Why We Gather

Why We Gather is an online resource that enables those who are experiencing the grieving process or mourning the loss of a loved one to connect with one another and to hear from experts. There are four ways you can utilize this program to help you move through your grief.

To gain a greater understanding of the grief process and the support you can receive for different kinds of grief, you can read the resources written by Dr. William G. "Bill" Hoy, DMin, FT (bio below). These include:

YouTube Channel (www.youtube.com/WhyWeGather)

This channel houses short videos from experts speaking on the topic of grief, the role a funeral plays in the mourning process and more. You can simply watch videos on-demand or create a YouTube account for free and subscribe to the channel to receive real-time updates each time a new video is posted. You also can comment on the videos and interact with other users.

Facebook Page (www.facebook.com/WhyWeGather)

Here you can share your story and get feedback from other users. You also can “like” the page to receive updates in your News Feed.

Twitter Page (www.twitter.com/WhyWeGather)

This page is for those who have a Twitter account and wish to follow the @WhyWeGather feed for the latest news and updates, with links to videos and articles on the topic of mourning and grief.

Experienced by people of each generation, in all cultures, and from every walk of life, grief is a universal experience. Most simply, grief is the process of learning to adjust life after a significant loss. That term, "adjust life" might seem odd, but remember grief is all about learning to live in new ways. We don't really "recover" from grief or "get over it." Instead, we learn to manage life in a radically changed world.

The pages in the Coping With Loss and Why We Gather sections of this website were written by William G. Hoy, DMin, FT, director of Texas-based Grief Connect, a Center for bereavement education. As an educator, author and counselor, he has walked alongside grieving people for more than 25 years. In addition to presenting more than 70 invited lectures each year to groups of caregiving professionals across the United States and Canada, Dr. Hoy teaches in the Medical Humanities Program, College of Arts and Sciences at Baylor University.