Selah Carefarm

08/26/2026

Grieving fathers are so often held to a different standard: expected to stay composed, keep providing, and move forward quickly, with little room to fall apart or ask for comfort. That expectation doesn't make them grieve any less, it just teaches many of them to do it alone. Our recent fathers' group at Selah Carefarm told a different story.

“I have been reflecting so much on our time at Selah Carefarm. This was such an incredible group of dads who continually leaned in, supported and shared. It really highlighted how fathers grieve in a culture that often gives them little permission to do so openly. The physical connection, especially stands out. Not just as affection, but almost as a language of its own - the physical expression of support was shown as hugs, hands on shoulders, and pats on the back, and it seemed so completely natural among the dads. There was something so moving about watching men offer one another comfort so freely. It made me also wonder how long it had been since some of them had experienced that kind of caring physical touch. Touch that communicated: I see you. I'm here. You don't have to carry this alone.

They repeatedly used the word brotherhood. In the outside world many described feeling an expectation that they should be over it, moving forward, functioning better or taking care of everyone else, yet in this space they didn't have to perform "strength". They could speak honestly about missing their child, anger, guilt, loneliness, love, pain, yearning, and the ways their lives have been permanently changed. What feels especially significant is that their vulnerability did not diminish their strength and was actually a part of it. There was no attempts to "fix". Watching them together challenges the cultural idea that men need to be pulled out of grief or encouraged to move beyond emotion. What they seem to need was exactly what they gave each other: permission, connection, physical, reassurance, and a place where their grief did not make anyone uncomfortable, and underneath all of it was love. The depth of their grief, which reflected the depth that their relationship to their children. The connection with each other and the animals also gave that love somewhere to go. Thank you for what you have created ❤️”

— Kathy Crowley, LCSW

www.SelahCarefarm.org

08/26/2026

Note that the screening location has changed!

Join us for an exclusive screening of A Sacred Pause, an award-winning documentary featuring ASU School of Social Work Professor Joanne Cacciatore's work at the Selah Carefarm, followed by an audience Q&A.
This 30-minute film takes viewers inside Selah Carefarm, a sanctuary where grief is witnessed and honored without platitudes or quick fixes. A Sacred Pause explores the quiet courage it takes to navigate profound loss while choosing to keep living.
📅 Thursday, Aug. 27 | 6 to 7 p.m.
📍Downtown Phoenix Campus | ROOM CHANGE: Health North 110
🔗 Register bit.ly/4hzFC7v
🎥 Watch the trailer: bit.ly/4qgG1xY See less

08/24/2026

Every person who comes to Selah Carefarm experiences Dan’s Kitchen, lovingly sponsored by Allen and Venna Bosma in memory of Dan. It's one of the most beautiful and functional kitchens we've ever seen. And since Dan loved cooking, what a meaningful way to honor him.

For years, Allen and Venna, Dan's parents, have carried his memory into the work of Selah Carefarm, helping to create a place where bereaved families can step away from the relentless demands of the world and be met with tenderness, understanding, and room to simply be. Nourishment comes from this kitchen.

And a kitchen at the carefarm is never merely a kitchen. It is where people gather quietly in the morning, share a meal, make tea, sit together when words do not come, and find small moments of ordinary connection amid an extraordinary sorrow.

Dan’s Kitchen will hold that purpose for every family who enters Andy’s Sanctuary. Dan’s name will live there in warmth, nourishment, welcome, and the gentle care extended from one human heart to another.

Thank you, Allen and Venna and Dan, for this profound and enduring gift. One more thing: Allen was seminal in the planning, designing, and building of the entire sanctuary. Their first visit to the carefarm was way back, way back when the land was a dirt lot. He worked tirelessly with Dr. Jo, Dave, Venna, and our building team to bring Andy's Sanctuary to fruition.

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If you're interested in sponsoring a space here, please reach out to [email protected]

08/20/2026

Thank you for believing in Selah Carefarm, and thank you for supporting our very important work in the world.

Your generosity, rooted in compassion, is what helps keep this place going : our quiet rooms, nourishing meals, our precious animal kin, and the tender care offered to people whose worlds have been irrevocably altered.

Because of you, grieving people have somewhere they can come without needing to explain, pretend, or hide.

This is a place where hearts are held. Thank you for helping us do the holding:
(Part 3 of 3)
________
Carol Hordis in honor of Angela Amoroso

Katharine Baldwin "From Uncle Mike and Aunt Deb Baldwin in memory of our beautiful daughter Jamie Kate Baldwin. Finally at Peace. Fly free and high. Love you!"

