Morgan Banks, founder of Sisters In Truth, stands with her photographs.
Chesapeake Life Center is excited to host “Come S.I.T. Awhile,” a grief retreat from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 25 at the Center for Hope & Healing on Hospice of the Chesapeake’s John & Cathy Belcher Campus, Pasadena, Maryland. The retreat is made possible by Sisters In Truth, a traveling seminar retreat organization dedicated to making grief care accessible and affordable for women.
Founded by Morgan Banks, a Baltimore-based artist with a master of fine arts degree from MICA, Sisters in Truth was born from Banks’ own journey through profound loss. While navigating her graduate program, she lost four family members in a span of a year. Knowing she needed help, she struggled to find affordable counseling until she learned about Roberta’s House, a Baltimore-based grief support center. She was diagnosed with prolonged grief disorder, a condition that is widely underdiagnosed among Black women. Her journey inspired her to create accessible grief resources for women nationwide.
“Sisters in Truth is a bridge,” said Banks. “We wanted to bring community and resources together to provide holistic options and inexpensive tools that women can use every day, so that getting help doesn’t become another source of stress.”
This all-day retreat will welcome a maximum of 20 participants for an intimate, immersive day of healing. The retreat is designed around foundational grief care and engages all five senses through a rich lineup of interactive programming, including:
- Horticultural therapy — A hands-on session with horticultural therapist Cathy Allen exploring how caring for plants can nurture the self.
- Art workshop — After learning to care for plants and oneself, Cheyene Adams, the founder of SOLACE, will lead participants to create a personalized plant display to take home.
- Movement therapy — Guided by Danielle Branch from The Self-Care Academy.
- Reiki Healing Sister Circle — Reiki master Tiarra A. will share the healing energy of this ancient Japanese practice.
- Sound healing — Includes a sound bath, led by Tiarra A.
- Panel discussions — A panel of authors and grief professionals, including Eleanor Haley, Alexis Solis, Sadija Smiley and Sharon Harris, will discuss their work and personal experiences with loss.
- Doula perspectives — Birth doula Nahid of Doula Noire and death doula Sharon Harris talk about support at life’s most significant transitions.
Continental breakfast will be provided by Sisters In Truth and lunch will be provided by Boo’Gee Taste Catering, a woman-owned business with its own story of grief and resilience.
“It’s a day of support — mind, body, and spirit,” said Jennifer Ward, a grief counselor with Chesapeake Life Center. “People aren’t just talking. It’s interactive, it engages all the senses, and it gives women a real space to connect, release, and find community.”
The event is made possible through a grant from the Maryland State Arts Council, which means the event is free for women to attend, though $5 is requested to secure a spot. The fee will be refunded at the event or participants can opt to donate it to Hospice of the Chesapeake.
To register or learn more, email [email protected] or call 1-888-501-7077.
