National Shattering Silence Coalition

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  • WHO WE ARE
    • ABOUT US
    • TEAM >
      • WHY WE VOLUNTEER
    • STATE DIRECTORS >
      • 29 STATE DIRECTORS
      • AL: Holly Strayer
      • AK: Krista Schooley
      • AZ: Crystal Fox
      • CA: Jacqueline Janssen
      • CT: Melissa Valdivia
      • DE: Heidi Nasstrom Evans
      • FL: Jack Wood
      • IN: David Doerner
      • KY: Angeline Davis
      • MA: Lynda Cutrell
      • ME: John Nutting
      • NJ: Chip Angell
      • MI: Carla Van Farowe
      • NC: Beth Wallace
      • OH: Darrell Herrmann
      • PA: Marcie Sohara
      • PA: Carter Hawley
      • RI: Ruth Scott
      • SC: Susan Lea
      • TX: Julie Plank
      • UT: Sherri Wittwer
      • VA: Mary Troy
      • WA: Leanna May Franklin
    • PARTNERS
    • SHARE YOUR LOVED ONE
    • FACES FIGHTING FOR
    • SOCIAL IMPACT
    • CONTACT US
  • MEDIA & INSIGHTS
    • PRO & PEER TALKS
    • NATIONAL POSITION PAPERS
    • FRONTLINE PERSPECTIVES
    • TREATMENT SAVES NEGLECT COSTS CAMPAIGN >
      • SEE THE EVIDENCE
      • SHARE YOUR EVIDENCE
    • BEYOND STIGMA CAMPAIGN
    • STILL HERE CAMPAIGN
    • THE SANDY PRUETT PROJECT
    • BLOG
    • IN THE NEWS
    • PODCASTS
  • EVENTS & OUTREACH
    • SYMPOSIUMS
    • CONFERENCES
  • RESOURCES & ADVOCACY
    • HELPING IN CRISIS GUIDE
    • UNDERSTANDING PSYCHOSIS GUIDE
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    • POLITICAL ADVOCACY GUIDE
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    • TREATMENT TERMS GUIDE
    • EXCLUSIVE MEMBERS-ONLY QUARTERLY GUIDE
    • SHARE YOUR STORY
  • SUPPORT GROUPS
    • THE ANCHOR
    • THE HIDDEN SENTENCE
    • SURVIVORS OF LOSS
    • SMI CAREGIVERS
    • SUCCESS CIRCLE
    • REPLANTING LIVES
  • JOIN
  • DONATE

transforming despair into empowerment: for those who have lost A loved one to SMI

an Opportunity to transform despair into empowerment

Our Bereaved Parent support group is for parents and caregivers who have lost a loved one to the circumstances of severe mental illness. ​This support group is intended to foster support, a sense of peace and hope, and transform despair into empowerment.

The group is facilitated by NSSC member Barbara Gates, whose son Jack heroically lived and suffered with Schizoaffective disorder for 7 years before losing his life on the streets in January 2023.

Missing Jack everyday, Barbara hopes to get and give support to those who have endured the triple tragedy of:
1) witnessing their cherished loved literally go insane,
2) not be able to get them the treatment they need because of archaic laws, and instead watch their disease be criminalized, spending YEARS living between jail and the streets and finally
​3) lose them forever and lose a part of our future.

Our Bereaved Parents Group meets the third Saturday of every month at 2:30 to 4:30 PM PST / 5:30 - 7:30 PM EST.

To register for Saturdays' group, please click HERE.


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Disclaimer: NSSC support groups are confidential and for educational/supportive purposes only. No medical or legal advice is provided. Information on this site is also not a substitute for professional healthcare. Please consult your healthcare provider for medical advice. NSSC is not liable for any information, service, or product obtained from this site. Please also note views expressed in media posts are those of the contributing authors and not necessarily NSSC or its affiliates.

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