Redefining Grief with Herdyne Mercier, LCSW

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The mission of this podcast is to explore all areas of grief by educating through stories and experiences. This podcast is for grievers and those wanting to learn how to support grievers.

Episodes

Aug 4, 2026

The Grief Support Most People Don't Know Exists with Debra Albo-Steiger, LCSW

Aug 4, 2026

42 min

Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational and informational purposes only and does not establish a therapist-client relationship with Herdyne Mercier, Mercier Wellness & Consulting, or podcast guests. Please seek professional support for your individual mental health needs.

Episode Introduction:

Grief can feel incredibly isolating, but it doesn't have to be.

In this special resource-focused episode, Herdyne Mercier welcomes Debra Albo-Steiger, LCSW, CEO of the Children's Bereavement Center, to discuss one of the most valuable grief resources available for children, teens and adults.

Together, they explore how peer grief support differs from therapy, why no one should have to navigate loss alone and how grief support groups create safe spaces where people can share their experiences without judgment.

Debra explains how the Children's Bereavement Center provides free grief support services in English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole, both virtually and throughout South Florida. She also shares why grief is deeply individual, why there are no stages of grief, and why grief-informed training is essential for clinicians, educators and anyone supporting someone after a loss.

Whether you're grieving yourself, supporting someone you love or you're a mental health professional wanting to deepen your understanding of grief, this conversation offers practical resources, hope and reassurance that healing is possible in community.

Key Takeaways:

Peer grief support is different from therapy and both have an important place in healing.
Grief has no timeline and no "right" way to look.
There are no stages of grief that everyone follows.
Grief-informed training benefits clinicians, educators, caregivers and communities alike.
Specialized grief groups can provide additional support for unique types of loss.
Community is one of the greatest protective factors during grief.
Every person's grief experience is uniquely their own.

About Our Guest:

Debra Albo-Steiger, LCSW, is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and the CEO of the Children's Bereavement Center (CBC) and its adult grief support program, Lift From Loss. With more than 20 years of experience in education, mental health, public policy, and social services, she has dedicated her career to advocating for children, youth, and families experiencing trauma and loss.

Debra began her career as a School Social Worker with Chicago Public Schools, where she supported students and families in predominantly Spanish-speaking communities impacted by gang violence. After returning to South Florida in 2005, she continued championing vulnerable populations through her work with Miami-Dade County Public Schools, helping expand services through Project UP-START, the district's Homeless Education Program.

In 2021, Debra became CEO of the Children's Bereavement Center, leading the organization's mission to ensure that no one grieves alone after the death of a loved one. Under her leadership, CBC and Lift From Loss have expanded their free grief support services across Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties while extending their reach nationally through virtual programming and grief-informed training.

A passionate advocate for accessible mental health care, Debra believes meaningful change happens through collaboration. By working alongside community partners, clinicians, educators, and organizations, she strives to ensure that individuals and families have access to the support and resources they need to heal.

Episode Quotes:

"Nobody should ever grieve alone." — Debra Albo-Steiger

"Listening is very therapeutic." — Debra Albo-Steiger

"Each person is their own expert on grief." — Debra Albo-Steiger

"There are no stages of grief." — Debra Albo-Steiger

"The moment you start fighting with grief, you have lost the battle." — Herdyne Mercier

"We do not heal in isolation." — Herdyne Mercier

"Grief is a human experience. Anybody that has a heart is going to experience grief." — Herdyne Mercier

Redefining Grief Pearls of Wisdom (P.O.W.) Question:

Q. How have you redefined grief in your own life?

A. "It was really being a facilitator that changed me. After losing my grandfather during COVID, I joined one of our groups and did an activity about him. I realized I was carrying something inside of me that I didn't even know was there. I slept better that night than I had in a year and a half." — Debra Albo-Steiger

Episode Time-Stamps:

00:00 Welcome to The Redefining Grief Podcast

03:20 Inside the Children's Bereavement Center

05:00 What to Expect from a Grief Support Group

08:00 Free Grief Support Available Worldwide

11:20 Grief Support vs. Therapy

13:00 Grief-Informed Training for Clinicians & Communities

20:40 The Truth About the "Stages of Grief"

26:00 Specialized Grief Support Groups

29:30 Helping Children Process Grief

34:00 Community Events & Ways to Get Involved

38:30 Pearls of Wisdom: How Grief Changed Debra's Life