Like so many of you, I’ve spent the past week sitting with a painful heaviness that is difficult to put into words. The recent flooding and loss of life have shaken our community in ways that will be felt for a long time. Some of you lost family, friends, and students. Some of you are scrambling to support families directly affected while deeply grieving yourselves. Most of us are holding our children a little tighter and wondering how to help them make sense of something so inexplicably senseless.
I've read that “grief is love with nowhere to go.” This, I think, is true. Grief is immense love, shattering disappointment, and indescribable pain. And what I know firsthand is that grief is not something we simply get over. We can, however, learn to live alongside our grief, its ever-present presence becoming something we know intimately. Yes, somehow, with time, we are able to look at excruciating loss differently.
Instead of becoming an all consuming anchor, our pain can become a guide.
My hope for all of us is that the grief we feel as a community becomes a guide: a beacon of light on where to step next, on where to lend a hand or a shoulder, on how to keep on loving and giving with our full hearts.Leaning on others and staying connected is what allows grief to soften and transform, bringing light to even the darkest, most painful moments.
I understand the length of the road in front of us - the massive uphill mountain we must climb, and the repercussions our community and the affected children will feel for years as a result of the Fourth of July Guadalupe River Flooding tragedy.
And still I hope that we find a way to hold space for this pain and this love simultaneously, sharing it with one another - one step, one hand, one shoulder, at a time - until there is light again.
What the Research Says about Grief:
There is not a right or best way to grieve. Clinicians once talked about it as “stages of grief”: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance. However, research tells us that real grief is rarely so tidy - and these stages are not linear, but cyclical.
✔️ It moves in waves.We can feel okay in one moment, then unexpectedly overwhelmed the next. ✔️Kids may seem “fine” — until they’re not. Children often grieve in short bursts. They may revisit their grief at different developmental stages. ✔️ Connection is protective. Having safe spaces to remember, talk, and be comforted helps people heal. ✔️ Complicated grief is real. For some, grief becomes stuck, prolonged, or overwhelming. Professional support (e.g., grief counseling, trauma-informed therapy, or a support group) can help people process and re-integrate their loss in healthier ways.
Supporting Grieving Children (& Ourselves)
If you or your child are grieving, here are a few things I know work well, based on research and years of walking alongside families:
✨ Talk about what has happened with gentle honesty. Avoiding the topic doesn’t protect kids; it can actually make fears grow. Just like anything else we avoid due to anxiety or fear of discomfort, avoidance keeps us stuck. Use simple, truthful language about death. It’s okay to say “died.”
✨ Hold space and make room for all feelings. No feeling is “wrong.” Kids especially may jump between tears and play in seconds. Let that be okay. Validation is key.
✨ Remember your body and your routines. Grief takes a toll physically. Rest, hydration, movement, and gentle daily structure are protective.
✨Stay connected to others. We are not meant to grieve alone. Support groups, spiritual communities, conversations with friends are all great ways to find comfort within our grief.
✨ Know when to reach out. If your child’s sleep, eating, or behavior changes drastically for weeks; if they seem withdrawn, hopeless, or unusually anxious; if they avoid reminders of the person or event altogether, they may be in need of further support or professional grief counseling.
đź“š Helpful Books, Guides, Podcasts, and More
It helps to hear how others have found language for what we’re feeling. Here we share a list of trusted resources: books, podcasts, and websites to help find the words, honor, remember, and support.
We know that therapy is not always accessible, especially in times of sudden tragedy. In response to the recent flooding, we are offering free, short-term grief counseling for families, close friends, first responders, and anyone impacted.
If you or your child needs a place to talk, to process, or simply to sit with your feelings in a safe space, we are available. We are honored to walk alongside you and will help determine if you or your child need more long term therapy.
In the weeks ahead, please be gentle with yourselves. Grief truly is the cost of having loved so deeply. None of us can carry it alone. And you don't have to.
With care and in hope,
Practice Updates:
New Practice ELECTRONIC Health Record: Jane App
We've moved EHRs!
On July 1st, the practice transitioned from Theranest/Ensora to using Jane App for our Electronic Health Record. All charting, scheduling, reminders, and communication between clinicians and clients will now be done solely through Jane App.
If you are a current client and have not created your Jane App profile, please do so as soon as possible. Reach out to our Client Care Specialists, Kim or Lindsey (info@houstonanxiety.com or 832.205.8120) with any questions you might have.
Presented by Dr. Alyssa Hertz | Wednesday, August 6 @ 10:00am
Understanding Anxiety, OCD, ADHD, and Perfectionism: How to Support Your Peers
Presented by Dr. Ivy Ruths| Wednesday, August 6 @ 10:45am
Join Drs. Hertz and Ruths at the first annual Students Stopping Stigma SymposiumAugust 6-8th. Students Stopping Stigma is a teen-driven leadership initiative designed to better support communities by fostering open dialogue about prevention, mental health and wellbeing. Presentations are for both students and parents and will be held at the Council for Recovery.
Lunch and Learn summer series Raising Resilient Kids
August 12 @ 12pm CT - Virtual, join from anywhere!
Our second session of our free Lunch & Learn Summer Series launched on July 8th. Parents left with tips and resources to help children experiencing symptoms of OCD and general anxiety.
There is one sessions leftthis summer and it's not too late to register! We will be tackling a real-life parenting struggle — anxiety about heading back to school — with simple, helpful tips you can actually use.
Carla Wall, LPC-A led an unforgettable one week camp for kids in June. This fun and engaging offering combined evidence-based coping strategies with creative expression to help kids build emotional regulation, confidence, and resilience in a fun, supportive setting. We hope to offer this camp again next summer!
Registration is open: Virtual Parent Therapy Group
Our next 6 week telehealth group begins on September 17th
Join other parents like you in our next 6-week SPACE Therapy Group, where you'll be empowered to help your child manage anxiety through practical, evidence-based methods alongside a small group of other parents who truly understand what you're going through.
This month we also say goodbye to our 2024-2025 Doctoral Student Interns. We have loved having Cristina and Alexa with us this year and wish them well as they both begin their new rotations at Tirr Memorial Hermann Hospital! Job well done!
Interested in Starting Treatment with us?
We'd love to work with you! Our team of expert clinicians specializes in treating anxiety, OCD, eating disorders, body-focused repetitive disorders, and parenting difficulties — all through evidence-based care.
We only use therapies that have been proven effective through years of research such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE), and Exposure and Response Prevention.
Virtual sessions are available for anyone in Texas, and our psychologists can see clients in all 42 PsyPact approved states.
Not sure how or who to schedule with? Start with ourtherapist matching form and our client care team will match you with the right-fit therapist for you within 1 business day.
