LIFE | LOVE | LOSS
“Where the flowers bloom so does hope.”
– Lady Bird Johnson
HOLDING SPACE
“Holding space is the art of ‘being with’ someone’s pain and allowing them to have their experience without making it about ourselves.”
-@RisingWoman
Happy May!
Is the term ‘holding space’ familiar to you?
If not, I will describe it as the ultimate act of being present with someone else experience, emotion, and circumstance with the intent to make room for them to feel safe, supported in said situation. No expectations, nothing wanted or needed from there. A zone where they can feel, heal, laugh, cry, scream, rage, whatever is needed in complete safety and acceptance knowing you are ‘holding space’ for them to have more room for all they are going through.
This is easy enough to type on a page. It’s altogether different when you are with someone with strong emotions. If you are like me, I want to help, fix, or alleviate pain if it feels like it is in my power to do that. Those things are NOT holding space.
When you hold space for someone you just allow, accept, be with them exactly as they are. You make more room. You hold them, the energy without trying to hide, fade, or fix anything. Take a deep breath and read that again. If you have done this, you know what I am referring to. It is powerful, intimate, healing.
After such an event someone might thank you for ‘all you did’. You will think to yourself, “I didn’t do anything, I just sat there, maybe I handed them some good tissue (if there were tears).” If you were truly holding space for another’s deep processing ‘nothing’ is the key!
This can be true for outcomes you wish to happen. You can hold space for peace, for health, for forgiveness. Holding space for something or someone can apply to so many things.
What about holding space for yourself. Have you ever just sat inside that small quietness, the stillness at the end of one breath before the next? What in your own life needs a little more room for space to just be? Where there is nothing to analyze or dismiss. Just to hold something with care, with vulnerability, with tenderness and ease.
Let’s all try that this month! I invite you all to find ways to hold space for yourself and others, in love, in pain, in joy, in grief. Let’s make room for the ease and the struggle that life can bring to our door.
All my best.
Mental Health Moment:
“In silence there is eloquence. Stop weaving and see how the pattern improves.”
–Rumi
Happy Mother’s Day
With Mother’s Day this month I honor all you mommas out there. The love, caring, the time, stress, effort, and sacrifice that goes into being a nurturer. No matter if you are a mother by birthing your own, adoption, found family, or fur babies, I celebrate you.
If you are a bereaved mother and one of yours is no longer here, I see you, I feel you. I honor the ache, the pain, the longing for what can no longer be. Be tender with yourself on Mother’s Day, make room for what needs to be felt.
Hold Space for the dichotomy of opposites to feel loss and love at the same time. This is how I feel on Mother’s Day while being so grateful for my two living children while deeply missing my pup Joey. Lots of big feelings! Lots of big feelings! Breath, allow space for them to be exactly what they are.
With love from one open sometimes broken heart to another!
Genna
RESOURCES
988 – National Mental Health Hotline – Talk or Text 24/7
National Alliance on Mental Illness – NAMI www.mani.org/Home
https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/988
Crisis Hotlines: Common Hotline Phone Numbers | Eluna Network
Mental Health App’s
Talkspace – Best Overall Therapy App
Calm – Best Mindfulness App
My3 – Three People / Three Distractions / Safety Plan App
Chopra App – Great mindfulness and free meditations
Pride Counseling – Best Queer Mental Health App
Youper – Best Self-Guided Therapy App
Headspace – Best Anxiety App
Seeds of Remembrance 2026: Uniquely Irreplaceable: Grief, Resilience, and Why the World Needs You in It
Caring Connections: A Hope and Comfort in Grief Program will hold its annual Seeds of Remembrance event on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, from 7:00-9:00 p.m. This year’s program will be held at the University of Utah College of Social Work (395 South 1500 East Salt Lake City UT 84112), in the Goodwill Humanitarian Building – Okazaki Community Room. The event will also stream on Zoom for those who are unable to join in person. This event is free and open to the public.
