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April 2022
ERICSHOUSE
April Newsletter
Dear EricsHouse Community,

Welcome to April 2o22! Spring is in full swing. EricsHouse likes to think of this season as bringing joy into life. Our founder, Marianne Gouveia, states: "We believe that both joy and sorrow can exist at the same time." There is truly something special about how this season evokes renewal and rebirth. May we revel in the hope, beauty, and peace our designated Earth Day month brings us.

-EricsHouse
Connect With Us:
Letter From Our Founder
Marianne Gouveia
The Work of EricsHouse

Every day, EricsHouse supports families across Arizona who need help after losing a loved one to substance or suicide. The work that we do at EricsHouse is important work. We help people navigate their grief with love and compassion so that they can live again after a devastating loss.

We are seeing such dramatic increases in suicide in certain demographics and the epidemic of fentanyl overdoses is leaving families broken and in need of healing. 
Here are the numbers:

Suicide affects all ages. In 2020, suicide was among the top nine leading causes of death for people ages 10-64. Suicide was the second leading cause of death for people ages 10-14 and 25-34. On average, there are 130 suicides per day in the US – that is one suicide every 11 minutes. There is one suicide death for every estimated twenty-five suicide attempts, and there are 1.2 million annual attempts - one attempt every 27.5 seconds.

Even more startling are the drug overdose statistics. In 2020, there were 93,331 drug overdoses, an increase of almost 30%. Opioids account for 60% of drug overdoses, fentanyl and methamphetamine leading as the drugs of choice. Worse, fentanyl is also becoming a suicide drug of choice and is now being used to commit homicide.

When a person is bereaved by a “death of despair”, their lives are unimaginably changed forever. Loss can affect a person emotionally, physically, spiritually,
cognitively, and socially. At EricsHouse, we provide an integrative grief care model. We provide one-on-one grief support, group support, health coaching, spiritual direction, and a variety of holistic support therapies. We run 10-12 groups every year and in 2021, we have 1142 client support sessions. Our virtual model allows us to support clients across the US, Canada, and the UK.  

And we are going to keep going. You see, our future must include better resources and support so that our families can live without the shame, the stigma, the worry, the pain, the angst that they experience when faced with these losses.

When you encounter a survivor of these tragic losses, I ask for your support in spreading the word, sharing our message of hope, healing, and new beginnings. We make use of every minute of every day to help people find a way to live forward with their loss. We hold their hands and walk with them as companions until they are ready to let go – to find a new version of themselves that somehow emerges from the ashes with grace, power, and love.  

By making a donation at https:// www.azgives.org/EricsHouse, you can help us continue our work. Your tax-deductible donation will enter you in a contest to win a “Day on the Lake” at beautiful Bartlett Lake outside of Carefree, Arizona, or a $250.00 gift certificate. Please consider donating today.

Thank You for all of your support.
Marianne Gouveia
Co-Founder, Chairman
AZ Gives Day is April 5-6th!
Each donation to EricsHouse through www.azgives.org/ericshouse between 3/15 & 4/6/22 receives one entry into this giveaway. There is one grand prize of either an: One 1-day pontoon boat rental at Bartlett Lake in Phoenix, AZ, OR One-$250 Visa gift card. Bartlett Lake winner must be 21 years of age or over. Full-day rental is included, hours of operation are 9am-5pm. No pets allowed, fuel is NOT included, and prize is a 20ft non-towable pontoon boat that seats up to 8 persons. Driver's License is not required. Inexperienced boaters must take the 18-minute boat safety class on the website.  https://www.bartlettlake.com/boat-rentals
Introducing Lamarr Rogers,
Our Newest Board Member!
We would like to introduce Lamarr Rogers, our newest EricsHouse Board Member, to our EricsHouse community.

Lamarr lives in Phoenix, Arizona with his four children. He played Major League Baseball over six seasons, starting with the Colorado Rockies and ultimately finishing with the Arizona Diamondbacks. He continued to work in baseball over the following 18 years as a coach, manager, TV announcer, and co-creator of a non-profit supporting high school players. In that same interval, he was the creator/founder of a Baseball and Softball Academy and an Investment Firm in the Twin Cities area. Lamarr is currently a Wealth Management Advisor, focused on Professional Sports. On March 1, 2022, the Gary SouthShore RailCats named Lamarr as manager (congratulations, Lamarr!).

