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1 (855) 894-5658
June 2020
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EricsHouse Newsletter- June
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Greetings!
Welcome to June! We choose this photo for June because rainbows tend to symbolize a promise of good things to come. We all need a little bit of goodness back into our lives, especially during these trying times. Therefore we have great news to share! EricsHouse opened back its doors on June 01, 2020, and we are NOW seeing clients in-person, AND we will continue to support clients virtually. We understand grief doesn't pause, but neither does the staff at EricsHouse. We thank you for your continued support.
"Love is the bridge between you and everything."
(Rumi)
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A Message From Our Founder: Marianne Gouveia
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Settling into Self
During a recent journaling workshop with Dr. Sandi Howlett, I wrote about my desires as I journey into the fourth year of knowing Eric in Heaven. I have always resisted journaling – probably because my critical self requires perfect handwriting, a perfect pen, and the perfect paper. I may avoid my innermost thoughts rather than discover them because discovering them means I must reflect on them, and to reflect upon them is uncomfortable.
In my all-too-consuming former life in Corporate America, reflecting on the important “life” and “self” matters never seemed important. Self-reflection came in the form of “Will I be able to meet my deadline?” or “Will I get a good performance review or promotion”? When I owned my own company, thoughts of self-doubt and failure were common, but never understood. I often wonder what life could have been like for me if I actually spent time learning who I was – actually was – instead of focusing on who I could become in life.
When Eric died, I had no idea what to do. I had no manual to follow. I had no one to give me the wise advice that only a loss survivor can give. So, I openly and willingly leaned into the long process of understanding the chaos, confusion, and sorrow that surrounded me and touched every molecule of my being. I knew that I could not put my pain aside, so as a way of honoring Eric, I jumped in – and painful it was. Little did I know that the transformation to my “new self” was beginning.
I often tell other moms that our lives are broken into millions of tiny shards of glass; that the vessel that carries our spirit is broken and that we have to find a way to put that vessel back together again. Perhaps we can assemble it into a beautiful mosaic of love and learning – perhaps a vessel to carry our broken spirits back to life again as we find out who we are to become after a tragic loss.
In my journaling exercise, there was a common theme – time. I write that my life is now like an open book and that the process of self-discovery is an amazing and beautiful process. This period of self-discovery is amazing, there are so many new things to learn. I wrote that I want to learn more about life, love, happiness, and about God. I want to learn more about the people we help in EricsHouse. I want to understand their pain and sorrow and I want to know more about them and their losses. I want to learn how to let go of things and make substitutions that enable more of what I want to learn. More than anything I want to learn more about me – the new me – the mom who has a beautiful family with a loving husband, three beautiful sons and two beautiful step-daughters, a mom with a son in Heaven, a mom who is learning who she is, a mom who is “settling into self” in an amazing way. A woman who is learning her true self and a woman who is helping others find their way to light through the darkness. A woman who is learning to love her life . . . even after the most horrific of losses.
With that being said, my feelings can be summarized in a simple but powerful word – gratitude. I have much to be grateful for and so much more to discover as I “settle into self”. What an amazing journey!
With love,
Marianne
Executive Director
Founder, EricsHouse Inc.
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Dr. .Sandi Howlett is the
Chief Grief Specialist for Hanson Mortuaries in Arizona
. She is also a master teacher of journaling and regularly teaches classes virtually and on-line for EricsHouse. Please check our schedule for new classes.
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In Memory of Adam Combs
2nd Angel Anniversary
Fundraiser on Facebook
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Want to join me in supporting a good cause?
EricsHouse.org
is raising money in Honor of Adam Combs 2nd Angel Anniversary. Adam died on June 04, 2018, from a fentanyl overdose. His mother
Sara Miller Combs
, has donated this room inside EricsHouse, to use for helping other loss survivors of overdose, suicide, and unexpected losses. Please help us help others by donating to our cause in honor of Adam Combs 2nd Angel Anniversary which will be June 04, 2020. Every little bit helps. Thank you for your support and contribution. To learn more about EricsHouse, please see below.
EricsHouse Inc. is a non-profit organization dedicated to serving the emotional, physical, and spiritual needs of those impacted by suicide, substance, or sudden losses. We bring a variety of traditional and holistic approaches to help our survivors throughout their grief journey. Our team of counselors, coaches, intuitive healers, spiritual directors, art and music therapists, and health experts help people navigate their grief so that they may move beyond their loss. Our mission is to help as many loss survivors as we can integrate their loss in a way that helps them find joy and happiness once again.
