JOIN US FOR THE 2026 GOING WITH GRACE ALUMNI SUMMIT
An In-Person Gathering for End of Life Training Alumni to practice, connect, and carry the work forward—together.
November 13-15, 2026 | Manhattan Beach, California
Deepening Our Practice. Nourishing Kinship. Expanding the Collective.
At Last—We Gather in Person, Together Again!
For the second time, the Going with Grace alumni community is invited to come together in-person, heart to heart—building on the connection, depth, and shared meaning of our work.
This Alumni Summit is a long-awaited invitation to reconnect with yourself, your work, and a community that truly understands. Join the GwG team and fellow leaders in end of life care (THAT’S ALL OF YOU!) for a meaningful weekend of learning, reflection, and shared humanity.
Together, we will share our lived experiences, hold one another in the tenderness of deathwork, make new connections, and co-create something that will ripple outward—into our practices, our communities, and the wider world.
We only have space for 100 attendees for this Summit and anticipate the spaces will fill quickly. If you are interested in joining, we encourage you to register today.
HERE IS WHAT IS INCLUDED WITH YOUR SUMMIT PASS...
November 13-15, 2026 | Manhattan Beach, California
Summit Admission
A 3-day, in-person Summit held at The Belamar Hotel in Manhattan Beach, CA
Your pass includes access to: opening & closing ceremonies, interactive workshops and teaching sessions, educational discussion panels, community networking & meet and greets, and think tanks and peer-led conversations.
Welcome Bag
You will receive a Going with Grace tote bag thoughtfully curated by the GwG team.
1-Year Membership in the Death Doula Den Resource Library
All attendees will receive a complimentary 1-year membership to the Death Doula Den Resource Library including a growing resource library with 60+ hours of educational webinars and additional resources.
Why This Gathering Matters
Our inaugural Alumni Summit affirmed what many of us already know: this work is not meant to be done alone. The resonance, honesty, and care that emerged from our first gathering continue to ripple through the GwG community—and this second Summit is an invitation to deepen what we have been cultivating together.
Much like death itself, death practices are best learned, integrated, and sustained in community.
This Alumni Summit is designed to uplift, nourish, connect, and empower our growing alumni community of death doulas who hold profound responsibility in their communities and in this work. Over the course of the weekend, you’ll connect with fellow End of Life Training Program alumni (from all over the world! 55 countries and growing y’all) through an interactive panel, embodied workshops, and facilitated discussions led by experienced community death workers.
We trust you’ll leave feeling: more connected and less alone in the work, re-rooted in purpose and values, equipped with practical tools and shared wisdom, held by a broader community of peers who GET IT, and filled to the brim with love, inspiration, deep belly laughs, and solidarity.
Though our time together is brief, what we co-create will extend far beyond a single weekend.
Save Your Seat – Space is limited to 100 attendees, and we anticipate it will fill quickly.
HERE IS WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT AT THE SUMMIT*...
DAY 1 | Friday, November 13
- Welcome + Check-in: Arrive in the afternoon to a warm welcome from the GwG team, light refreshments, and your Alumni Summit welcome bag.
- Opening Ceremony: Gather as a full group for opening remarks, introductions, and intention-setting with the GwG team.
- Community Kinship: Meet and greet your fellow Alumni, Community Death Workers, and the Going with Grace Team as we ease into the weekend with refreshments, snacks, and conversation.
DAY 2 | Saturday, November 14
- Morning Session: We will gather in the morning as a large group for our morning interactive session.
- Afternoon Session: Break out into smaller groups in the afternoon as you rotate through educational workshops.
- Evening Session: Close the day by connecting with alumni in our large-group evening session.
DAY 3 | Sunday, November 15
Morning Session + Closing Ceremony: We will gather for our final large group interactive session + closing remarks before saying our farewells.
*itinerary and programming details are not yet final and are subject to change
WORKSHOP DETAILS
Death & The Creative Process with Tiffani Marie, Drea D’Nur, and Alua Arthur
Meet the Presenters
More coming soon!
Workshop Details
More coming soon!