Lamarr brings his high energy enthusiasm and personal commitment to our mission to his role on our Board. We are very excited to have him join us.
Upcoming Virtual Support Groups
Support Group for Men
Finding Our Way (Through Our Own Wilderness of Grief) – a closed group for up to 12 guys that will meet for 9 consecutive weeks in a virtual format. This group is be open to all losses (all relationships) to all self-harm causes (suicide, alcohol, and overdose). The group begins on Tuesday, May 17 and ends on July 12. We will meet every Tuesday from 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM MST.

This group is designed for men on their personal grief journeys, struggling to accept the reality of their loss and learning to embrace their pain while remembering their lost loved one and moving toward the hope of new found meaning and purpose. The group will be facilitated by Greg Eckerman, cofounder of EricsHouse, a suicide loss survivor, and EricsHouse Grief Companion.

If you, or a man you know, are struggling with how to survive a loss to substance abuse, suicide, or sudden traumatic death please consider one of these Men’s Groups. Contact Greg Eckerman at greg@ericshouse.org or call 480-734-3423 for more information and to discuss whether these groups might be right for you.
Support Group for Newly Bereaved Parents Who Lost a Child to
Suicide or Substance Abuse
We would like to express our deepest condolences to you and your loved ones after the loss of your child. When you’re newly bereaved, suddenly you find yourself on an emotional roller-coaster where you have no idea what to expect next. This group designed for both men and women focuses on the Six Needs of Mourning developed by Dr. Alan Wolfelt.

You will learn what to expect throughout this journey as well as learn some coping skills that will help support you, especially in the early weeks and months of your loss. This group is facilitated by Greg Eckerman and Marianne Gouveia, a married couple who has lost a child to suicide. They will share their experiences and insights and experiences and you will also hear from other parents who are facing the same devastating loss.

This support group meets virtually every week on Thursdays from 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM MST. Sessions begin on June 16 and end on July 28. We will follow The Journey Through Grief: Reflections on Healing by Dr. Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph. D. 

To see if this is the right group for you please contact Marianne at marianne@ericshouse.org or call 602-549-8932. 

You may also contact Madison at madison@ericshouse.org or call
1-855-894-5658.
Support Group for Mothers Who Lost a Child to Suicide
The loss of a child is an unspeakable trauma. When that death is caused by suicide, the pains becomes more complex. If you have lost a child to suicide, you are most likely experiencing the complicated grief that surrounds this loss. We experience feelings of shame, guilt, anger, blame, shock, and isolation that are difficult to understand.

We kindly invite you to join our group. It is a small group that includes mothers who lost a child to suicide. All of the participants are working through a complicated set of emotions. Our groups provide a safe, intimate place to talk about your feelings and honor your loved one who passed.

Meetings will be virtual. We will follow The Wilderness of Suicide Grief – Finding Your Way by Dr. Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph. D. This support group meets biweekly on Tuesday at 5:00 PM MST until 6:30 PM MST (8:00 PM EDT, 7:00 PM CDT, 5:00 PM PDT). Sessions begin on July 19 and end on November 18.

PRE-REGISTRATION is required! To see if this is the right group for you please contact Madison via email at madison@ericshouse.org or Patty Graham at pattygraham@ericshouse.org
Support Group for Mothers Who Lost a Child to Substance Abuse
If you have lost a child to alcohol or drugs, you are most likely experiencing the complicated grief that surrounds losing someone to substance abuse. Feelings of shame, stigma, guilt, anger, blame, shock, and isolation are all common feelings, yet they are so difficult to understand.  

We invite you to join our group. You will be part of a small group that includes other Mothers who have lost a child to substance loss. We may work through a complicated set of emotions in a supportive and comfortable environment. Our groups provide a safe, intimate place to talk about your feelings of loss and to remember the one who passed.

 We will follow The Wilderness of Grief – Finding Your Way by Dr. Alan D. Wolfelt, PH. D. This support group meets biweekly on Wednesday at 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM MST. Sessions begin on July 13 and end on November 2.

