Become a
"Friend of the Center"
You can help us serve low- and no-income families with your tax-deductible contribution.
We keep our administrative and overhead costs to a minimum making your contribution really count in the lives of those trying to heal from traumatic loss and grief. (more)
Volunteers Needed
We are always looking for individuals or groups to help with maintenance and projects around our "charming little house on Grand."
The Center is also adding to its volunteer base through helpers with fundraising events, clerical support, marketing, and fundraising. Please contact us with ways you can help.
A Unique Community Resource
The Center for Grief continues to provide a unique and critical service to the greater St. Paul and Minneapolis area, as well as out lying regions.
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Since January 1, 1996, the Center has responded to the harsh reality of traumatic loss from homicide, suicide, accidental and multiple losses and the demand for specialized services in these areas.
This intensive work requires a special knowledge, experience and a high level of compassion and understanding. It is this highly recognized and respected work which has enabled the Center to continue to grow in response to increased community need for specialization in the areas of trauma, grief and life transition.
The Center for Grief offers three areas of programming to individuals, families, groups, organizations and the community. The first unique program is our Grief Therapy Groups, designed to meet the specific needs of grieving families by offering groups for children, teens, and adults. These groups allow for an individual to be in the presence of others who have experienced a similar loss, avoiding the experience of a more general grief group. The feedback we have received has focused on the unique experience made available through the Center in bringing individuals and families with similar stories together in one place. Each group is facilitated by professional grief therapists
The second unique program is Therapy, provided by licensed professionals including psychologists, marriage and family therapists, social workers and student interns from local universities. We offer individual, family and group therapy, including play therapy, and specialized groups for survivors of homicide, suicide, divorce and mother-loss, to name a few. Our therapists have competencies in working with various issues including, traumatic stress, grief, depression, anxiety, chemical dependency, isolation, divorce, abuse, life threatening illness, physical disabilities, critical incidents and ambiguous loss. These specializations allow for positive change and support amidst experiences of despair.
Thirdly is our Education program, as the Center for Grief is a vital resource for the community. We provide specific training and presentations on many topics concerning death, grief and life transitions, which affect us all. Our expertise is also shared through consultation for other professionals, schools, hospitals, hospices and various other institutions. We are also called to provide critical incident stress debriefings for community businesses and various sites following a traumatic event. We have been called by local media to help educate communities on trauma and grief reactions following various public catastrophes.
Another differentiating feature of the Center for Grief is that we are able to augment clients needs by utilizing these three programs. It is not uncommon that an individual will call seeking some service, although they do not know what would be most helpful for them at the time. Many clients enter the Center through one program and may eventually require the support of another program. Many of our volunteer group facilitators began their relationship with the Center through therapy or counseling group services. Some were introduced to the Center by attending a workshop or other educational opportunity. They have returned to the Center as volunteers in order to promote this important work and to give back a piece of what they have experienced.
On average, the Center for Grief receives over 100 phone calls per week. We are prideful in personally responding to 85% of these callers, thereby reducing further trauma by endless voicemail messages. Clients also have the added support of being placed into services within two or three days. Many of these individuals and organizations representing individuals cannot afford full fees for these services. Whereas, we used to be able to offer all of our programs on a fee for service basis. Because meeting the needs of the community is at the very heart of the mission of the Center, we want to be able to continue to provide these critical and unique services to every individual and family in need. We have become a holding place for terrible stories and a safe home in which to share these stories. The Center continues to bring these special, tragic stories together and enable the new, healing stories to begin.
One family in particular contacted the Center following the brutal murder of a young mother of four at the hands of a boyfriend. The grandmother of these four young children was overwhelmed by the trauma of this terrible death and assumed the parenting role for the children. This vulnerable family was not able to pay for services and did not qualify for state assistance because of the minimal resources they receive from the county. This family exemplifies the need for all services through our organization, including individual, family and child therapy, counseling groups and training for other professionals they encounter.
Their story requires long term support from a loyal agency, willing to offer support during this difficult time. They are "forever grateful & would have fallen apart without the Center for Grief!"
The Center is staffed by experienced pros with specialized education and training in the most current methods.
(meet the team)
Tom Ellis, MA
Licensed Marriage and
Family Therapist,
Executive Director, and Clinical Supervisor
Tom is a marriage and family therapist at the Center with a special focus on trauma. He is also a clinical supervisor, consultant, writer, trainer and critical incident de-briefer. (more)
Sarah Logan, MA
Program Director
Grief Therapist
Sarah provides therapy to individuals, families, groups and children. She has worked in school settings and with young mothers, teenagers and children. (more)
Katie Heckman, MS
Licensed Marriage
and Family Therapist
Katie worked with individuals in a college setting for ten years before becoming licensed in Marriage and Family Therapy. She also taught developmental education, career development and study skills courses to young adults at the college level. (more)