Full Circle Grief Center

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Richmond, VA
Full Circle Grief Center

Central Virginia's comprehensive grief and bereavement resource. The risk is high for that family to break apart.

Full Circle Grief Center was founded in 2008 in response to the great need in Central Virginia to help families who had experienced the death of someone they loved – most often a father or spouse. Those families and their at-risk children were too often grieving in isolation without support – and often did not have the funds to pursue private counseling or other forms of grief support. Our program

s have touched more than 9,000 lives. Our goals are to help grieving individuals:

• Increase communication with family members so families stay together in grief
• Learn coping skills to deal with traumatic events and grief
• Build support networks to reduce isolation
• Heal through creative expression

Full Circle is very unique in its approach to bereavement care:

- We combine professionally-designed grief support programs with creative expression in the form of art, music, play, dance and journaling to trigger discussions that may not have occurred otherwise.

- We are the only organization in Richmond to provide bereavement groups for extended families along with age-appropriate groups simultaneously. Families learn to grieve together rather than in isolation.

- We are also the only organization in Richmond to provide bereavement support to underserved students at their inner-city school. The need is so high that we are focusing our efforts on traumatic death. We rely 100% on the community to provide these services free of charge to all participants through our three main programs:

Counseling Groups for Families:
• Hands On Healing for children ages 3-18 and their families.
• Perinatal Loss Group for parents who are grieving the death of a baby.
• Suicide Loss Group for adults and school-aged children grieving a loss by suicide. Outreach Groups for Underserved At-Risk Youth at:
• Inner-city schools
• Community partner sites: ChildSavers, Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority, etc.
• Richmond City Police Department (Homicide Support Group)

Grief Education:
• Bereavement training for local professionals and community members
• Published the area’s first and only comprehensive grief resource manual

04/20/2026

April brings National Volunteer Week and Volunteer Month to Full Circle, where we continue to be honored and astonished by the many ways that our volunteers show up for us every day. No task is too large or too small for this dedicated crew of individuals, many of who first came to Full Circle as grievers themselves, either as group participants or individual counseling clients.

With this in mind, we asked our Operations Director, Allison Schooley, who knows our volunteers best for her insights and reflections as we head into National Volunteer Week.

Read more about our volunteers, their stories, and their impact at the blog post below.

Full Circle Blog | The Impact of Our Volunteers
https://fullcirclegc.org/2026/04/20/the-impact-of-our-volunteers/

04/17/2026

Our most recent staff blog post comes from Karen Coyner, LCSW, DCSW, Senior Adults Bereavement Services Manager, on the topic of memory disruptions while grieving in this thoughtful article, linked below or in our link in bio. 💙

"The emotional and cognitive changes we experience with the death of a loved one creates stress in our bodies that can show up in many ways. Many grievers report a “brain fog” or say “I just can’t seem to remember things like I used to." This can be a scary and unsettling change that certainly was not expected. But why does this happen?"

Staff Blog | Memory Disruptions in Grief
https://fullcirclegc.org/2026/04/01/memory-disruptions-in-grief/

04/16/2026

📣 Raffle drawing winner announcement! 📣 Did you win our 2 for 1 raffle yesterday? Only one way to find out...

Thank you to everyone who purchased a ticket yesterday to take advantage of our one time opportunity to win a chance at a FREE second ticket to Living Your Dash! 🎉

We are excited to announce our winner of the raffle, drawn by Allyson Drake, Executive Director in our video above. Our winner will also be contacted by e-mail with additional details on the event and how to secure your second ticket for a guest of your choice!

Congratulations, Rebecca Herron! 🌈

If your name wasn't drawn, it's not too late to secure your spot at our largest gathering on April 23. 🌸

There's only one week left to join us for our most popular event of the year! Ticket sales are going fast with a limited amount of tickets remaining. This event has sold out in recent years, and we anticipate it will happen again! 🎟️

Learn more about Living Your Dash at https://fullcirclegc.org/living-your-dash/ or our link in bio. 🔗

04/15/2026

📣 TODAY ONLY: Purchase a ticket and be entered for a chance to BOGO a second ticket! 📣

To celebrate our last week before Living Your Dash, we're offering a one time opportunity for anyone who makes a ticket purchase TODAY, April 15th, to be automatically entered for a drawing to win a FREE second ticket to the event!

