About the Christi Center

We offer hope after the death of a loved one by providing support networks, community education and therapeutic activities that are free, peer-based, and ongoing.

Our Mission

We offer hope after the death of a loved one by providing support networks, community education and therapeutic activities that are free, peer-based, and ongoing.

Our Core Values

To provide grief support at no charge to grieving families for as long as they need it

To educate and increase community awareness on issues facing the bereaved

To build community partnerships to better support grieving people

To preserve a diverse and sustainable base of volunteer and financial support to ensure that the Center’s services will always be available for those in need

Who We Serve

Any child, teen, or adult who is grieving the death of a loved one. We partner with schools, criminal justice agencies, civic and service organizations, businesses, churches and other community groups. We cross-refer with over 150 community agencies to ensure that we can meet the broad range of needs grieving families may have. Our services are open and available to Austin and all of Central Texas, with group locations across the Austin area and in Williamson County.

Our Story

The Christi Center is named after Christi Lanahan, a UT Junior and Westlake High alumna who was tragically killed by a drunk driver in 1985. For her mom and stepdad, Susan and Don Cox, life was permanently altered in an instant. In a state of shock and consumed with grief, they found few community resources to support grieving families. Drowning in grief and facing great personal and marital challenges, the Coxes and Christi’s brother, Sean Lanahan decided to reach out to others instead of retreating. On the two-year anniversary of Christi’s death, they founded the nonprofit “For the Love of Christi”, with a mission to provide free, ongoing grief support to Central Texans who have experienced a loss of a loved one.

At the heart of the organization is the Center’s peer-based grief support group model, which “normalizes” the grief experience by connecting the bereaved with others who have experienced losses of a similar nature, showing them that hope is possible after loss. The Center serves children, teens, and adults. Now called the Christi Center, the organization provides support groups throughout the life cycle to build well-being and help our community members reach their full potential. Other services include:

Community education so that we are all better equipped to help the grieving people in our lives
Activities designed to build lasting memories and increase the toolkit for coping with life without a loved one
An innovative schools-based program that connects our community’s youngest grievers with trained volunteers for individual counseling

We have over 30 years of experience providing love, hope, comfort and support to people of all ages in a warm and welcoming environment. All of us need a sturdy foundation to weather life’s storms and layers of support in our lives to truly thrive.

Meet Our Founders

All you have to do is enter the front door of the Christi Center to experience first-hand the warm and caring compassion that defines the Christi Center.

Susan and Don Cox created the Christi Center out of horrific loss. Their selfless commitment to helping others grieve deeply touches everyone who reaches out to the Center seeking support and comfort from others who know grief.

In 1985, their bright and beautiful 20-year old daughter Christi Lanahan was a junior at the University of Texas in Austin when she was killed by a drunk driver. In a state of shock and consumed with grief, they found few community resources to support grieving families. Drowning in grief and facing great personal and marital challenges, the Coxes (along with Christi’s brother, Sean) decided to reach out to others instead of retreating.

Two years later, Susan and Don created For the Love of Christi, known now as the Christi Center. They guided the establishment of a one-of-a-kind grief center where love is at the heart of all we do with an unconditional acceptance of all who ask for help.

In the early years of the organization, Susan and Don organized grief support groups at various locations around Austin, eventually acquiring the property on Hancock Drive where the Christi Center currently stands. With the help of friends and supporters, they added an annex designed to accommodate more people and larger support group sessions, and later, a family building to provide dedicated space for children/teens and additional staff offices. Under Susan and Don’s leadership, these buildings were completed with full community support and the Christi Center owns these buildings debt-free. In 2010, the Christi Center expanded to Williamson County with a satellite location in Georgetown.

The Cox’s decision to offer grief services free of charge emerged from the example of St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta, who operated hospitals, schools and orphanages for the poorest of the poor.

Over the years, the community of staff, volunteers, and supporters Susan and Don brought together have served well over 100,000 people who seek help in a time of loss. Now retired from day-to-day operations, Susan and Don continue to volunteer as group facilitators, serve on the Board, and give generously of their time and resources. The Christi Center is their legacy to our community.

"Can you imagine someone applying for a job to work in the grief area? They put their heart and soul into being here. Their reward comes when, in the midst of grief, they hear the unexpected and welcome sound of laughter, reminding all that after the grief, comes healing and hope."

– Don Cox, Co-Founder

Our Staff

Jocelyn Chamra-Barrera, LCSW
Executive and Clinical Director

About Jocelyn

Jocelyn Chamra-Barrera is a bilingual Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). She holds a Master of Science in Social Work from the School of Social Work and a Bachelor of Arts from The University of Texas at Austin. She has been a practicing social worker in Austin since 2014.

