Suicide is an unexpected and traumatic loss that can throw a person’s world into chaos and bring feelings not typically experienced with other deaths.  As hard as it is, please know that you are not alone and that you will make it through this. 

It’s important to know that your body and brain go into a stress response that is a normal response to an abnormal event.  Often times family members, caregivers, and friends can stay in a constant state of flight, fight, and freeze while feeling emotionally overwhelmed and stuck. Every day comes with its own challenges and you may be trying to navigate how to stabilize yourself in the midst of the storm.  

Our Acute Stress & Trauma Recovery Group (ASSYST©) was developed to be a universal, accessible, web-based, supportive, mental health stabilization experience that helps to reduce the incidence of acute stress following tragic and sudden loss.

We utilize the ASSYST© curriculum to teach  Low-Intensity-Interventions that offer the possibility of direct, non-intrusive, physiological engagement with attendees' distressing memories causing hyperactivation within the nervous system.  These symptoms may be present on a  sensory, emotional, and physiological level. 

This recovery group is focused on decreasing acute stress and how your experiences are stored in your memory network. This process helps bring stabilization and calm to a charged nervous system.  *Please be aware that this is not a substitute or replacement for your own counseling support, or therapy,  however, it can be used in adjunct with those resources.

Benefits of Weekly Groups

This is a unique community where you can tell your story, receive understanding and validation as well as  learn to use valuable tools that are effective in helping calm your nervous system as you process your loss and stress reactions.  You may be highly overwhelmed, anxious, or distressed due to everyday life stressors, as you attempt to navigate this difficult grief and trauma recovery journey.

These groups offer adjunct support to traditional therapy and are less intensive, less expensive, less complex, shorter, effective, efficient, and more accessible than high-intensity treatments like Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR).   Although we do highly recommend EMDR, this group level of support offers consistent relaxation training techniques to help you establish a routine in utilizing these strategies to help retrain your nervous system. 

Meet the Facilitator:

Shahidrah Cowgill, Ph.D(c)., LPC-S, NCC is licensed by the State of Texas as a Licensed Professional Counselor and Approved Supervisor (#64254) and is a National Certified Counselor (#309334) as declared by the National Board for Certified Counselors. She has over 16 years of licensed experience in the field of mental health and has received advanced training in EMDR that addresses Complex PTSD, Ongoing traumatic stress, and or Recent Critical Incidents that a person may face following traumatic events.  In her practice, she provides EMDR Intensives to Individuals, Families, and Groups. She is trained in the Acute Stress Syndrome Stabilization (ASSYST©) Procedure for Individuals and Groups.  She has also served as a co-facilitator for the Survivors of Suicide Loss Peer Support Group through Frontline Crisis Response Solutions since 2015. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What time are the groups? 

All groups are held virtually on Zoom on Fridays at  7 pm - 9 pm (CST)

* Please note all times are CENTRAL STANDARD TIME

Do I have to share or talk during the Group?

• Sharing  is not a requirement to attend this group.  Space and time is offered if you do choose to share or just listen.  The space is confidential, however,  for this process we do require your camera be turned on so that we can monitor how you are experiencing the group and ASSYST© process.

What is the purpose of this group?

• To help you learn to calm your nervous system and decrease severe symptoms of distress, anxiety, and tension
• Offer a private space to connect with other suicide loss survivors recovering from traumatic stress 

Do I need multiple sessions?

• Our  support group can be taken as many times as you like and are ongoing. The groups are open to adults 18+, these are virtual meetings that are open to loved ones and family members across the United States who have lost someone dear to suicide.

Will the group be recorded?