The raffle winner and their lucky +1 will also each receive a complimentary copy of our inspirational speaker Maria Renee Lee's new book, Waiting for Dawn! Our drawing winner will be announced on social media and notified by e-mail tomorrow, so stay tuned to find out if you've won! 🎉

🌸 Purchase Tickets and Enter Our Raffle Here! 🌸
https://fullcirclegc.org/living-your-dash/

There's only one week left to join us for our most popular event of the year! Ticket sales are going fast with a limited amount of tickets remaining. This event has sold out in recent years, and we anticipate it will happen again! 🎟️

Join us for an afternoon with our inspirational speaker, award-winning author Marisa Renee Lee, celebrating our Living Your Dash Award Winners Adri Herron, Lt. Kenny Mitchell, Samuel Veney, and Kathy Wrenn. We will also hear from past Full Circle clients, our leadership team, and have the opportunity to enter the drawing for several fantastic door prizes.

Learn more about Living Your Dash at https://fullcirclegc.org/living-your-dash/ or our link in bio. 🔗

04/13/2026

As we gear up for our Living Your Dash luncheon on April 23rd, we are celebrating our 2026 Award Winners, wrapping up with Kathy Wrenn of Illume Family Recovery! Congratulations! 🎉

Kathy Wrenn is Executive Director of Illume Family Recovery, a local nonprofit organization that provides resources and coaching for families that have a loved one struggling with a substance use disorder and Executive Producer & Co-Director of Together: Family Recovery. In addition, she is a Certified BALM Family Recovery Coach, "walking alongside" family members to help them navigate the recovery journey by providing education, tools and support.

In addition, she writes content, curriculum, and teaches lessons in the BALM community. In her local community, she organizes and facilitates family recovery workshops and support groups.Kathy continues to utilize her past experiences and skills as a teacher, wellness coordinator and school drug prevention coordinator as she expands her roles in the family recovery field.

You can learn more about the event and our other award winners by visiting our website at fullcirclegc.org/living-your-dash or click our link in bio! 🌸

04/09/2026

Join us for our next Connect Su***de Postvention Training session on May 4th! 🌼

A death by su***de can have a devastating impact on a community or organization. The shock and grief can ripple throughout the community, affecting friends, coworkers, schools, and faith communities. Connect Postvention training helps service providers respond in a coordinated and comprehensive way in the aftermath of a death by su***de or any sudden death. Additionally, since knowing someone who has died by su***de is one of the highest risk factors for su***de, postvention becomes an integral part of su***de prevention efforts.

In partnership with the Virginia Department of Health, Full Circle Grief Center is proud to offer this Nationally Designated Best Practice Program, Connect Postvention, that assists communities on how to coordinate a comprehensive and safe response after a loss by su***de.

Interested in knowing more? Check out our website for more information on registration, or how to be placed on a waitlist for future trainings, linked below or at our link in bio. 🔗

Full Circle Training and Resources | Connect Su***de Postvention Training
https://fullcirclegc.org/connect-su***de-postvention-training/

04/07/2026

As we gear up for our Living Your Dash luncheon on April 23rd, we are celebrating our 2026 Award Winners, continuing with Samuel Veney of Philly Vegan! Congratulations! 🎉

Samuel Veney is part-owner of the restaurant Philly Vegan in Richmond. He was born in Philadelphia, but moved to the Southside of Richmond at 15 years old and is father to five children. Before taking on ownership of Philly Vegan, Samuel and his other co-owners worked largely in the nonprofit sector, spending three years hosting gatherings in front of the Community Supermarket in Mechanicsville, providing meals to over 10,000 community members.

Philly Vegan, so named for Samuel’s hometown, originally began as a mobile delivery service, but in just three months joined a shared prep space off of Robious Road. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Philly Vegan team wanted to help others in their community and so began offering the “Pay What You Can” menu in 2021. They moved to their own location in the Southside of Richmond later that summer, hosting their first “Pay What You Can” event a week after opening.

In over five years, Philly Vegan has gained a reputation for care and community service, feeding over 7,000 people at their free or reduced meal rates, and also acquiring a food trailer to take mobile “Pay What You Can” events on the go. They are also the organizer behind Unity Pay What You Can weeks, helping other restaurants establish their own “Pay What You Can” menus. Philly Vegan has received accolades from the local press, having appeared on various news outlets thirty-six times since 2024.