Seeds of Remembrance is an opportunity for individuals to come together and cope with the loss of a family member or friend while honoring the memory of the person who died.
The program’s theme is “Uniquely Irreplaceable: Grief, Resilience, and Why the World Needs You in It.” Some losses change everything. They reshape how we see the world, how we show up for others, and how we understand our own worth. This year’s featured speaker, George Deussen, reflects on ten years of grief, healing, and hard-won perspective following the loss of his son, Stockton Powers. With honesty and heart, he explores what it means to be a man navigating grief in a world that doesn’t always make space for it — and why your life, your uniqueness, and your presence matter more than you know. Light never dies. Neither does yours.
The program will also feature musical performances by Paul Jacobsen.
For more information, call 801-585-9522 or email caringconnections@utah.edu.
UTAH VISION GALA
RAISING AWARENESS FOR MENTAL HEALTH & SUICIDE PREVENTION
This is the main fundraiser for the Taylor Hagen Memorial Foundation to fund programs and retreats all year.
Utah Vision Gala
Thank you to all who came, who donated, who participated or contributed to make this such a huge success so we can continue to give. We are SO grateful!
2026 TBD
Bereaved Mother’s Retreat’s
Bereaved Mother’s Retreat’s sponsored by Cristie North of Taylor Hagen Memorial Foundation and Leigh Anne Garcia of Andrew Garcia Memorial Foundation.
Twilight Moon Ranch, Kamas
2026
May 15th – 17th
September 25th – 27th
Visit www.thmemorialfoundation.org or email cristie@thmemorialfoundation.org
MENTAL HEALTH CARE CRISIS CENTER 24/7
Huntsman Mental Health Institute Crisis Care Center
Walk-In care for anyone 18+ experiencing a mental health crisis at no cost.
955 West 3300 South
South Salt Lake City, UT 84119
Theta Healing / Chakra Clearing / Oracle Card Readings
Sessions with Advanced Theta Healing Practitioner / Intuitive Wellness Guide Genna Thomsen
Call or text 801-598-6517 to schedule your time today! Session begin when you book!
Gift certificates are available.
Robert Hopkins – “The Alchemist Lighthouse – The Daily Journey to Creating Your Beacon of Light” book
Rooted in presence, compassion, and courage, his work helps others face challenges with grace. As a sought-after speaker and mindfulness facilitator, Robert has led workshops, corporate trainings, and retreats nationwide, guiding leaders, teams, and individuals to reconnect with their inner light and lead with clarity, purpose, and confidence.
You’re welcome to reach out via email, give my office a call, or even stop by my workplace—I’ll be more than happy to connect.
Phone +1 (801) 918-0264 Email Address: roberth@s-t-r-i-v-e.com
Bereavement Doula
Bereavement Doula
McKenzie Mott
Creativewaystogrieve.com
Lotus Rocks & Crystals
Multiple Reader/Healers at Lotus doing mini sessions.
LOTUS
12896 S Pony Express Rd Ste. 200
Draper, UT 84020
SUPPORT
Mental Health Urgent Care
https://mentalhealthurgentcare.com/
Live On Utah
Caring Connections
SLC, Midvale & Orem
www.nursing.utah.edu/caring-connections
801-585-9522
What’s Your Grief?
A website about grief & loss & ways to cope.
The Sharing Place
Support for families and children 3 ½ and up.
801-466-6730
Canary Garden
Helping children in their grief process.
801-960-2684
Substance Use and Mental Health Services Association
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
1-800-273-TALK (8255)
Crisis Text Line
Text TALK to 741741
SafeUT Crisis & Chat App
The SafeUT Crisis Chat and Tip Line is a statewide service that provides real-time crisis intervention to youth through live chat and a confidential tip program – right from your smartphone.
Licensed clinicians in our 24/7 CrisisLine call center respond to all incoming chats and calls by providing:
supportive or crisis counseling, suicide prevention, and referral services.
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