Allyson England Drake

Allyson England Drake, M.Ed., CT, FT

Founder and Executive Director

(804) 912-2947

Pronouns: she/her

Allyson has a Bachelor of Arts degree from University of Virginia, Master of Counselor Education degree from Virginia Commonwealth University, and completed post-graduate work in counseling psychology, bereavement, and traumatic grief. She holds a license in School Counseling (preK-12) and she worked as an elementary school counselor for three years.

Allyson has worked with grieving children, adults, and families for 22 years, has facilitated numerous grief support groups, led organizational debriefings after a loss, and has developed curriculum for bereavement groups and remembrance programs. Her passion revolves around community bereavement education and she has presented on grief and loss at numerous professional conferences and educational trainings. Allyson founded Full Circle Grief Center in 2008 and she serves as the President and Executive Director of the organization.

Allyson is also a Fellow in Thanatology (FT) and has a Certification in Thanatology (CT) through the Association for Death Education and Counseling (ADEC), is a Compassionate Bereavement Care Certified Provider, and has completed the Resolve Through Sharing Bereavement Training for Perinatal Death. She also is a member of the Victims Crisis Assistance and Response Team (VCART) and teaches a Death, Dying, and Grief class at Brightpoint Community College.

Allyson works with children, adults, and community/corporate groups who are anticipating the death of a loved one or who have experienced the death of someone significant to them. She uses writing/journaling, discussion, and various forms of creative expression in her practice to help individuals explore feelings, learn healthy coping skills, discover meaning in their loss, find ways to remember or honor their loved one, and adjust to their “new normal.”

Education

M.Ed., Counselor Education, Virginia Commonwealth University

B.A., Psychology, University of Virginia

Training

Fellow in Thanatology (FT), Association for Death Education and Counseling (ADEC)

Certified Thanatologist (CT), Association for Death Education and Counseling (ADEC)

Compassionate Bereavement Care (CBC) Certified Provider, MISS Foundation

Victims Crisis Assistance and Response Team (VCART), Virginia Dept. of Criminal Justice Services

Connect Suicide Postvention Certified

Media and Articles Authored

The Uniqueness of Homicide Loss (Blog)

An Introduction To Trauma-Informed Care (Blog)