February Book Club: The Wild Edge of Sorrow

16feb7:30 pm9:00 pmFebruary Book Club: The Wild Edge of SorrowInspired by Positive Psychology titles but no time to read?

Event Details

Inspired by Positive Psychology titles but no time to read?

Join CAPPster Andrea Seydel each month for an unconventional approach to reading a book as a community. And take a deep dive into a Positive Psychology book of our community’s choice!

For February, our community picked ‘The Wild Edge of Sorrow” by Francis Weller.

Spend a month reading the book along side us or simply join the event on Monday, February 16th from 7:30-9pm ET and have the book taught to you through lecture, lively discussion and breakout groups.

About The Wild Edge of Sorrow 

Profoundly moving, beautifully written, The Wild Edge of Sorrow is a balm for the soul and a necessary salve for moving together through difficult times. Grounded in ritual and connection, this book welcomes each grief with care and attention, opening us to the feelings, experiences, and sacred knowledge that connect us to each other and ultimately make us whole.

Psychotherapist Francis Weller introduces the 5 gates of grief, helping us come to terms with grief and loss within a culture so fundamentally detached from the needs of the soul.

  • The first gate recognizes that everything we love, we will lose. Here, we meet the pain of losing a loved one; the grief of illness; and the tender invitation to touch the depths of our losses and loves
  • The second gate helps us uncover the places that have not yet known love: our secret shames, our shadow sids, and the neglected pieces of our soul that need restoration and care.
  • The third gate meets us at the immense sorrows of the world
  • The fourth gate, what we expected but did not receive, offers wisdom for tending our wholeness after the love, care, and validation we need are withheld
  • The fifth gate opens to our ancestral grief: the traumas, pains, losses, and unrealized dreams of those who came before us.

Time

February 16, 2026 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm EST(GMT-05:00)

Organizer

Emiliya Zhivotovskaya

Emiliya is the CEO and founder of The Flourishing Center, a New York City based, Benefit Corporation (B-Corp) that is dedicated to increasing the flourishing of individuals, organizations and communities worldwide. She is the creator of the acclaimed Certification in Applied Positive Psychology (CAPP) program, currently offered in 12 cities across the U.S., Canada and online worldwide, which has trained over 750 practitioners to date. She is the creator the Bounce Back BetterTM (B3) Program, Positive Psychology Coaching Certification, Flourishing Skills Group® (FSG®) Program, iMMi Program, co-founder of the Positive Educator CertificationTM (PEC) Program, creator of the PERMA-V Model and the 5i Change Agent Model. (If you haven’t noticed, she likes creating and is an “inventor” in our 5i Change Agent Model.) Emiliya holds a Master’s Degree from the University of Pennsylvania in Positive Psychology and is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Mind-Body Medicine from Saybrook University, where she is also an adjunct faculty member. Emiliya holds a PCC credential with the International Coaching Federation (ICF), as well as over a dozen certifications in modalities ranging from coaching to yoga, Reiki, intenSati, Thai massage, biofeedback, motivational interviewing and more. Prior to her work in the science of wellbeing, Emiliya was a professional party entertainer for over 12 years. She brings her entertaining background to her work today as a “pra-cademic-prenuer”; first and foremost she is a practitioner working in the field with individuals and organizations, then a researcher and academic, and an entrepreneur, focusing not just on the growth of The Flourishing Center, but is passionate about the craft of entrepreneurism and helping others grow their work. She integrates these tools into a unique approach to vitality and mind-body health, inspiring and empowering others to craft a life of thriving mentally, emotionally, physically, spiritually and financially.

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