Grieving the losses caused by mental illness

NEWTON — On Thursday, March 2, the Sussex County affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) will meet from 7-9 p.m.
Guest speaker Diane Sebzda from the Karen Ann Quinlan Bereavement Center will discuss the grief and loss family members and friends experience when a loved one has serious and persistent mental illness. The meeting will be held at Bridgeway, 93 Stickles Pond Rd. in Newton. The public is welcome to attend free of charge.
Sebzda will explain the "ambiguous grief" and the "secondary losses" which both the family and the individual with a mental illness may experience. She will also cover compassion fatigue and caregiver stress.
Sebzda is the Director of Bereavement for Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice and the Joseph T. Quinlan Bereavement Center. She received her Masters Degree in Clinical Applied Psychology and her Bachelors Degree in Psychology from William Paterson University and is a Fellow in Thanatology. She is a member of many professional organizations including the American Academy of Bereavement, and the Association for Death Education & Counseling. In addition, Diana supports and provides grief education through her website, http://GriefGirlfriend.com.
For more information about NAMI Sussex's free programs and support groups, visit www.nami-sussex-nj.org or call 973-214-0632.