September 18, 2025 3:30-5:00pm
TOPIC: GRIEF moderated by Dr. J. Kim Penberthy

REFLECTIONS ON THE SALON, GRIEF
Grieving the Loss of Loved Ones
By Michael Overstreet, Graduate Research Assistant with the Contemplative Sciences Center.

On September 18, 2025, the Contemplative Commons hosted a salon with Dr. Kim Penberthy and two of her colleagues from University of Virginia’s Perceptual Studies research lab; the subject of this inclusive and interdisciplinary discussion was on grief and, in particular, grieving the loss of loved ones. 

How peculiar it is, Kim remarked, that Western culture assigns such a negative valence to something that will touch every single human during their lifetimes. What words do you associate, for example, with grief? “Death,” “loss,” “suffering,” and “longing” are bound to be along the lines your thoughts take you. But what about “praise,” “love,” or “community”? This shift in emphasis, from the static and negative to the active and creative, is precisely what Kim’s research has helped reveal to be conducive to healthy grieving.
Read the full essay.

SALON DESCRIPTION
Kim brings her research and clinical expertise on grief to the Contemplative Sciences Center Salon. Drawing on decades of work with individuals navigating loss, she highlights contemplative and therapeutic approaches to understanding and healing grief. This gathering invites faculty, students, and community members into a shared dialogue across disciplines and experiences, fostering reflection, connection, and resilience. Together, participants will explore grief not only as a personal journey but as a communal human experience. 

ABOUT J. KIM PENBERTHY
Jennifer “Kim” Penberthy, PhD, is a clinical psychologist who holds the Chester F. Carlson Professorship Chair in Psychiatry & Neurobehavioral Sciences at the UVA School of Medicine. A clinician, researcher, teacher, and innovator, she uses contemplative practices to help people who have deep mental suffering, and chronic medical conditions, such as cancer and lupus.

She shares, “I have always been a helper and interested in finding ways to help people better understand themselves and their histories in order to engage in treatment that can help alleviate their symptoms, improve their quality of life and their relationships, as well as their own self-esteem. Ultimately, I want to help promote hope for the future.” Learn more.

Learn about upcoming Salons.

About Salon

Salons are monthly open dialogues on cutting-edge research related to contemplation and flourishing with UVA and local community members in the Contemplative Commons, hosted by the Contemplative Sciences Center's CIRCL: Contemplative Innovation + Research Co-Lab. Centered on a single word, these gatherings bring together scholars, scientists, and practitioners from diverse perspectives to exchange ideas, generate knowledge, and seek solutions to global challenges. CSC Research home.