2026 International Death, Grief, & Bereavement Conference
Loneliness in Grief: Exploring the Silent Struggle & Path to Connection
Pre-conference: May 31, 2026
Conference: June 1–3, 2026
STUDENT UNION
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, 521 East Avenue N, La Crosse, WI
Who should attend
Behavioral Health Professionals • Case Managers • Clergy • Counselors • Educators • Funeral Directors • Healthcare Professionals • Hospice Providers • Palliative Care Providers • Program Directors • Social Workers
How you will benefit:
• Share in intimate and transformative educational experiences.
• Foster new relationships and connections to stay with you through your career.
• Gain insight and grow to new levels both personally and professionally.
Conference focus
Across sessions, we examine loneliness not only as a pain to be alleviated, but as a profoundly human terrain that can deepen meaning, reshape identity, and open pathways to connection. We honor grief’s silence while building bridges toward belonging and hope.
Redefining Loneliness & Aloneness — exploring the difference between solitude and loneliness; reframing isolation as a space for meaning-making, reflection, and transformation in grief.
Identity, Marginalization & Invisible Grief — how loneliness is intensified in marginalized groups (cultural, racial, gendered, neurodivergent, unhoused, expatriate, widowed, caregiving populations) and the impact of systemic barriers and stigma.
Masculinity, Silence & Cultural Expectations — the hidden grief of men and fathers, stoicism, emotional suppression, and the tension between vulnerability and control.
Developmental & Relational Dimensions of Loneliness — loneliness across the lifespan (emerging adulthood, midlife, aging elders, caregivers); grieving alone vs. grieving with others; rebuilding intimacy after loss.
Connection, Companioning & Community Support Models — pathways from isolation to connection, including relational care approaches, peer support, and meaning-focused grief therapy.
Innovation & Creative Healing Approaches — expressive arts, body-based practices, technology and AI, meditation, and alternative care models as tools to address bereavement loneliness.
Alive Alone is not the sponsor of this event, and we post these events for the benefit of all bereaved parents.