Blog – Full Circle Grief Center

Grieving the Loss of a Pet

by Carrie Schaeffer, LCSW I’ve spent nearly 50 years on Earth and very few of them have been spent without a pet in my home. I grew up with dogs and cats, fish, hamsters, hermit crabs and one rabbit called Pebbles. As an adult, I became a dog owner as soon as I moved into…

Myths About Grief Counseling

by Shannon Deneen, MSW Grief is the most universal experience of the human condition, and it’s also one of the most misunderstood. Below are some commonly held misconceptions about grief counseling. Myths About Grief Counseling: What to Expect During Grief Counseling:

Letter from the Director: 2025 in Review

by Allyson England Drake, M.Ed., CT, FT Dear Friends of Full Circle, As we close another year, I find myself reflecting with deep gratitude on the ways our community has continued to grow and support one another in the face of profound loss. This year, we continued our Perinatal Loss, Suicide Loss, and Overdose and…

New Year, New Roles for Full Circle Staff Members

by Audrey Walls, M.Ed., M.F.A. With a new year comes new faces and roles as Full Circle looks towards the future, with a few staff members stepping up into new and expanded opportunities for 2026. As many of you already know, the departure of our long-serving Grief Services Director, Britt Cowart, at the end of…

Griefy Gift Guide For 2025

by Audrey Walls, M.Ed., M.F.A. As the holidays approach, it can be difficult to know what kind of gift would be best received by those who are grieving during the season. Grief during the holidays is tricky, no matter how long or how recent the loss has been. While sending cards, texts, or thoughtful wishes…

Craft Corner: Memory Cube

by Karen Coyner, LCSW, DCSW and Audrey Walls, M.Ed., M.F.A. Join Full Circle’s Karen Coyner in the video above as she provides fun and thoughtful instructions for creating a memory cube. This is an easy, no-stress remembrance activity that’s appropriate for kids and adults of all ages. Seasons changing and the holidays can bring up…

Reminders, Activities, and Resources for Holiday Grief

by Shannon Deneen, MSW Holidays are full of memories and traditions, built around relationships and community. They are milestones we share with our loved ones, days that reflect our beliefs and values. While this time of year may inspire joy and celebration for many people, it’s remarkably different for those who have experienced a loss.…

Thank You, Britt

How do you measure the impact of one person on a community? Is it in people’s lives changed, the number of days spent on the job, the years of care and support provided not only to clients, but staff, volunteers, and board members? In the case of our Grief Services Director, Britt Cowart, maybe you…

Grief Support for Survivors of Suicide Loss

by Kerri Björkholm, Care Coordinator Losing a loved one to suicide can be an incredibly painful and complex experience. It can stir up feelings of confusion, guilt, and intense sadness. Those grieving this type of loss may struggle with unique emotions and questions, making support from friends and family crucial. If you know someone going…

October: Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month

by Audrey Walls, M.Ed., M.F.A. and Carrie Schaeffer, LCSW Every October 15, thousands of people come together from across the country to honor and remember a type of loss that is all too common and incredibly personal: pregnancy and infant loss. The entire month of October was designated for Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness by…

Guilt, Shame, and Counterfactual Thinking: How to Survive the Complexities of an Overdose Loss

by Laura McDonald, LCSW, Overdose and Substance Use-Related Loss Bereavement Services Manager A sudden traumatic loss can be overwhelming to the human mind and spirit, no matter the cause of death. Everyday we lose loved ones through tragic accidents, sudden cardiac events, war and catastrophe, leaving survivors ill equipped to reconcile with the profound loss…

Local Woman Completes Triathlon in Honor of Mother, Raises Over $7K for Full Circle

Community connection is the heart of everything we do at Full Circle, especially at our annual luncheon event, Living Your Dash, which takes place every spring. We always hope that guests leave the event inspired and bolstered by acts of kindness, grace, and the ability to make a difference in your community. However, one 2025…

Introducing Our Grief Support Services for Communities

by Audrey Walls, M.Ed., M.F.A. Here at Full Circle, we’re no strangers to the fact that grief and bereavement are multifaceted experiences. Sometimes, the loss of a loved one can feel intensely personal and isolating while other times, a loss can shake an entire group of people and leave them struggling to cope or understand…

The Extra Backpack: Grief During the Back to School Season

by Audrey Walls, M.Ed., M.F.A. The back to school season can present equal parts excitement and anxiety for many school-aged children and teenagers, as well as their parents. This is especially true for children, teens, and parents who are grieving. The return to a dependable schedule, routines, and activities may be a welcome change for…

The Uniqueness of Homicide Loss

by Allyson England Drake, M.Ed., FT One in ten Americans experience a death resulting from a homicide. This type of death brings about many different emotions, such as anguish, grief, isolation, and anger. Those grieving a homicide must endure the shock of a sudden loss and the pain of knowing that the violence was deliberately…

Time Heals All Wounds

by Sarah Mayfield, M.Ed., NCC, CT “Time heals all wounds.” Nope! Three thoughts: Enter Tonkin’s “Growing Around Grief.” I look at this visual 7 years after my son’s death and, you know, I can say it makes sense. My grief did not (and does not) grow smaller. My grief has not disappeared. My wounds are…

Halved: Grieving the Loss of a Spouse or Partner

by Audrey Walls, M.Ed., M.F.A. The death of a spouse or partner is often a devastating event that can challenge a griever’s concepts of identity and stability. Whether through a sudden event, or a prolonged illness, the loss of a person’s “better half” can leave the bereaved feeling halved themselves – incomplete, lessened, and disconnected.…

Helping A Grieving Teen

by Alana Harris, Graduate Clinical Intern Grief is a deeply personal and challenging experience that affects everyone differently. Though it is something all of us will face at some point in our lives, grieving as a teen is uniquely challenging. According to Erik Erikson’s biopsychosocial model of human development, the teen years are marked by…

Pride and Grief: Loss in the LGBTQ Community

by Audrey Walls, M.Ed., M.F.A. Grief takes on many shapes and colors, especially in regard to the LGBTQ+ community. With an unfortunate and long history of discrimination, disenfranchisement, and stigma attached to so many parts of their lives, members of the LGBTQ+ community can often find themselves at a loss when it comes to loss.…

Grief Books for Children

by Ashlyn Schooley, Undergraduate Intern Looking for a book to share with your child about loss? Full Circle Grief Center has a library filled with books for children about all different topics. It is located inside Full Circle and the books are able to be checked out by all participants. If you are looking for…

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