Meet Rebecca: host of the Grief Group

Meet Rebecca, originally from the USA and now living in Belgium for 4 years. She hosts the Grief Group at the International House Leuven once a month.

International House Leuven

17 July 2025

Get to know Rebecca

Name: Rebecca Poulsen
Pronouns: She/her
Country of Origin: Montana, United States
Time in Belgium: Since August 2021
Countries Lived In: United States (Montana, Idaho, Utah, California) and Belgium
Activity: Grief Group
Languages: English, Dutch, Spanish (un poco), French (un peu)
Favourite thing from home country: In the state of Montana, there are more cows than there are people.
Favourite thing about Belgium/Flemish life: People take their time here. I enjoy the slower pace and the enjoyment of little things. There’s less stress to do stuff. In America, it feels like you always have to be doing something productive even if it’s a hobby. But living in Belgium has taught me the importance of slowing down and the enjoyment of simply doing nothing.
Loves: Crafting (knitting, crochet)
Ask me about: Freelancing in Belgium, where to get good coffee in Leuven, where to find yarn for crafting, fantasy books, cozy video games, neurodiversity, grief, my cat.

Rebecca came to Leuven in 2022 from the United States to study a Master at KU Leuven. She has since graduated and now works as a Marketing freelancer. IHL happens to be one of the places she works! If you follow IHL on social media or are subscribed to the newsletter, that's Rebecca doing those behind the scenes. She has really grown to love Belgium and plans to stay and get Belgian citizenship in a few years.

Learn about Grief Group

After the sudden passing of her father, Rebecca found herself struggling to manage her grief and felt very alone. So, from her grief, Rebecca created a support group in February 2024 to bring people together to hold space for those who were grieving. Whether someone is grieving the loss of a loved one, the end of a relationship, leaving a job, or even grieving identity loss as an international, this group is for them.

The Grief Group meets once a month for 2 hours in the cozy space of IHL to talk, feel, and listen to those who are grieving. They have a WhatsApp group where they post resources about processing grief, talking about special things they do to honor passed loved ones, and connecting with one another.

The grief group has helped Rebecca feel more connected to those going through the grieving process. The group allows people to be vulnerable and share their stories in a safe space.

"Since running Grief Group, I've met so many people and learned how different cultures process grief. It's been an honor sharing space with these people and hearing their stories. I am always so touched by how vulnerable people are with strangers. But at the end of the day, we aren't really strangers, and we all speak and understand the same language of grief. This can be a really impactful thing since we live in a society that tends to shy away from grief. In this group, we don't shy from it; we face it head-on."

Would you like to join the group?

Keep an eye on our events page to find out when the next gathering will take place.

Through grief group, I have met some really incredible people. It’s nice to have a space where you’re surrounded by people who speak a similar language of grief. There’s no masking, no hiding, no apologizing, just pure connection with each other.

July, 2025

Her advice to internationals

Go easy on yourself. Moving to a new place comes with a lot of ups and downs. Take time to get to know the area you’re in. Discover new restaurants, hikes, bike paths, events, culture, etc. Getting to know the area more will help you discover what you love about it and help fight homesickness.