Susan Landon "Dedicated to TigerLilly Bridges"

Julie, Michael and Maya Adler, "In memory of Jacob Edber on his 20th anniversary/birthday"

Brooke Heare in honor of JP

Stacey Rothman for Gidi's Kindness Project

Eamon Cagney by Anonymous

In honor of the angel children's names being read on Kindness day 2026

Rachel DellaCroce in memory of Nick DellaCroce

Bette Resis in honor of Bruce Morton to sponsor one of our sweet triplet goats, Harriet

CJ Stotts

Sarah Lade

Heather Muller

Melissa Berman for "Those who teach us…"

Leslie Spencer in honor of Charlie boy

Kathleen McKay in honor of MacKenzie Dralle to sponsor Queen Athena, our now retired Great Pyrenees

Kathleen McKay in honor of Conor McKay Lankton to sponsor Angelina "Lina" Wangaari our newest Maremma

Pattie Vargas

Sandy Howard

AZ Community Foundation

Joan Madsen in honor of Douglas Madsen Scholarship Fund

Claudio Pelc in honor of Jacob Daniel Edber

LPL Financial on behalf of Margaret Muller

Chad and Jill Klock

Community Foundation Greater Capitol Region

Betty Pruitt for Selah Carefarm Scholarships in memory of Kimmie Rae

Dana Glauberman in honor of Geofrey

Special shout out to Dog Toys for the $30,000 match and all who participated!
Part 3 of 3

08/20/2026

Thank you for believing in Selah Carefarm, and thank you for supporting our very important work in the world.

Your generosity, rooted in compassion, is what helps keep this place going : our quiet rooms, nourishing meals, our precious animal kin, and the tender care offered to people whose worlds have been irrevocably altered.

Because of you, grieving people have somewhere they can come without needing to explain, pretend, or hide.

This is a place where hearts are held. Thank you for helping us do the holding:
(Part 2 of 3)
_______

Krystal Bartus "in honor of my son, Blake Cipolla, who passed away last year."

Heidi Coats in memory of "my sweet girl, Grace Abbott"

Sharon in memory of Steven Ray Rasey

Bosma Ralston Family Foundation in honor of Daniel John

Ross and Lyn Silcock

Jody Schaff in memory of Paulette Schaaf

Terri DeMontrond in honor of Misty Dawn

John Lindblom in honor of Arne

Mychael & Debbie McNeeley in honor of Gitel Brunshteyn

Jo ann Toffel in memory of Sarah Elizabeth Hammock, forever in our hearts

Andrew Herrington in honor of Kyle H, sponsoring our beautiful wild mustang, Stormy

Sherell Brantley in honor of Gidi Z for all time.

Raquel Schnitzer in honor of sweet Avi

Mary Lou Paul in memory of Harrison S. Paul

Brooke Heare In Memory of JP 💔 to support our lovely goat, Captain von Trapp

Amy Amy "In memory of my daughter Joslyn Beth who died Sept 2023 and whose bday is Jun 9 when you posted your Kong match plea. I always look for a way to do something good with the money I no longer spend on gifts for her, and I wait for those signs/opportunities to come to me. I can think of no better sign than your post on her day. She would've been 23 this year."

Linda Saah in honor of Orion

Sari and Daniel Edber in memory of Jacob Edber

Terri Taylor-Straut, "Remembering Patrick and the healing energy of Selah Carefarm when I got to honor him there."

Part 2 of 3

08/20/2026

Thank you for believing in Selah Carefarm, and thank you for supporting our very important work in the world.

Your generosity, rooted in compassion, is what helps keep this place going : our quiet rooms, nourishing meals, our precious animal kin, and the tender care offered to people whose worlds have been irrevocably altered.

Because of you, grieving people have somewhere they can come without needing to explain, pretend, or hide.

This is a place where hearts are held. Thank you for helping us do the holding:
(Part 1 of 3)
______

Steve Pendergraft in memory of beloved Cade

Carol Hordis, "In memory of my Daughter Angela"

Liz Castleman in memory of beloved Charlie Boy (Roarrrrr... and a "woof woof") to support Aspen Vaughn

Barbara Leman who "read about you in AZ Highways"

Leaf Seligman in honor of Nancy Borreani

Melody Casey, "In honor of our son, Adam... "We will always wake up with you in our heart"

Marsha Sompayrac in memory of beloved Will Sompayrac

Jodi Williams

Jackie Shapo in memory of Daniel Lincoln

Steve Greer who said, "Selah Carefarm provided a restful space and Bearing the Unbearable touched me in a deeper and more penetrating way than any book I’ve read."

