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Bonding with others who’ve lost is therapy

Anne Moss Rogers; Jill Cichowicz; Omar Abubaker, DMD, PhD
Anne Moss Rogers; Jill Cichowicz; Omar Abubaker, DMD, PhD

So recently my friend, Jill Cichowicz, whose twin brother died from Substance Use Disorder, arranged a meeting with me and Omar Abubaker, DMD, PhD who lost his son to addiction as well. We talked about pushing forward our agenda on substance abuse education and how, we, as people who have lost someone precious to this drug epidemic can make a difference and educate people on this disease–starting with presenting it as a disease.

Dr. Abubaker is a seasoned speaker. As head of the VCU Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, he speaks to a lot of students and presents at a lot of dental conferences all over the country. Jill raises money, a lot of money, for the cause in her brother Scott’s name.

We talked and listened to each other. And we all got teary at one point. One cries and it’s like dominoes and the rest of us fall.

By the time we left, I felt so good. We all did. It was like a therapy session. The value of being with others who have suffered the same hurt cannot be underestimated and it’s why I push support groups.

Published by

Anne Moss Rogers

I am an emotionally naked mental health speaker, and author of the Book, Diary of a Broken Mind and co-author with Kim O'Brien PhD, LICSW of Emotionally Naked: A Teacher's Guide to Preventing Suicide and Recognizing Students at Risk. I raised two boys, Richard and Charles, and lost my younger son, Charles to addiction and suicide on June 5, 2015. I help people foster a culture of connection to prevent suicide, reduce substance misuse and find life after loss. My motivational mental health keynotes, training and workshop topics include suicide prevention, addiction, mental illness, anxiety, coping strategies/resilience, and grief. As talented and funny as Charles was, letting other people know they matter was his greatest gift. And now the legacy I try and carry forward in my son's memory. Mental Health Speakers Website. Trained in ASIST and trainer for the evidence-based 4-hour training for everyone called safeTALK.

2 thoughts on “Bonding with others who’ve lost is therapy”

  1. That’s a power team right there!! Looking forward to hearing more as you three continue making a difference. ❤️

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