To see if this is the right group for you please contact Charlotte via email at charlotte@ericshouse.org.
Introducing a new way to GIVE BACK to EricsHouse presented by CAR Easy.
Donate your car, truck, motorcycle, RV, or boat to EricsHouse by simply clicking the button and completing the form below. Car Easy will reach out to you to arrange the pick-up of your vehicle donation, at no cost to you. You may qualify for a tax deduction while supporting a cause that is near and dear to your heart!
EMMAUS In-person Retreat
for Grieving Parents
Serving the Spiritual Needs of Grieving Parents
May 27- May 29, 2022 
at The CASA Franciscan Renewal Center located at
5802 East Lincoln Drive, Scottsdale, AZ 85253 • (480) 948-7460

A Spiritual Retreat for Parents Who Have Experienced
the Death of a Child of Any Age,
By Any Cause, No Matter How Long Ago
 Losing a child under any circumstances is horrific.
Focusing on the spirituality of the grieving process can help tremendously.
Just as He comforted His grieving disciples on the road to Emmaus,
Jesus comforts us and we comfort each other in this very special ministry.
Join other Emmaus Parent Companions and
our Spiritual Leader in a warm and loving place—
to think, to talk, to feel, and to pray.
Find compassion, rest, and peace… at least for a time.

Friday, May 27, 2022 at 4:00pm - Sunday, May 29, 2022 at 1:00pm
Pre-registration required. Retreat schedule includes prayer services, group presentations, spiritual reflections, breakout sessions, Emmaus Walk, & Mass.

All Are Welcome!
$135.00 Commuter
$225.00 Private Room w/Bath
$135.00 Shared Room w/Bath

For more information or to register, 
call Marianne Gouveia, Eric’s Mother at (602) 549-8932.
EricsHouse is looking for volunteers!
EricsHouse is in need of volunteers to help us fulfill our mission. We are seeking compassionate and talented individuals who are willing to volunteer their time to help carry out our vision that no person who is bereaved by suicide or substance abuse will suffer these devastating losses alone.

We are seeking to expand in the following positions:

  • Certified EFT Tapping Specialist: Emotional freedom technique (EFT) is an alternative treatment for physical pain and emotional distress. EricsHouse would like to work with a trained tapping specialist who is available to work with clients for 2-3 hours per week.

  • Graphic Artist: We would like to add a design and social media expert to our network of volunteers. Duties would include creating and posting 3-4 graphics a week to our social media platforms. Also willing to share ideas on how to optimize social media presence and interactions. 

  • Support Group Facilitators: Our support groups are an essential way of allowing us to come as one to provide hope and healing to loss survivors. EricsHouse has several support groups throughout the year. We are interetsed in connecting with loss survivors who have lost a child, spouse/significant other, or a sibling to alcohol, drugs, or suicide that are willing to be trained to run support groups. More details about the process and extent of training may be given upon inquired requests.

  • Avid Reader: Specifically looking for someone who reads books about Grief, Suicide, & Substance Abuse Loss to help us create a monthly recommended reading list.

For more information contact madison@ericshouse.org or patty@ericshouse.org. 
Join us for the Full Moon Labyrinth Walk. The moon is packed full of energy that is not to be missed. At EricsHouse, we are taking full advantage of this time and invite you to join us in a Labyrinth Walk with Gong. You will be guided to release your burdens and let go of anything that is holding you back as you begin your walk.

There is no charge for this event but you must register to attend.
Finding peace and closure after any loss is what we all seek. Melinda Vail has assembled experts with unique insights into facing these challenges.

This one-day symposium will provide different perspectives about how to deal with grief, loss, emptiness, and sorrow.

Hear insights from 8 noted speakers helping others deal with grief, including:
Pat McMahon, Rita Davenport, Pamela Hughes, Marianne Gouveia, Dr. Denise Campagnolo, Theo Schiro, US Marshal Tom Shorts and Father Dale Fushek. Marianne Gouveia will be speaking at 9:45 AM.
EricsHouse Presents: The Tree of Life!
A Way to Honor Your Loved One.
The Tree of Life is a custom art installation, created by local artists to help us remember our loved ones. This unique exhibit is displayed in the center of the EricsHouse facility on a 7′ x 11′ birch panel.

Our Tree of Life will hold the names of people lost to suicide and substance abuse in the leaves on the tree. When you donate $100 in the name of your lost loved one, a personalized leaf will be placed on the tree as a lasting memorial. Only donations through the Tree of Life campaign will receive a leaf. Leaves may also be purchased for friends and family as a gift in their loved one’s honor.
Leaves available NOW!