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“Tell Me How to Grieve”
Thoughts on Leaning on Ceremony After a Death During the Pandemic
by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D.
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This pandemic is replete with tragedy, but one Colorado story not far from my home has been weighing on my heart.
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Highlighting Prevention for Suicide
If you or someone you know is struggling and having suicidal thoughts, please contact the
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at
1-800-273-8255.
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Greg Eckerman
Greg facilitates the EricsHouse Men’s Group. We meet biweekly on Thursday evenings to listen to one another, support each other, and evolve our personal journeys of healing.
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Sometimes a Guy Needs a Push
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It’s true – most men grieve differently than most women. One of the biggest differences is that most men won’t seek out support for their grief. I have observed a disproportionate number of women in grief retreats and workshops, not uncommonly 4-5 times as many women as men . . . or more. Yet, on average, there must be as many men as women impacted by traumatic loss . . . and surely they love their lost loved one as much (again, on the average) as the women in their lives do.
Why do over 80% of the men burdened with this intense grief avoid seeking out support?
Maybe the more useful question is: why do the ones who do seek it out?
I consider myself fortunate to be in the 20% who have sought and found support. But if I am honest, I know I don’t deserve the credit. Again, based on my observations, less than 1 in 10 of that less than 20% sought out that support on their own initiative. If 20 out of 100 grieving men seek out support, only 2 of them have the personal motivation, strength, perspective to recognize their need for support and act on it. Unfortunately, I cannot say that I am in that much smaller population.
I had help – a loving, persistent, observant woman who knew I really wasn’t OK and I wasn’t doing much to get there. She saw beyond her own grief and pulled me into situations where I could see and experience the support that enables belief in life after loss and guides those first steps to integrate my grief into some new version of me.
Sometimes a guy needs a push.
What would happen if the 98+% of us who lack the predisposition to seek help on our own initiative got that push to allow us to experience acceptance, understanding, and loving support from others who know the depth of our grief? How would it change our relationships with the remaining loved ones in our lives, our perceptions of ourselves? What could we collectively achieve in our personal grief journeys? I’d love to find out.
Speaking for the men who only got into a support system through the persistence and love of a strong woman, thank you and bless you.
If you have a grieving man in your life who is struggling with his journey, a little push in the right direction might be all he needs.
Greg Eckerman
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Virtual Grief Support Groups for both Men & Women
You don't have to grieve alone.
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The EricsHouse Men’s Group is a group of men who meet biweekly virtually, on Thursday evenings from 7:00 pm- 8:30 pm.
We share our grief journeys, day-to-day struggles, and our stories. Mostly we talk, listen, and support each other.
If you’d like more information please call Greg Eckerman at 480-734-3423, or by email at greg@ericshouse.org.
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The EricsHouse Women's Group, will meet biweekly virtually, on Thursday evenings from 7:00 pm-8:30 pm.
If you are experiencing the sudden loss of someone you love especially to addiction or suicide, this group is designed to support your very unique needs. Throughout the session, you will talk with peers who are loss survivors who understand how difficult it is to navigate family and friends after experiencing a sudden, traumatic loss.
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Recurring Events Every
Monday and Thursday
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Rita Morton lost her 30 year-old son Chad Koenig to an accidental fentanyl overdose in June 2020. One week later her surviving son Nick moved across the country, radically transforming regular "Sunday dinners" from three participants to one. Rita attributes her journey from deep loss to even deeper faith to the gifts of surrender, courage and grace. Recently retired from a 22-year career as the Director of Sales and Marketing for a manufacturing company, Rita is also the co-founder of a longstanding women’s ministry that develops programs, retreats and courses steeped in contemplative tradition. Rita is passionate about helping women heal through experiential activities, scriptural invitations, creative expression, and powerful encounters with the mystery and majesty of God.
