessed to Be a Blessing) which is a nonprofit organization that provides support to individuals in the inner city of Los Angeles County such as Compton, Watts and South Central Los Angeles. In all facets of her work, she stresses the importance of self-care in order to promote balance, self-love, confidence, and overall well-being.
Ayana’s mantra is “All things work together for good” - Romans 8:28.
https://www.instagram.com/selfcareadvocacy/
Laura van Dernoot Lipsky is the founder and director of The Trauma Stewardship Institute and author of Trauma Stewardship and The Age of Overwhelm. Widely recognized as a pioneer in the field of trauma exposure, she has worked locally, nationally, and internationally for more than three decades. Much of her work is being invited to assist in the aftermath of community catastrophes - whether they are fatal storms or mass shootings. Simultaneously, she has long been active in community organizing and movements for social and environmental justice and has taught on issues surrounding systematic oppression, structural supremacy, and liberation theory. Laura is on the advisory board of ZGiRLS, an organization that supports young girls in sports. She is a founding member of the International Transformational Resilience Network, which supports the development of capacity to address climate change. Laura also served as an associate producer of the award-winning film A Lot Like You, and was given a Yo! Mama award in recognition of her work as a community-activist mother.
