Widowed Support Events
Join us at our Brisbane
Widowed Support Event
The First Light Widowed Support Events are designed to empower and inspire, connecting attendees with others who share a similar experience.
For some attendees, these events will offer inspiration for taking the first steps towards rebuilding healthy, successful and fulfilling lives following the death of their partner.
Our events also offer opportunities for community connection and building further support networks.
This unique experience – of spending time with others who understand widowed grief – can help overcome the feelings of isolation, loneliness and lost identity that are so common among those navigating the death of their partner.
One of the features that makes this event so unique is that the organisers, facilitators and speakers are all widowed themselves. Attendees will be surrounded by those with a lived experience of grief.
Is this event for me?
This event has been designed to improve mental wellbeing, build resilience, provide a sense of hope for the future and facilitate community connection amongst widowed people. You may find this event valuable if you feel ready to:
- hear from experienced speakers
- grow their peer-support network
- access informed resources
- and be open to hope that will lead you to take steps forward through your grief.
First Light is not a clinical mental health service. If you’re currently facing more complex grief-related challenges (such as serious mental health issues, personal safety concerns, or difficulties managing daily life) this event may not meet your needs right now. We’d be happy to help you find more appropriate, professional support.
If you’re unsure whether the event is right for you, we encourage you to contact us.
Friday 7 November 2025 - Brisbane, Queensland
Event program *
- 9:15am Arrival and registration
- 9:45am Official event welcome
- 10:15am Guest speakers
- 11:15am Networking activity
- 11:45am Lunch and social connection
- 1:00pm Guest speakers
- 2:00pm Afternoon tea
- 2:30pm Guest speakers
- 4:00pm Official event concludes
* Order and times subject to change without notice.
What to expect
- To be surrounded by others with a lived experience of widowhood
- Arrival tea and coffee, buffet lunch, afternoon tea
- Experienced speakers who will deliver messages of hope and inspiration
- Community-building opportunities to connect with others who share similar experiences and circumstances
- Information about resources and programs available to provide continued support after the event
- A take home information pack
- Understanding, validation, inspiration and hope
- The opportunity to be connect with another attendee/s prior to the event
- A supportive and positive environment, where the focus is not on ‘death’, but on rebuilding a life after loss.
Introducing our speakers
Aisling Pont
Introducing Aisling
Following the death of her husband in 2006, Aisling Pont found herself searching for support to navigate grief whilst caring for her young child, only to discover a critical gap in resources for people in her position. Faced with the dual challenge of processing her own grief whilst supporting her child through theirs, she took action to create a local support group that rapidly grew in numbers and impact.
Together with Maria Carr, Aisling facilitated these groups and organised events and retreats for widowed people and their children, eventually pioneering Australia’s first online support network for young widowed people – a groundbreaking community that operated for over ten years and supported hundreds of bereaved individuals.
Having completed a Bachelor of Counselling with continued specialisation in grief and bereavement, she has studied numerous therapeutic modalities and developed her own unique healing system, which forms the foundation of her thriving holistic counselling practice.
As a holistic counsellor and co-author of Wisdom From the Widowed, Aisling specialises in exploring the vital connections between mind, body, and spirit, guiding clients through the grief process towards healing and the creation of meaningful new lives for themselves.
Jonathan Teo
Introducing Jonathan
Jonathan was widowed in 2023 when his husband died suddenly. He is a proud advocate for raising awareness and support for ‘Rainbow Wids’ who are navigating spousal bereavement.
He understands first hand how uncomfortable society is with death and the grief that follows. He understands that many of us try to avoid our grief and/or hide it from others, at the detriment of our own physical and emotional health. He is an advocate for acknowledging our grief, sitting with it and experiencing it.
Jonathan has engaged in work as an advisor, advocate, coach, counsellor, educator, facilitator and trainer in a variety of areas, including higher education, the union movement, and aged care and disability services. His education encompasses the areas of psychology, counselling and human resources.
His time living and working in three different countries has given him a unique perspective shaped by the variety of cultures, belief systems, modes of thought, etc that he lived within. This perspective allows him to not only look outside the box but see how what’s in the box might be reimagined.
Maria Carr
Introducing Maria
Widowed in 2006 whilst 12 weeks pregnant, Maria Carr intimately understands the complexities of navigating profound loss and has transformed her personal tragedy into a mission of healing for others.
With over 18 years of experience and a Bachelor’s degree in Counselling with specialised studies in grief and bereavement, Maria has dedicated her career to helping individuals through their most challenging times via her private holistic counselling practice, support groups, therapeutic retreats, and online forums. Through her practice, she offers a comprehensive range of services supporting clients from the initial stages of grief through to rebuilding their lives and discovering their new identity.
As co-author of Wisdom From the Widowed, she draws upon nearly two decades of both lived experience and professional insight gathered from working with hundreds of bereaved individuals aged 25-55. Together with co-author Aisling Pont, Maria co-founded Australia’s first online support community for young widowed people, ‘Ever After Widowed’, and has facilitated countless support groups and retreats.
Her unique holistic approach combines traditional counselling techniques with complementary therapies, integrating professional expertise with profound personal understanding to offer hope and practical wisdom to those navigating similar paths of loss and healing.
Rebecca Adams
Introducing Rebecca
First Light co-founder, chair and CEO, Rebecca Adams never imaged that her life would end up being dedicated to helping widowed people. However, she also could never have imagined that she would lose her newlywed husband to depression unexpectedly at the tender age of 33.
