How to Help Others

People need support from others to help heal from the loss of a loved one. Whether you are a family member, friend or professional, you can help those you care about through this journey.

Professional Referral

If you are interested in referring a student who is currently enrolled in Austin ISD, please complete the School Grief Support Referral Form. For more information, please contact our Community Program Coordinator, Mary Wynn at 512-467-2600 x23.

For other children's services referrals, please call Jocelyn Chamra-Barrera, LCSW at (512) 467-2600 x31.

School Grief Support Network Referral Form

How to Help A Friend or Family Member

When someone we know is hurting, our first instinct is to want to do something to make that person feel “better”. One of the first ways to be helpful is to accept that there is nothing you can do to lessen their grief, and get comfortable with being uncomfortable in that reality. But you can make the grieving process less isolating and help healing begin. Here are some ways to help:

The Best Things to Say to Someone in Grief
Cliches To Avoid When Talking With the Bereaved
Grief in Individuals with ID

How to Support a Grieving Child or Teen

Children express grief differently than adults, and sometimes it may be hard to recognize the signs of their grief. Their grief may come in short spurts, and it’s important to remember they might not yet have the words to express their emotions. Also, each time they reach a new developmental stage, children and teens grief again. Here are some resources to understand how to support grieving children and teens.

Talking with a child about grief and loss
Talking with your children about tragedy
Talking with a child about specific types of loss
Talking with students about death for school staff
Children, adolescents, and teens—developmental stages
The holidays, grief, and your child
Recommending Reading for Supporting Children, Adolescents, and Teens

Tell a Friend about The Christi Center

To tell a friend about our services and supports, please complete the form below with a personalized introduction in the message.  Your friend will receive an email from us that says:
The Christi Center provides free, ongoing grief support to anyone who is adjusting to life after he death of a loved one, regardless of circumstances. We offer 33 peer-based grief support groups a month in Austin and Georgetown, with specialized groups for loss of a child, loss of a spouse, loss to suicide, and loss to crime. We also serve children (ages 5-12) and teens (13-19) and young adults (18+). http://www.christicenter.org
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