Profile of Professional Experience

PROFILE OF PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Nancee Sobonya,MA is a Grief Counselor and Educator. She is also a filmmaker, director/producer of The Gifts of Grief. She presents this highly acclaimed educational documentary at conferences, churches, hospitals, hospices and film festivals worldwide. . Nancee has been working in the field of death and bereavement for the past 20 years. She teaches at the graduate level at Starr King School of Ministry and was an adjunct professor at JFK University teaching in the Grief Therapy Program, as well as, the Bereavement Outreach Educator at Pathways Hospice for 17 years. She is also a minister/teacher of the Diamond Approach guiding people on their inner journey of self discovery in the Bay Area and Europe.

Nancee has presented workshops at:  The world Gathering on Bereavement in 1991 in Seattle on Transpersonal Aspects of Grief  The California Emergency Nurses Association Scientific Assembly in 1992 on Do Not Attempt Resuscitation – Changing The Focus  The California State Hospice Association Conference 1992 in San Diego on Creative Bereavement Services  A Spring Symposium 1994 – Grief & Loss: Caregivers Living Through the Age of AIDS in Walnut Creek on Modes of Stress Management & Systems of Support for the Prevention of Burn-Out  The Kasturba Medical College of Nursing in Manipal, India 1994 on Death and Dying, Grief and Loss and Psych/Social Issues of AIDS Patients  The 4th Annual Conference of National Catholic Ministry 1995 to the bereaved in Billings, Montana on Grief and the Elderly  The Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre, August 1995 and January 1996 on the Paradox of Love and Loss: The Seamless Path of the Heart  The 1996 World Gathering on Bereavement in August, Seattle on Understanding Buddhist Perspectives on Death, Grief and Bereavement Implications for Culturally Competent Support  The 11th International Congress on the Care for the Terminally Ill in September 1996, Montreal, Canada on The Spirit of Grief  Tea Garden Herbal Emporiums in West Hollywood, April 1997 on Transpersonal Evolution: Developing your Center – Working Toward Presence  Hong Fook Center for Oakland Chinese Community Council, Oakland, July 1997 – February 1998, Loss & Grief Education/Support Group and Staff Inservice Training Project  Children’s Hospital in Oakland, Conference entitled: A Developmental Approach to HIV/AIDS: Children, Adults and Families, October 1998 on Caregiver’s Support  The 4th International Conference on Long Term Care Case Management at the Crossroads Which Way to Quality in San Diego, December 1998 on Multiple Losses in Aging – An Experimental Education/Support Grief Workshop for Asian American Elders in an Adult Day Care Center  LIVING WITH DYING: A Symposium on End of Life Care, Grief and Loss in Santa Cruz, May 2004 “The Gifts of Grief”  “The Heart of the Matter” Conference for Senior Peer Counselors in Cambria, Oct. 2004 “The Gifts of Grief”  California Hospice Spring Conference at the Claremont in Berkeley, March 2005 “The Gifts of Grief”  Starr King School of Ministry at the GTU in Berkeley, March 2005 “The Gifts of Grief” All Day Workshop  7th International Conference on Grief and Bereavement in Contemporary Society in London,UK, July 2005 “The Gifts of Grief”  World Gathering on Bereavement in Vancouver Canada, August 2005 “The Gifts of Grief”  Mendocino Coast Hospice in Fort Bragg, March 2006 “The Gifts of Grief”  NHPCO Clinical Conference in San Diego, April 2006“The Gifts of Grief”  SAH Conference in Chicago, April 2006 “The Gifts of Grief”  CAMFT Annual Conference in Palm Springs CA, May 2006 “The Gifts of Grief”  Naropa Institute End of Life Care Program - 4th Annual Integrating Spirit and Caregiving Conference in Boulder CO, May 2006 “The Gifts of Grief”  16th International Congress of the Care for the Terminally Ill in Montreal, September 2006 “The Gifts of Grief”  Eurotas Conference in France, October 2006 The Gifts of Grief  IPOS Conference on Psycho-Oncology in Italy, Oct. 2006 The Gifts of Grief  Hospice of the Valley in Grass Valley, January, 2007 The Gifts of Grief  AAHPM Conference in Salt Lake City, February, 2007 The Gifts of Grief  Association of Chaplains/NHPCO “Encountering the Sacred” in Burlingame, CA, April, 2007 The Gifts of Grief  BC Palliative Care Annual Conference in Surrey, Canada, May, 2007 The Gifts of Grief  Kaleidoscope 6th Annual International Palliative Care Conference in Dublin Ireland, May, 2007 The Gifts of Grief  10th Congress European Association of Palliative Care in Budapest, Hungary, June 2007 The Gifts of Grief  NHPCO “Caring for Mind, Body and Spirit” in Albuquerque, NM, July 2007 The Gifts of Grief Nancee Sobonya, MA 4400 Clarewood Dr. Oakland, CA 94618 Home 510.420.8402 Cell 510.325.4738

Email: [email protected]

Relevant Work and Experience

2005 – Present: Ridhwan School of Spiritual Development: Diamond Approach Minister/Teacher Guide people on their inner journey of self-discovery, individually and in groups.

2005 Producer & Director of educational documentary The Gifts of Grief

1989 – 2005: Pathways Home Health & Hospice: Bereavement Coordinator Assessment of bereavement needs of the surviving family and friends of deceased Hospice patients. Provides support through groups and individual grief counseling. Program development, training and consultation.

1996 – 1999: Pathways Home Health & Hospice: Bereavement Educator Outreach and development of offsite grief support groups in various geographic locations, includes: Family grief groups, Caregiver’s group, etc. Individual grief counseling, training and consultation.

1999 - Present: Starr King School of Ministry Graduate Program: Adjunct Faculty Teaching graduate students current perspectives on spiritual, emotional and practical support for the dying and grieving and appropriate interventions and counseling skills.

1990 - 1997: John F. Kennedy University Graduate School of Clinical Psychology: Adjunct Faculty Teaching graduate students in Grief Therapy Program – bereavement theories, modalities and techniques of grief counseling.

1986 - 1994: East Bay Center of Attitudinal Healing: Group Facilitator Facilitation of groups with people who have severe, chronic or terminal health issues, caregivers and people in grief. Development of Teen Support for adolescent facing illness, death or grief.

1985 - 1990: Namaste: Grief Counselor and Co-Trainer Provided individual support for people facing illness, death and grief. Assisted in training intensives; teaching, facilitating exercises, evaluated volunteers and training program, as well as administrative and programmatic coordination.

Education

BA University of California, Santa Barbara, Goleta, CA 1982 Liberal Studies: Psychology, Sociology and Religious Studies MA John F. Kennedy University, Orinda, CA 1988 Transpersonal Counseling Psychology