Twelve years on, Rebecca has navigated her way through the devastation and trauma of young widowhood to rebuild a full and happy life. She now has a passion to ensure that others who find themselves in her position, have access to the resources, programs and support that she wished existed for her.
A former journalist and communications advisor, Rebecca now draws upon her leadership skills, vision and commitment to serving widowed people, to drive the First Light team towards our goal of being a nationally-recognised forerunner in the field of widowed support and grief support awareness.
Suzanne Read
Introducing Suzanne
Suzanne Read’s life was turned upside down when her husband Robert was diagnosed with Leukaemia and died 6 years later in 2019.Over the last six years, she has turned her heartache into her passion and created “Life Beyond the Grief”. A grief mentoring and healing service for those that have loved and lost.
Her diary of her experience as a wife and carer to her late husband Robert, has been turned into her first novel “From Wife to Widow”. And her professional life story created her second novel “From Corporate to Country”.
Suzanne has spoken to groups about her struggles pre and post her loss, and her determination to control her grief and heal her heart. Her story is about dealing with loss and grief but also love. Her insights are brave and inspirational and give the audience a raw insight into how she turned her Grief into Greatness.
Suzanne remarried in 2024 and now is a stepmum to 3 daughters and 2 grandchildren. She built a second business, Coolabine Retreat, an accommodation business on her 35-acre property in Kenilworth, 2 hours north of Brisbane and is an active member of the community.
She is a mentor, a podcaster, a keynote speaker, a healer, a passionate author, a family constellation facilitator and a woman on a mission to inspire others that you can create a new identity and life after loss.
Frequently Asked Questions
First Light subsidised ticket: $95
Full cost ticket: $190
The full cost per person varies for each event based on state and venue costs. At a minimum it is expected that the cost to First Light will be $190 per person to run these events.
First Light is committed to making support affordable for attendees and is working hard to fundraise a significant amount to subsidise this event, above the expected income from ticket sales. This allows us to offer subsidised registrations and ensure as many people as possible can access this wonderful program.
If you are in a position to do so, we welcome you to donate additional funds to help with the delivery of these events and ensure others can also receive this support.
As part of our fundraising plan we hope to have some fully funded tickets available for those who are unable to attend due to financial stress. We encourage you to reach out to Jo and Rebecca by email to enquire about these tickets.
YES, we expect many people to arrive at the event having never met anyone else who is attending.
We promise that you won’t be the only person attending alone, and by taking the risk and joining us for this event you will meet people who get you, understand widowed grief, and may even make friendships that will last a lifetime. We will provide you with opportunities for connecting with other people throughout the event.
We also have a buddy program where we can connect you with either another first-time attendee or with someone who has attended First Light events in the past. If you would like to learn more or register your interest in being connected with another attendee please reach out to us at mail@firstlight.org.au
Our Widowed Support events are for anyone who has lost a life partner regardless of gender, age, religious background, sexual orientation, relationship status, and for those who have remarried/re-partnered as well. We’ve all lived through the loss of a life partner, and the energy created by this unique bond is incredible.
We would love to continue holding hold these events in various locations throughout Australia. In March and April this year we ran our first Melbourne and Perth events. Our team continues to evaluate program delivery and effectiveness, and we do hope to run further events in other areas of Australia.
No. In fact, the cost of tickets to attend the events are heavily subsidised (by more than 50%) through fundraising, grants and sponsorships. This is important to us, as we want to make the event as affordable as possible for attendees.
To enable us to continue offering subsidised rates, we are actively seeking reputable sponsors to support these events. If you, your company, or someone in your circle would be interested in supporting the life-changing work of First Light, we’d love to talk! Please reach out to Rebecca by email if you are able to connect us with financial assistance.
First Light Widowed Support Luncheons cancellation policy
This information and policy relate the 2025 First Light Widowed Support Workshop.
Cancellations by the delegate
Cancellation requests must be sent to mail@firstlight.org.au. Cancellations received at least two weeks prior to the event may be refunded, however, all refunds are subject to a $15 processing fee.
Due to commitments with the venue and suppliers, refunds are not available for cancellations received within two weeks of the event.
Refunds will be returned via the same payment method as the original receipt of funds and processed within 14 days of your request.
An alternative attendee name and contact details may be provided in writing. No transfer or cancellations fees will be incurred. Depending on the notice given, dietary requirements may not be met on transfers.
Event changes
First Light reserves the right to change the format, content, location, timing and any other aspects of the event, and to postpone or cancel the event.
If the event is changed, postponed or cancelled we are not liable for costs, losses or expenses of any kind incurred by you in connection with attending the event.
Our liability in the event of cancellation is limited to refunding the ticket fee paid.
If the event is postponed or cancelled by First Light and you are unable to attend the re-scheduled event, we will refund your registration/ticket cost.
Yes, as a registered charity in Australia that is endorsed as a Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR), every donation over $2 is tax deductible in Australia.
We are registered with the ACNC. (The Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission is the national regulator of charities) and endorsed as a Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR). We are covered by Item 1 of the table in the section 30-15 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997.
Donations are welcome when purchasing an event ticket. Alternatively, click here for more information or to make a donation.
First Light is a registered not-for-profit charity and every dollar we raise is put towards delivering our programs for our community. The generosity of our donors, volunteers sponsors is critical to the success of First Light.
There are many ways you can support us in delivering our Widowed Support Luncheons, including:
- making a donation
- fundraising
- covering the ticket cost of a widowed person who can’t afford to attend the event
- volunteering at the event
- providing sponsorship
If you are interested in any of the above, please contact us.