Weighted comfort bears help grieving women heal at LA retreat

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) -- Mother's Day is not always appreciation presents and brunch, it can also be a day for grieving a mother or maternal figure who has passed away.

The 8th annual Honoring All Mothers event is a one-day wellness retreat in Los Angeles at Sueños Social Club off West Pico.

It's organized by certified yoga instructor, Reiki Master, and entrepreneur, Alicia "Ace" Easter, and sponsored by the San Diego nonprofit, "The Comfort Cub."

Easter lost her mother when she was 19 years old and found that other motherless daughters like her needed to support each other. 

"Remembering their name, speaking their name and keeping their memory alive, writing love letters to them, and also writing love letters to yourself is a really big thing in this community workshop that I do," said Honoring All Mothers retreat host, Easter. "Because, yes, we can keep their spirit alive, and we also want it to be energized by their spirit, we want to be energized by their legacy, we want to be inspired to keep going and ascending in this really joyful place." 

Dozens of women shared their stories, experienced somatic movement together, participated in yoga, workshops, healing stations, and ended with nourishment and a sound bath.

San Diego nonprofit, "The Comfort Cub," donated its weighted, therapeutic teddy bears to every person attending the event.

The grieving women and all attendees held on to their Comfort Cubs to help them share their journey and their mother's story. The weight of the Comfort Cub applies deep touch pressure when you hold the teddy bear to your chest. That weight and pressure subconsciously releases deep touch pressure hormones like serotonin, dopamine and oxytocin. Those hormones in turn have a physiological effect on the heart. If someone is suffering from grief, their grief and mental and emotional trauma and pain can lead to Broken Heart Syndrome, known to the medical community as stress-induced cardiomyopathy, or Takotsubo syndrome. It happens when the left heart ventricle can start to expand when the mind is grieving heavily. The mental and emotional pain needs to be "comforted" or soothed.

Through deep touch pressure, like hugging and holding on to the weighted Comfort Cub, the body begins to heal. 

For every Comfort Cub purchased, another one is donated to someone in need.

"We will all lose our mothers or maternal figures, and this retreat gives us the freedom to openly and safely talk about our moms, share their stories, say their name out loud and know that we are never alone in our grief," said nonprofit, Comfort Cub Ambassador, Alicia O'Neill. "I am here today to support my friend who lost her mom, and to share my story about being a mother who lost my son. My son, Jordan Hart, died on July 5, 2019. Mother's Day can be hard, but I have so much to be grateful for, including my three other children -- one of them is my rainbow baby." 

New York Times best-selling author, Hope Edelman, also spoke at the retreat. Edelman is famously known for her book titled, "Motherless Daughters." It has sold more than 1 million copies in 17 countries and in 11 languages. Edelman lost her mother when she was 17 years old. She coaches women and families through grief, offers counseling and group retreats. Edelman and Easter will continue to support women who have lost their mothers.

To learn more about Alicia Ace Easter, visit Who is Alicia C. Easter? — ACE YOGA LA.

To learn more about The Comfort Cub nonprofit, visit The Comfort Cub.