In-person and online retreat reviews
No matter what format, all of my retreats offer real talk about the pain of child loss; practical tools for healing from grief and trauma; lessons from Scriptures, Saints, and Our Lady of Sorrows; and an eternal perspective on pain and suffering. Scroll down to see what participants have to say.
“I learned so much more how to grieve with an eternal perspective thanks to this wonderful retreat.”
“I am blown away by the impact this retreat has had on me.”
“I love the handouts, especially the graphic for grief and how it can manifest in so many different emotions and be all over the place. It’s helpful to understand what trauma is.“
“Thank you so much for a wonderful retreat. You really helped me…I don’t feel so alone.”
“From the beginning of the retreat, the honesty you had and the emotions you shared generated a movement of my own emotions that perhaps was hidden behind a kind of numbness that I have that is slowly transforming. Your transparency is, in part, advancing my transformation toward healing.“
“I finally felt like I was in the presence of someone who wasn’t judging me or trying to fix me. You simply understood because you are living it, and you didn’t ask that we do anything other than be present. THANK YOU.”
“Your openness in sharing your story was very moving and helpful for considering my journey. Loved the art/creative time as well as opportunities to share with the other women.“
“Wonderful to be part of this, to share about our daughter, to hear the stories of others.”
“The grief journey diagram gave me a pictorial of what I am going through with labels. This was and is very helpful to me.”
“[The] Virtual Lenten Retreat for Grieving Mothers was all that I hoped for and much more! After losing my [adult] daughter unexpectedly, my grief seems unending and unbearable. Eileen offered expertise, compassion and many tools to help and heal the pain. I loved the comparison to Our Lady of Sorrows, in her road to Calvary. I opened up to Eileen, in a special way, which surprised me. I highly recommend any future retreats Eileen may offer. You won’t regret it!”
“It was so helpful…every bit of it.”
“The creative exercise offered private time in my thoughts pouring out love for my babies.”
"The retreat was so healing, so intimate, so full of love. The exercises were so helpful. But on top of that just the fellowship of all the women was truly wonderful. One of the highlights was receiving the blessing from the priest."
Our parish has hosted two Present in the Pain retreats for mothers who have experienced loss of their children. These retreats have provided tremendous graces to the women who attended and allowed healing of wounds which, in many cases, have never been addressed. Women who attended our parish’s Present in the Pain retreat told me they found answers, consolation and healing from the compassionate work of Eileen. I would recommend Eileen Tully’s Present in the Pain apostolate and retreat to any pastors who are looking to offer an incredible gift of compassion and healing to the countless unknown women in their parish who are silently suffering from loss of a child.
– Fr. John Brancich, F.S.S.P.
reviews for my book, Praying with Our Lady of Sorrows
“After I lost my unborn daughter and experienced a life-threatening stillbirth, Eileen’s prayer book helped me to unite my seemingly unbearable pain with the suffering experienced by Our Lady. Her simple meditations on Our Lady’s sorrows are infused with profound understanding. Eileen offers all grieving parents a tool to rekindle hope and experience healing.“
Theoni Bell, Author ofThe Woman in the Trees
“I could have seriously used this book 19 years ago after my daughter died. I felt such a connection to Our Lady of Sorrows, but I just didn’t always have the words to talk to her. The author of this book had those words. Simple, concise, and easy to follow along. Would definitely recommend this book for any grieving mother.”
“I LOVE the [Praying With] Our Lady of Sorrows book!”
“I like your prayer book better than any others that I’ve seen available.”
“The anointed Our Lady of Seven Sorrows Booklet that you authored seems to be the perfect springboard from what was
presented in your retreat. Meditating and contemplating with that booklet in front of the tabernacle after a full retreat
of processing prompted a lot of journaling to take place in the journal you provided. Thank you!”