Suicide Diaries: A Journey Through Ritual with Palm Nguyen
Palm is a gender fluid being stumbling through life via the contemplation of death
Meet the Presenter
Palm Nguyen is a queer gender fluid first generation Vietnamese American born and raised out of Minnesota, now living in Sacramento. They are in an ever evolving practice of decolonizing their time and creations. Deeply practicing ancestral worship, meditation, and story telling, he is rooted in creating and sharing with intentionality. She is in the practice of pause instead of pressure, rhythm instead of time tracking, and slowness instead of fast pace.
They center most of their poetry & fashion around being first generation, Vietnamese American, queerness, and mental health. They’ve competed at Brave New Voices, Button Poetry Live & has had their work published at several universities. Author of self published chapbook Kissing God’s Gravel, they are also an aspiring film maker and eco-friendly fashion entrepreneur through their platform KARMAKLUB.
Website: karmaklub555.myshopify.com
Instagram: @karmklubllc / @palmsprayer
Workshop Details
Suicide Diaries is a multidisciplinary platform to express without fear of pathologizing, psychoanalyzing, policing, or institutionalizing suicidal, death, dying, or grief experiences. bridging the gap of the lonely with community and community with the lonely. Where suicide can isolate, this space aims to gather. Where suicide is taboo, this space aims to normalize. Where death is unknown, this space aims to explore & honor.
Using the elements to ground, this workshop is grounded in ritual and carries folks into learning and embodying the Suicide Portal through guided meditations, movement, altar tending, ritual making, and writing. This is for those who are suicidal, know someone who is, healthcare professionals, or those that are no longer suicidal but still feel the impacts of once being suicidal in their day to day.
Death Cleaning with Courtney King
GwG Alum, Deathworker, Transition Coach, Death Cleaner
Meet the Presenter
Courtney (she/her) is an Oakland based death cleaner and life transition coach. Her practice focuses on end of life situations, both for someone dying as well as the family and caregivers involved, and also touches on other major life transitions.
She started as a professional organizer in 2009, started training as a coach in 2013, earned her COC and ACC in 2016, CPC in 2020. Her organizing, coaching, and deathwork all inform each other and are woven together in a way that allows her to walk alongside her clients through whatever they’re facing.
Courtney has trained as a community disaster responder with both the San Francisco and Oakland Fire Departments, as well as with the state of California as a Mental Health First Responder. She’s also the one who talks about death cleaning for Going With Grace.
Courtney is a fan of sunrises, road trips, puns, and firmly believes that if you’re going to laugh about something eventually, you might as well laugh about it now.
Website: www.CKingSolutions.com
Instagram: @CKingSolutions
Workshop Details
This workshop explores death cleaning as a reflective practice that goes beyond decluttering. Together, we’ll examine how consumerism, identity, and our relationship to possessions shape the way we live—and how we cope when confronted with mortality. Through conversation and gentle guidance, participants will be invited to consider what they’re holding onto, what they’re ready to release, and how simplifying can create space for what matters most.
Demystifying Medical Aid in Dying with Sarah Hill
Death Doula, GwG alum, staunch ally of BIPOC and LGBTQ communities, mama to a beautiful kid and a (very large) fur baby, a devotee of the siren as archetype, a lover of intimacy, and a dedicated student of the mystery of life & death
Meet the Presenter
Sarah established her private death doula practice, East Bay Doula for the Dying LLC, in 2019, and is a partner at the Bay Area End of Life Doula Alliance (ELDA). Her clients describe her as being emotionally engaged and intuitively aware, with equal capacity to provide support with the pragmatic essentials needed at the end of life. She enjoys all facets of doula work, and treasures the organic connections that emerge in this particularly tender-yet-full-of-potential time of our lives.
Sarah’s doula path began in early childhood with the death of her mom, yet she resisted its pull for many years. At the height of her consulting career supporting large-scale change management efforts, she heeded the call to pivot to the greatest change we each will undergo.
Sarah holds an M.S. in Organization Development from the University of San Francisco. She brings a deep understanding of systems change and human dynamics to her work, helping individuals and their constellation of care navigate the complexity of transition. Sarah is both the creator and an instructor of the University of Vermont’s End-of-Life Doula Business Foundations course. She is passionate about supporting aspiring, new, and experienced doulas in their journeys.