Jocelyn has focused her work in the areas of mental health, child abuse and neglect, intimate partner violence, and significant trauma. She is trained in EMDR and is currently working on her play therapy licensure. She has previous experience working with children, adolescents, and families, having served as a social worker at a Family Resource Center and the Travis County Child Advocacy Center. Jocelyn has previously served as a children, family, and adult therapist at Austin Center for Grief and Loss. She has previously served Christi Center as the Bilingual Support Coordinator, Kids Who Care Coordinator, Program Manager and Program Director.

In her spare time, she enjoys making and drinking lots of coffee and spending time with husband, Bobby, son Noah, and pets Karma and Nacho (the cats) and Ezra (the Border Collie/Mix).

Erin Spalding, LCSW-S
Director of Clinical Education

About Erin

My name is Erin Spalding and I have known that I wanted to work in grief and loss since I knew there was such a thing. After having lost my Dad to a heart attack when I was nine and losing the mom I knew to a stroke when I was 17 (she never fully recovered); I knew that I wanted my education to support my future goal of helping others deal with devastating loss.

I received my Bachelors in Psychology and Masters in Social Work from the University of Texas at Austin. In my first graduate class at UT, I was shown a video of the Christi Center’s Kids Who Care program and I knew I had to find a way to do an internship for this wonderful organization. I completed my Masters internship at the Christi Center in 2007 and was hired on as Program Director in 2008. Though I work on everything from evaluation to strategic planning in my role, my passion is the work I do helping those in grief embrace their strengths and find hope. I do this through facilitation of the teen and young adult groups, community trainings on grief and loss and by supervising upcoming clinical professional interns who provide much of our services to the school system.

Of course, one of the things I always tell the members, volunteers and interns – self-care is an important piece of helping others too. To that end, I enjoy anything outside when it’s not too hot and a regular yoga practice. Being around animals of all kinds is probably what brings me the most joy. Though, my Looney Luna, the yorkie, and Toby, the fat cat, are my favorites.

Cathy Collins
Crime Victim Advocate

About Cathy

I was first introduced to the Christi Center in 1990 after the murder of my brother. I have had a lifetime relationship with this organization. Along with my 4 boys, my parents also became very involved with the center. We all took advantage of the various support groups that were offered. The organization literally saved our lives and Susan and Don become such wonderful friends.

I learned everything I could about the grief journey by mentoring under Susan and Don. I came in as a volunteer and eventually was fortunate to come aboard on the staff. That was over 12 years ago and I have such gratitude for walking through the door of the wonderful place. Now I am able to give back to others what I received.

Christi Neville, LPC
Peer Support Coordinator

About Christi

My interest in grief and loss began in 1997, when a tragic accident claimed the love of my life, and catapulted me into a humbling journey of healing. An intern counselor at the time, I was astounded to realized our culture’s lack of understanding of grief, and as I committed myself to my own personal growth, my thirst for knowledge led me into professional realms as well. After graduating with my Master’s in Counseling from The University of Denver in 1999, I began a holistic private practice in Colorado devoted exclusively to grief, and from that foundation, have led support groups for children, for surviving family members at Mothers Against Drunk Driving, and have run several hospice bereavement programs.

After relocating back to my native Texas, I was lucky enough to find the Christi Center, and am excited to contribute my blend of personal and professional experience as I support the resiliency of the human spirit in the face of loss. Outside of work, I enjoy music, meditation, and spending time outside with my super-duper son, who reminds me daily to stay present to the magic and wonder of life.

Heather Stan, LMSW
Children's Program Coordinator

About Heather

Howdy! My name is Heather Stan, an Austinite and recent graduate at The University of Texas at Austin. My passion for grief and loss started with my own experience, losing my daughter at 9 years old to brain cancer. I knew I wanted to step into a role where I could make a meaningful impact with this community. At The Christi Center, I look forward to meeting members where they are and walking alongside them in this grief journey and navigating the difficult path ahead.

I graduated in 2015 with my BA in Psychology and completed a Master's in Social Work in 2022. Throughout my career, I have worked with various underserved populations such as inmates at the Travis County Correctional Complex where I provided health, wellness and vocational psychoeducation. I have a background in grief and loss work with children, teens and adults as well as mental health and substance abuse.

I cherish and value my family every day. I have a loving husband and daughter who bring light back into my life. They are my favorite people including my 3 yappy poodles Dexter, Eddie and Georgie.