Our mental health consultant is a Master social worker that has worked in the field for 22 years. She specialized in crisis counseling, specifically with children and teens. When her husband died unexpectedly she joined a grief support group at Suncoast Kids Place for her children and herself. She has continued to navigate grief with her two daughters. Since then she has been hired to facilitate grief support groups in Hillsborough County schools. Her passion is educating and supporting people through grief because everyone will experience it in their lifetime. She believes it is important to understand the dynamics that come with losing a loved one and finding a support system. 

Jack.org in partnership with the Born This Way Foundation created a course for individuals to learn to be there for someone. This interactive course provides 5 golden rules on how to safely support someone that is struggling with their mental health. Our group that is now certified found this course highly enlightening. Click here to access the course!

• 211 :

If you need assistance locating long-term mental health resources, talking through a problem, or exploring mental health treatment options, call 211 to speak with a live person who can help

• Nami :

The NAMI Teen & Young Adult (T&YA) helpline offers a direct connection with another young person who shares similar experiences and is prepared to offer information, resources, and support to help you move through difficult times to a better place.

• Samhsa :

SAMHSA’s National Helpline is a free, confidential, 24/7, 365-day-a-year treatment referral and information service (in English and Spanish) for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders.

• Jed Foundation :

The Jed Foundation’s Mental Health Resource Center provides essential information about common emotional health issues and shows teens and young adults how they can support one another, overcome challenges, and make a successful transition to adulthood.

• Trevor Project :

The Trevor Project is the leading suicide prevention and crisis intervention nonprofit organization for LGBTQ+ young people. We provide information & support to LGBTQ+ young people 24/7, all year round.

• Willow House :

Willow house provides grief support and education for youth, families, schools and other communities . Their free services provide a space for people to grieve in companionship with others who share a similar loss.

• SAVE :

SAVE hosts resources for suicide loss survivors, a support group database and the Named Memorial Program, which offers a special way to honor your loved one and ensure that SAVE’s impactful education and training programs continue to save lives. 

• What's your grief? :

 What’s Your Grief is a place for sharing, support, resources, & more.

• Center for Loss :

Led by grief counselor and educator Dr. Alan Wolfelt, this organization is dedicated to helping people who are grieving and those who care for them. They offer resources and understanding. 

Claudia Coenen is a Thanatologist and the founder of the Karuna Project that provides grief counseling. Our team had the pleasure of meeting with her and discussing the complexities of grief and in specific, Prolonged Grief Disorder. She is a published author and has produced a set of prompt cards to help support bereaved individuals. Ms. Coenen focuses on creative methods of processing grief and she shared many of these methods with us. To find more information on her project and about what she does visit the Karuna Project. 

Suncoast Kids Place is a nonprofit foundation dedicated to providing grief support services to children, teens, and families who have experienced the loss of a loved one. The organization offers programs like peer support groups and educational resources to help people navigate the grieving process.  In our efforts to raise awareness, we partnered with the Suncoast Kids Place team in a fundraising initiative. To learn more about this organization, click here

Camp Erin Tampa Bay is a free bereavement camp for youth grieving the death of a significant person in their lives. Children and teens ages 6 to 17 attend a weekend camp experience that combines grief education and emotional support with fun, traditional camp activities. To learn more about this bereavement camp visit Suncoast Kids Place 

Because I Said I Would is a nonprofit focused on promoting commitment, kindness, and personal responsibility to inspire positive change. As part of our mental health awareness efforts, our Mental Health Promotion Team connected with a staff member of Alex Sheen, a 5-time TEDx speaker and founder of the organization. We discussed the important link between their initiative and the grieving process, highlighting how honoring commitments can support healing through grief. 

The Center for Loss & Life Transition is known for offering high-quality bereavement care training for caregivers. Founded by Dr. Alan D. Wolfelt, the center focuses on companioning the bereaved rather than "treating" grief as an illness. The Center provides educational seminars for caregivers such as: Hospice staff & volunteers; Mental health professionals; Social workers & clergy; Funeral directors, nurses, & physicians; Anyone supporting those who are grieving.

To find more information visit Center for Loss and you can download their catalogs that Alan Wolfelt sent us.

Eric Schleich, LCSW, CT, is a compassionate therapist with 18 years of experience helping individuals cope with grief, chronic illness, and loss, particularly in hospital and hospice settings. He specializes in supporting survivors of traumatic losses, including suicide. In our interview, Eric discussed how our grief-avoidant society makes it harder for people to process the death of a loved one, especially when the loss is sudden or traumatic. His goal is to provide guidance and support, helping individuals and families find a path toward healing.