Website: www.eastbaydoulaforthedying.com
Instagram: @sirencove7
Workshop Details
During this presentation, we will discuss the practice of medical aid in dying, its history and evolution here in the United States, its medical and legal implications, and the role of doulas in supporting clients who choose this legal option to hasten death.
Doula the Doula: Self-Care as Self-Compassion with Nicole Briggs-Gary
Death Doula, GWG alum, GWG EOLT Facilitator
Meet the Presenter
Nicole is currently a GWG EOLT facilitator, GWG alum and health & wellness coach, practicing community doulaship through advocacy, education and facilitation. She enhances her doulaship practice with groundedness via guided meditations, sound healing, breathwork and somatic awareness for nervous system regulation, presence and self care. She particularly enjoys interactions with clients and students in death positive spaces. She offers an open invitation to all to join her in moments of meditation.
Website: www.passingwithpeace.com
Instagram: @passingwithpeace
Workshop Details
This session offers a calming blend of guided self-care practices and an immersive sound bath to help you unwind, reset, and reconnect. Together, we’ll deepen grounding techniques, support nervous system regulation, and create space for real-time rest and renewal. Perfect for anyone seeking gentle restoration and a moment to return to themselves.
Living & Dying on Death Row with Celeste Bacchi
Death Penalty Defense Attorney, Traveler, Mom, Death Doula, and GwG Alum
Meet the Presenter
More coming soon!
Workshop Details
End-of-life care for those condemned to die is complex, nuanced, and deeply human—impacting not only the individual, but their loved ones, legal teams, prison staff, and victims’ families. This workshop explores the unique role death doulas can play in this space, offering compassionate support within systems shaped by justice, punishment, and mortality.
Together, we’ll examine how to collaborate with legal teams to navigate both logistical and emotional needs, how to support clients seeking repair, accountability, or forgiveness—even when reconciliation isn’t possible—and the profound lessons about life, death, and transformation that emerge from the execution process.
This session invites participants into a thoughtful, ethically grounded exploration of care, dignity, and presence.
Nurturing Touch for the Dying Technique with Elizabeth Erbrecht
Meet the Presenter
More coming soon!
Workshop Details
More coming soon!
Rooted Presence: The Practice Beneath the Practice
Facilitated by: Coming soon!
Meet the Presenter
More coming soon!
Workshop Details
More coming soon!
Infertility, Miscarriage & Abortion: A Space for Grief and Care
Facilitated by: Coming soon!
Meet the Presenter
More coming soon!
Workshop Details
More coming soon!
Are you ready to heed the call…AGAIN?!
We only have space for 100 attendees for this Summit and anticipate the spaces will fill quickly. If you are interested in joining, we encourage you to register today.
FAQ's
Do you have additional questions about the End of Life Training Alumni Summit? Email support@goingwithgrace.com and our team would be happy to assist you.
Who is this Summit for?
Alumni of the End of Life Training In-person Retreat or Online Training Programs (Self or Group Study)
When will the Summit take place?
Friday, November 13, 2026- Sunday, November 15, 2026
Where will the Summit take place?
The Summit will take place at The Belamar Hotel in Manhattan Beach, CA
Can I attend even if I didn’t graduate/complete the course?
Absolutely! And if you would like to learn more about our Alumni Refresher Program to complete your programming before you attend, please reach out to our team at support@goingwithgrace.com
Can I attend if I am currently taking the EOLT?
Yes. The students enrolled in any End of Life Training Course up to Round 36 online (August 2026) and Retreat 14 (October 2026) are eligible to participate.
What is included in the Summit registration price?
Summit Admission
A 3-day, in-person Summit held at The Belamar Hotel in Manhattan Beach, CA
- Your pass includes access to:
- Opening & closing ceremonies
- Interactive workshops and teaching sessions
- Educational discussion panels
- Community networking & meet and greets
- Think tanks and peer-led conversations
Alumni Summit Welcome Bag
Receive a Going with Grace tote bag thoughtfully curated by the GwG team.
1-Year Membership in the Death Doula Den Resource Library
All attendees will receive a complimentary one-year membership to the Death Doula Den Resource Library including a growing resource library with 60+ hours of educational webinars and additional resources.
When does early bird registration end?
