Dear companions,
As many of you know, the past couple of weeks we’ve been sitting with our own wandering, our grief, and our longing around Growing Humans. Out of that discernment, one thing became clear: it feels right to gather with you—live, in real time. Not polished. Not perfect. Just human-sized.
So, we’re offering our first live webinar in October. The theme: Loss as part of the process of growing humans—others and ourselves.
Why loss? Because in tending children, communities, and our own unfolding, we inevitably encounter grief: dreams that don’t unfold, relationships that shift, parts of ourselves we must release. Rather than avoid this, we want to honor loss as part of the curriculum of being human…as a necessary aspect of growth.
What to expect
A short framing story from us (Val + Alis)
A moment for quiet individual reflection
Paired or trio conversations in breakout rooms
A harvest of collective themes back in plenary
A simple closing gesture
This is not a lecture. It’s a practice of listening together—using our own discernment journey with Growing Humans as an entry point for yours.
Date + Time: October 8, 4-5pm PT
Duration: 60 minutes (not 90—we’re keeping it livable)
Cost: Free
Where: Online (Zoom)
We’d love to have you join us. Please register here: https://courses.verticaldevelopmentinstitute.com/course/webinar-loss-as-part-of-growing-humans
And if you can’t make it live, the free webinar will be recorded and the recording made available the following day to all those enrolled.
We’re treating this as an experiment, not a forever. A small step to see what wants to grow when we gather live.
This is not an answer—it’s a seeding. 🌱
With care,
Val + Alis
Dive deeper
Join our in-depth, self-led developmental course for adults who raise and educate children - Growing Humans: How Raising Children Raises Us. Head over to the program page to learn more.
Spread the word…
If you’d like to see this community grow, we hope you share this article with other parents, caregivers, educators, and humans who could benefit from the reflection.