The Starfish Story

An old man had a habit of early morning walks on the beach. One day, after a storm, he saw a human figure in the distance moving like a dancer. As he came closer he saw that it was a young woman and she was not dancing but was reaching down to the sand, picking up a starfish and very gently throwing them into the ocean."Young lady", he asked, "Why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?""The sun is up, and the tide is going out, and if I do not throw them in they will die.""But young lady, do you not realise that there are miles and miles of beach and starfish all along it? You cannot possibly make a difference."The young woman listened politely, paused and then bent down, picked up another starfish and threw it into the sea, past the breaking waves, saying: "It made a difference for that one."Adapted from the original by Loren Eiseley

Who We Are

Starfish Associates is a multi-faceted, multi-talented group of compassionate individuals, with a lot to offer, and a lot of heart. If you are interested in working with us or want more information regarding any of our services, we would love to hear from you.

Lois Hall, MS

Certified Grief Recovery Method Specialist®, Owner of Starfish Associates, LLC

Lois has been working in the field of grief for over 30 years, and within the Public Health sphere for even longer. Her passion and tenacity for helping people is widely known, and she often finds herself reminding people that "Grief is a Public Health issue."Since being officially certified as a Grief Recovery Method Specialist® in 1998, she's helped countless people and doesn't intend to stop anytime soon. In 2023, she hired on her first associate (and favorite child), and has continued her mission to help the world by making a difference one life at a time.

Kade Hall

Certified Grief Recovery Method Specialist®, Associate, & Designer

Kade (they/them) is a graphic designer, lifelong creative, and considers themself a living case study of raising a child using the methods in the Helping Children with Loss program. Finally certified in the spring of 2023, they have a passion for their community, and want nothing more than to help make the world a more safe, loving, and welcoming place for all.

Stefanie Hall, NBCT, MA.Ed

Certified Grief Recovery Method Specialist®, Associate, & Educator

Stefanie is a recently retired educator after 34 years in public schools, working with grades 3-8 as a teacher, gifted intervention specialist, and Gifted Coordinator. Stefanie has been a Grief Recovery Method Specialist® since 2001, and has a heartfelt passion for helping children and those that work with them become better-equipped to process their grief.

Presentations & Talks

Starfish Associates offers a variety of presentations and small group sessions.

LISTENING SESSIONS
Grief Recovery Method Specialists facilitate conversations around the community (school, workplace) grief event(s) experienced by staff. Participants would be encouraged to share out and discuss what has happened and give voice to what they have experienced as a result. It is recommended that supervisors and staff be grouped separately for these sessions. These sessions are scheduled for 60-90 minutes. Listening sessions would be limited to 10-12 participants per group.

GRIEF EDUCATION TALK
A Grief Recovery Method specialist would present a session focused on general topics related to grief recovery; topics would include general definitions of grief, information on myths and misinformation, common coping mechanisms - (STERBS), relationship to ACES, and the impacts of unresolved grief on physical, mental/emotional health and school/workplace performance. These talks are scheduled for 90-120 minutes.

GRIEF EDUCATION WORKSHOP
Grief Recovery Method Specialists would plan and facilitate an interactive session that would focus on a variety of grief topics centered around the evidence-based Grief Recovery Method (as discussed above) and/or the Helping Children With Loss program. Workshops are scheduled for 3-3.5 hours. The interactive workshop sessions are limited to 40-50 participants.

Classes We Offer

Starfish Associates offer the Grief Recovery Method Support Groups, The Grief Recovery Method: One-on-One Support, The Grief Recovery Method's Helping Children With Loss Program, and The Pet Loss Program.

Consultation Offerings

Starfish Associates offers a variety of consultation services.

Mentorship

Design Work

Proposal/Grant Writing Support

Crisis Event Planning