"The Grief Cocoon's mission is to create a world where no one grieves alone because they’re empowered with creative tools, resources, and community that allows them to live a better life alongside grief."
How it all began…
The Grief Cocoon was started by Gabriela (Gaby) Georges - a multi-disciplinary creative, movement grief guide and community-engaged practitioner. Her work is inspired by her beloved mother, Samira, who died when she was a young person. She supports people to express themselves and creatively process, befriend, and transform their grief through creative writing, movement, rituals, and community connection.
Find out more about Gaby and The Grief Cocoon below.
GABY’S STORY
When she was 20 years old, her Mum (Samira) was diagnosed with a very rare form of cancer. The diagnosis was unimaginable and turned her whole world upside down. Within months, her Mum rapidly deteriorated. She lost her hair, had sunken eyes, and pale skin. Samira sadly died at the age of 58, four months after diagnosis, with her family surrounding her.
Grief was a very isolating experience for Gaby. For years, she was lost and numb, but she continued to write until she eventually started sharing her poetry and songs in public. This led to her starting her own community events where people could come together, share their creative work, and have open conversations about grief and loss.
Since then, she’s read countless books, researched and written a Masters thesis on the impact of poetry, community, and performance on grief and loss. Gaby studied Narrative Therapy, is trained as a Grief Movement Guide, and has supported thousands of people through creative workshops, events, and our mobile app.
She continues to spread the power of creativity as a tool for improving wellbeing, processing, and transforming grief and loss.
The story behind our name…
Throughout most of 2020, Gaby was regularly brainstorming for a name for this new initiative that she envisioned.
Then, on one very ordinary night as she was turning off her bedside lamp, she heard ‘The Grief Cocoon’ whispered. There was no clear catalyst for it, but she immediately knew it was the perfect name.
Later, she learned that it had a very clear connection to her mother when one of her sisters informed her that Samira used to collect dead butterflies. That only solidified and affirmed the choice.
How does the process in the cocoon relate to grief?
Simply put, it’s messy.
Whilst you might imagine the process of the caterpillar transforming into a butterfly to be a beautiful and graceful process, the reality is quite the opposite. In fact, it’s brutal and ugly. The caterpillar’s old body must die in order for the new body to form. Akin to grief, the process leaves the caterpillar unrecognisable.
Your existing life and personhood is never the same again after loss. For many, their world is changed forever. When we see the butterfly, we marvel at its beauty, not knowing what it went through to come into existence.
Similarly, grieving can open us up in new ways. It can make us more compassionate and empathetic towards the pain and suffering of others. It can help us hone in on what truly matters. We’re more acutely aware of the frailty of life.
Aside from this, we see the cocoon as a place of warmth and support. A place where we can meet others on the grief journey. We can pop each other’s grief cocoon bubble and jump into one together.
This is what The Grief Cocoon is all about, so welcome.