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Sara Miller Combs is a Registered Nurse with 35 years of nursing experience. She has been a nursing director, manager and educator to staff and patients throughout her career. She lost her son Adam, to drug overdose at the age of 26 in 2018. Her hope and passion is to help other with their grieving and to prevent further tragedy. She currently has a position as Director of Nursing at Scottsdale Recovery Center. Her personal and professional experiences with addiction have led her to this position and her hope is to make a difference in our client’s and families lives
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*Special Event with Melinda Vail*
on Wednesday, June 03, 2020 at 5:30 PM (PT),
8:30 (EST), for
Duality on Earth
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EricsHouse Virtual Singalong Happy Hour on
June 05, 2020
&
June 19, 2020
5:30 PM (MST),
8:30 PM (EST)
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Dr. Denise Campagnolo received her Doctor of Medicine degree from The Ohio State University College of Medicine and completed her residency training in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at New Jersey Medical School ( Rutgers). Afterwards, she completed a post-graduate fellowship and obtained her Masters Degree in Neuroscience . She practiced for 17 years in the neuroscience area. She is a recognized national thought leader in the field of Multiple Sclerosis, with a subspecialty Board Certification in Spinal Cord Medicine. She has co-edited a text book entitled Spinal Cord Medicine (Second Ed). Over the past 8 years Dr Campagnolo has worked in the bio-pharmaceutical industry , where she has been involved in research and drug development for Multiple Sclerosis. Dr. Campagnolo has taken a strong interest in EricsHouse with an emphasis on uncovering new approaches to finding cures for mental illness as a result of the loss of her son to suicide.
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Laurie is an inaugural member of Helping Parents Heal and currently serves as their Board Secretary. She is trained in Reiki and mediumship, and has authored "The Ripple Effect Invisible Impact of Suicide." This meaningful book is a compilation of stories from a real family and community who were all affected by by her son Garret who ended his life on November 17, 2010 at the young age of 19. The Ripple Effect, Invisible Impact of Suicide shows how we were all affected, but now motivated to help others by sharing our heartfelt words to let others know they are not alone, are worthy, are loved and lovable.
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In-person Workshop at EricsHouse
June 17, 2020
5:30 PM (PT)
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Dr. Kathy is an expert on accessing energy from your body through Reiki, Visceral Manipulation, Neural Manipulation, Healing Hands, Nutrition and /or Health Coaching while incorporating the balance of Nursing Practice. She performs Reiki, Life Coaching, and Guided Meditation. Her doctoral work centered on breathing techniques with different forms of conscious breath to modulate and enhance the autonomic nervous system.
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Join Dr. Kathleen Benjamin Rickard on
Wednesday, June 17, 2020, for an in-person presentation at EricsHouse
on how the mind works, and how important it is to gracefully pause our thoughts for better access to healing. Kathleen Benjamin Rickard, DNP. will lead a
45-60 minute workshop
about how the brain helps us interpret our world and how breath works with our brain. You will learn healing techniques that can be used anytime for calm and mindfulness strategies to offer a pause in the racing of our thoughts so that we can heal.
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ERICSHOUSE WILL ADHERE TO CDC GUIDELINES FOR THE SAFETY OF ALL ATTENDEES AND STAFF. ONCE YOU REGISTER YOU WILL RECEIVE FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT ATTENDING THE WORKSHOP. SPACE IS LIMITED.
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In-person Private Reading with Melinda Vail
June 20, 2020
(EricsHouse Clients Only)
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Private Reading with Melinda Vail
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In these
individual
sessions, Melinda will share messages from your loved ones so that you have the opportunity to know and understand that he or she is alive and well on the other side of the veil. Melinda is an “evidential” medium, meaning that she will provide information about your loved one that she could not possibly have known.
We believe that working with a medium does not replace grieving and mourning your loss. Please realize that a reading does not take the place of the grieving process, however, at EricsHouse, we believe that working with a good medium can be helpful to your healing
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Mari is the Director of Administration for EricsHouse, she is a widow, a mother, trauma survivor, blogger, volunteer, and the founder of embracingwidowhood.com, which will launch in July 2020. In 2018, Mari left her corporate career, lost her father to cancer, lost her husband to an accident, all within four months. Before her horrific losses, Mari worked in the Property and Casualty Insurance Sector for 10+ yrs. She has an MBA with an Emphasis in Leadership, and now dedicates her time to support missions that help others with loss.
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Healing After Sudden Loss of Spouse
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Join us on Wednesday, June 24, 2020, at 5:30 PM (PT), for a candid interview with EricsHouse Director of Administration, Marisela Marquez, on Healing After Sudden Loss of Spouse. Mari will share her journey about suddenly losing her spouse, just four months after losing her father, her path to healing, and how she is moving forward with her grief as a widow and as a mother.
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In addition to providing grief support after a loss and holistic support as part of our Integrative Grief Care model, we offer several alternative therapies to support emotional, physical, and spiritual healing. We work with individuals who have lost someone they love unexpectedly with a specialization in suicide and substance losses.
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EricsHouse Inc.
1 (855) 894-5658
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