Early bird pricing will end on Sunday, May 10, 2026 at 11:59 pm PT . Use code ALUMNISUMMITEARLYBIRD at check out for $100 off admission price.
When is the registration deadline for the Summit?
Registration will close on SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2026 or when enrollment fills, whichever comes first. (We only have space for 100 attendees and anticipate spaces to fill quickly, so if you are interested, please register as soon as you can.)
What are my payment options?
There will be 4 different registration tiers for you to choose from:
- Summit Registration + ½ Sponsorship: $888
- Summit Registration: $655 (Use code ALUMNISUMMITEARLYBIRD until May 10 to receive $100 off registration)
- Tier 1 Summit Scholarship (Limited Spaces): $333
- Tier 2 Summit Scholarship (Limited Spaces): $150
Please Note: A $150 non-refundable deposit is included in each registration tier.
Payment plans will be available for all registration tiers:
- Enroll before AUGUST 12, 2026 to use a 3 month payment plan.
- Enroll before SEPTEMBER 12, 2026 to use a 2 month payment plan.
- Enroll before SEPTEMBER 12, 2026 to use a 1 time payment plan.
What is your refund policy?
A full refund is available up to 60 days before the summit, minus your non-refundable $150.00 deposit. If your purchase date is less than 60 days before the summit start date, no refund is available.
Is financial assistance available?
Yes! We’re offering two Summit Scholarship tiers, each with limited availability. To apply, complete the scholarship section within your registration form between May 1–15, 2026. Recipients will be notified on or before May 28.
- Tier 1 Summit Scholarship: $333 (includes a $150 non-refundable deposit)
- Tier 2 Summit Scholarship: $150 (includes a $150 non-refundable deposit)
We also offer an early bird discount for general registration. Use code ALUMNISUMMITEARLYBIRD at checkout between May 1–10, 2026 to receive $100 off the full admission price.
Do I have to attend all three days?
Nope! You can attend all or simply some the workshops/presentations you like. For example: You don’t have to attend Friday’s events to participate in Saturday. There is no discount on the registration price if you attend only part of the Summit.
What COVID protocols will be followed?
In alignment with other event venues and following CDC guidance, we do not require COVID or other health screenings for participation. Instead, we encourage a culture of self-monitoring, and trusting our community members to take personal responsibility for their health and well-being including masking when you deem it appropriate, using sanitizer and keeping elevated standards of cleanliness.
We encourage all participants to monitor themselves for any symptoms of illness before traveling, take preventive measures while in transit, and stay home if feeling unwell. If symptoms develop while at the summit, we ask that you notify the team and take appropriate precautions, such as isolating from the group, seeking medical guidance, or making arrangements to leave if necessary.
While we deeply understand the challenges illness can bring, we will be unable to offer refunds for health-related cancellations. Our standard cancellation, refund, and deferment policies will apply, and any additional costs related to illness, including travel changes or extended accommodations, will be the sole responsibility of the participant.
Our team will continue to assess health conditions and public health recommendations. Should circumstances change, we will update our policies accordingly to ensure the safety of our community. We appreciate your understanding, care, and mindfulness in creating a summit space that prioritizes the well-being of all. Thank you for being a part of this community!
What meals will be provided/included at the Summit?
Snacks during Friday Social Hour, throughout Saturday, and on Sunday morning. You are welcome to bring your own snacks and drinks as well.
What meals are not provided/included at the Summit?
All main meals including breakfast, lunch, and dinner are not included in the registration cost.
Will parking be available at the Summit hotel?
Yes, but it is limited. The hotel encourages ride-share if you are not a guest of the hotel. Daily visitors will be charged $45/day for parking fees.
Will rooming accommodations be provided at the Summit?
No room accommodations are not provided with your admission to the Summit. You will need to contact The Belamar Hotel if you would like to make a reservation with our special pricing.
Can I attend if I don’t stay at The Belamar Hotel?
You bet! Please stay wherever you feel comfortable and held.
What airport should I fly into?
How far is the hotel from the airport?
It is approximately a 30 minute drive from LAX to The Belamar Hotel.
Will there be transportation provided from the airport?
No. You can secure your own rental car or rideshare. We encourage you to reach out to other attendees so you can actually “ride share”!
