Men's Grief Support

Men’s* Grief Support: A Chance for Men to Create Community and Heal Together While Living with Loss

Grief, an inevitable aspect of life, is a mental, emotional, and physical reaction to loss that varies by culture and individual. Traditional Western cultures have often encouraged, or even pressured men to be independent, stoic, and focused on practical provision; this can lead to adverse effects for men and society, as many men may deal with grief by suppressing emotions, suffering alone, or ignoring their pain altogether. Research shows that when men endure or ignore their grief in silence, the side effects can be catastrophic and lead to further loss, pain, and grief.

Broken relationships, health and stress repercussions, and unhealthy coping mechanisms are the most common outcomes for men who suppress their grief after a loss. In our commitment to supporting the families that we serve, as well as our community at large, Park Memorial sees the need to create a safe space for men to gather to find knowledge, information, and shared experience in their grief. *This is a complimentary grief support event for men only.

What to Expect

This grief support event is intended to provide a safe space for men to normalize the conversation around loss, grief, and pain. A space where sharing, giving, and receiving support, and receiving new tools to journey and cope with loss and grief happen with compassion, understanding, and grace. The format of the event allows for two groups of men to meet for the initial part of the evening: one group will be those who have experienced the loss of a child / traumatic loss and the other group will be for all other losses. Guests will self-identify which group they feel that fits their grief. 

The flow of the event will be as follows: 

6:15pm

Doors Open 

6:30pm

Group A begins (Child Loss / Traumatic Loss) 

Group B begins (All losses are welcome) 

7:20pm

Refreshments are served 

7:35pm

Group A & Group B gather together as one group 

8:30pm
Event closes 

Dr. David St. Arnault, R. Psych. (AB)

David is a psychologist in private practice at Glenora Registered Psychologists in Edmonton, an Associate Faculty in the Master of Psychotherapy and Spirituality Program at St. Stephen’s College, and an Adjunct Academic Colleague in the Department of Educational Psychology at the University of Alberta. David has been a lead facilitator for the Anchor men’s support group at Momentum Counselling in Edmonton, since its inception in 2014. He is passionate about supporting people to heal, cope, and thrive in their lives. 

In his personal life, David is also a mini-van driving husband and father of two energetic young boys. He enjoys watching, coaching, and playing soccer, running in the river valley with his dog, and outdoor family time.

Mike Cameron

Mike Cameron is a Canadian author, two-time TEDx speaker, and Certified Executive Coach with over two decades of experience helping men navigate emotional wellness. As the founder of Connect’d Men, Mike has facilitated hundreds of sessions designed to create safe spaces for men to share, support one another, and grow emotionally. He focuses on helping men redefine strength, encouraging vulnerability, and fostering healthier, more meaningful relationships.

Drawing from personal tragedy and extensive work with men’s groups, Mike brings compassion and deep understanding to the conversation around grief, loss, and emotional healing. He is the author of "Becoming a Better Man: When Something’s Gotta Change, Maybe It’s You" and has a passion for guiding men through life’s challenges with tools to better cope, connect, and heal.

Nathan Foerger

Nathan is a Registered Psychologist in the province of Alberta. He has an M.A. in Counselling Psychology from Trinity Western University. Nathan has experience providing psychological counselling with school-aged children, adolescents, adults, older adults, and groups.

Nathan has experience working with trauma & PTSD, ADHD, anxiety, depression, parenting men’s issues, racial identity, sports performance, and life transitions.

"Varying reasons for being here; different relationships that have been lost. Good variety."

Gibson

"The group and facilitator are very open and welcoming. There is no pressure to talk."

Scott

"It was an opportunity to share and hear stories of grief from others walking their own unique paths as they try to heal."

Cole