For many people, grief is something they quietly carry for years. Sometimes decades. And during Mental Health Awareness Month, leaders at Lost & Found Grief Center say it’s important to remind people they do not have to go through it alone.
Executive Director Mark Miller said grief touches everyone eventually, whether it comes from losing a spouse, parent, child, sibling, or close friend. He said people are finally starting to recognize unresolved grief as something that can deeply affect mental health if ignored.
The organization started back in 2000 with just one children’s group and one caregiver group meeting in a law office. Today, the center offers somewhere between 20 and 30 support groups throughout the year.
Those groups cover nearly every age and situation imaginable. Young children. Teenagers. Parents. Spouse loss groups. Adults struggling after losing someone unexpectedly.
Miller said many of the programs are designed so entire families can attend together on the same evening, making things a little easier during already difficult times.
The center also offers individual counseling along with volunteer opportunities for people wanting to help others through grief.
For Miller, the work is personal. He and his wife lost their 20-year-old son, Luke, in 2019 after a seizure during his sleep. He said grief support played a major role in helping their family navigate life afterward.
One message kept coming up during the conversation.
“No one should grieve alone.”
More information about support groups, volunteering, or counseling services can be found through the Lost & Found Grief Center website and social media pages.
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