Jill Cagney in memory of our beloved Eamon whose gentle spirit and sweet love are missed every moment

Anonymous "In memory of Alan Lloyd Edwards. You are so loved."

Susan Quinn in memory of beloved Brian

Cathy Done, "I lost a child, I love what you do❣"

Jennifer Welborn in honor of Avery Mercedes Welborn

Rachel Robinson, "In honor of my son, Desmond Robinson"

Alane Breland

Steve and Maggie Larsen in honor of Eric Larsen

Jane Chapman in memory of Jason Stokes

Kate Baldwin "in loving memory of our daughter Jamie Kate with gratitude to Dr. Jo, Venna and the MISS Foundation."

Patricia Gaston to sponsor the Queen pup Athena

Barbara Parisi for her girl, KellBell

Courteney Whitelaw "in honor of Riley I Whitelaw on her 4th Angelversary, 1/20/2005 to 6/11/2022"

Jenny Robbins in memory of Kade Riefenberg

Part 1 of 3

08/20/2026

🙏🏽🙏🏽

Do you work with those who have suffered unfathomable loss as a clinician or as a peer counselor? Supporting those who are traumatically bereaved asks more of us than techniques.

Compassionate helpers need the capacity to remain close to what cannot be fixed, rushed, or explained away. It asks for a model of care that is both deeply humane and wise in the rooms where people entrust us with their pain.

“This training was the single best training of my 25+ year career. Not only did I learn the care model practiced at Selah Carefarm for those in traumatic grief, I learned how to structure the work compassionately in my own office.”

— CBC attendee, Spring ’26

Join Dr. Joanne Cacciatore for the next Compassionate Bereavement Care training, September 24–27, 2026.

Virtual and in-person options

Held at the incredible Selah Carefarm, featured in Oprah and Prince Harry's "The Me You Can't See", "A Sacred Pause" award winning documentary, and "Rescued Hearts" documentary

30 CEUs

This is an immersive, intense, practice-changing experience for those who accompany people through traumatic grief. Space is limited. Apply now before the course fills.

FAQs:
https://www.missfoundation.org/compassionate-bereavement-care-certification/ #

In person application:
https://www.missfoundation.org/apply-compassionate-bereavement-care-certification/

Virtual application:
https://www.missfoundation.org/event/cbc-certification-course-sept-24-27-2026-video-conferencing-registration/

08/20/2026

Gidi's Room

There are acts of love that make room, and rooms literally, for others. Gidi's family created something magical and beautiful here at Selah Carefarm.

This beautiful space carries the name of Gidi Zilberstein. Gidi’s Room was sponsored with love by his family, Amit, Jesse, Oren, and Zeve.

Families who come to Selah Carefarm arrive during the most unfathomably painful times of their lives. Here, they have a peaceful place to sleep, gather, cry, and rest without having to explain, deny, or hide their grief.

In this way, Gidi’s name and the love surrounding him will become part of the care offered to every family who stays here. We are profoundly grateful to his family for this generous gift, and deeply honored to call this Gidi’s Room.

Gidi's mama wrote a wondrous and honest book for children experiencing loss here: https://gidimagic.com/missing-gidi-book.php

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If you're interested in sponsoring a space here, please reach out to [email protected]

08/15/2026

ASU School of Social Work Presents:
An Exclusive Screening of A Sacred Pause in Phoenix, Az.

Join us on August 27th for an exclusive screening of "A Sacred Pause," a powerful, award-winning documentary featuring the work of ASU School of Social Work Professor Joanne Cacciatore's at the Selah Carefarm, followed by an audience Q&A.

Screening & Q&A: August 27, 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM MST at Cronkite 202

This 30-minute film takes viewers inside Selah Carefarm, a sanctuary where grief is witnessed and honored without platitudes or quick fixes. Through the stories of Erik, a father rebuilding his life after the loss of his three young children, and six participants in a four-day grief workshop, A Sacred Pause explores the quiet courage it takes to navigate profound loss while choosing to keep living.

Seating is very limited.

Register here: https://specialevents.asu.edu/ereg/newreg.php?eventid=890513&

Watch the trailer here: https://www.asacredpausefilm.com

08/14/2026

Buddy is one of five rescued kittens along with their mama. They came months ago and are about 5 months old now. Today he’s enjoying the hammock here like a champ. They are all thriving and at peace here.