You can learn more about the event and our other award winners by visiting our website at fullcirclegc.org/living-your-dash or click our link in bio! 🌸

04/05/2026

The upcoming holidays can provide an unwelcome reminder of the loss of a loved one: an empty chair, another season without them. 💙

Follow along the link below or our link in bio for a timely article from our friends at What's Your Grief Their blog post includes a "remembering basket" activity, as well as general tips and suggestions on how to get through a difficult holiday. 🌸

Grief and Easter | What's Your Grief

https://whatsyourgrief.com/grief-and-easter/

04/03/2026

🌸 Spring Support Groups 🌸 Our Spring groups for 2026 are beginning in April and May. Please register at our website if you or someone you know may benefit from joining us. These groups are offered for FREE at no cost to participants. Pre-registration is required.

💙 Young Adult Loss Group | Ongoing, meets virtually April 7

💙 Perinatal Loss Group | Tuesdays, begins April 14

💙 Widow, Widower, and Partner Loss Group | Tuesday, begins April 7

💙 Su***de Loss Group | Wednesdays, begins May 6

💙 Overdose and Substance Use-Related Loss Group | Thursdays, begins May 14

For more information on these groups, visit our website below or our link in bio. 🔗

Full Circle Grief Center | Support Groups
https://fullcirclegc.org/support-groups

04/01/2026

Congratulations to our team members at Full Circle who are celebrating their staff anniversary this month! 🎉

Kerri Björkholm
Care Coordinator
2 years

From our group leaders, individual therapists, administrative and clinical teams, we couldn't do it without you! 💙

03/30/2026

As we gear up for our Living Your Dash luncheon on April 23rd, we are celebrating our 2026 Award Winners, continuing with Adri Herron of Sanctuary Rescue! Congratulations! 🎉

Adri Herron is the founder and CEO of Sanctuary Rescue in Midlothian, Virginia. Her career in rescue began quite by accident when she snuck home a very pregnant pit bull from a local shelter. Soon after, Sanctuary Rescue was born. Now over 15 years later, it boasts one of the largest dog foster programs in Central Virginia, thousands of animals saved, hundreds of dedicated volunteers, and three brick-and-mortar locations, including a low-cost/no-cost community pet wellness clinic, a community pet food pantry, and an innovative retail-to-rescue adoption center and boutique.

At the heart of Sanctuary Rescue’s mission is a belief that every life matters. Through a combination of hands-on care, education, and storytelling, the organization not only rescues animals but also inspires a deeper connection between people and the animals who depend on them. Adri believes that rescue is a relationship business and uses humor, positivity, and authenticity to connect with Sanctuary’s supporters. Outside of rescue, some of Adri’s favorite things are enjoying the view of her farm from her front porch rocking chairs, her two emus named Jeremy, and smooching dogs that look like baked potatoes.

You can learn more about the event and our other award winners by visiting our website at fullcirclegc.org/living-your-dash or click our link in bio! 🌸

03/25/2026

As we gear up for our Living Your Dash luncheon on April 23rd, we are celebrating our 2026 Award Winners, starting with Lt. Kenny Mitchell of Operation Yellow Tape! Congratulations! 🎉

Lt. Kenny Mitchell Jr. (Ret.) began his fire service career in 2002 with the Virginia Beach Fire Department. In 2007 he relocated to Chesterfield, Virginia where he was employed with Chesterfield County Fire & EMS until 2024, when he retired as a Lieutenant after nearly 23 years. Kenny served in a variety of assignments while with Chesterfield County Fire & EMS including lead instructor in the Training Division, member of the Marine Incident Response Team (MIRT) and Peer Support Team, among others.

During his career, Kenny developed a deep appreciation and sympathy for the mental health challenges that face so many, especially first responders. The loss of a close friend to su***de just seventeen days after meeting for lunch in 2020 led him to begin Operation Yellow Tape. Kenny is passionate about, and continues to advocate for, first responders who have experienced and are struggling with their own cumulative traumatic stress, critical incidents, family issues, and PTSI. He has spoken at several conferences and organizations across the country since 2022, along with numerous podcast appearances and has his own Operation Yellow Tape Podcast assisting thousands inside and outside the yellow tape.

You can learn more about the event and our other award winners by visiting our website at fullcirclegc.org/living-your-dash or click our link in bio. 🔗

Address

5511 Staples Mill Road, Suite 301
Richmond, VA
23228

Website

http://fullcirclegc.org/

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