Here are just some of the comments from the students:

I think that the presentation was very informative. I think Lisa did a great job of explaining how to cope with grief. She didn't just list facts but actually used real life examples to explain everything. I loved that she gave us Play Doh to make sure that we weren't bored and it helped us to listen. She really taught me that you are never really alone and that there is always someone to talk to about any problem a teen may have.

I liked the grief speaker who came in to our class yesterday. She was a good speaker and got our attention really well, which isn't easy to do with teenagers in high school.  She gave us Play Doh, which really helped us to be occupied and played some music at times in her presentation which kept it all interesting. She had us get involved by tossing around balls that listed "normal signs of grief" and had us ask anonymous questions on index cards. She read them and gave us all some good advice. I think her presentation was effective and I will use what I learned from her someday. 

Yesterday's presentation Grief Speaks, had a large impact on me. She helped me with a problem that I just had the day before the talk. I was able to put it on the index card and she really helped me with it when she read the card and gave me some suggestions. She also taught me ways that I can help my classmates who may be going through tough times too. She had posters that listed some very helpful information too. 

The Play Doh helped to relieve my stress and she taught us that we could handle any problem that was difficult with the help of others and by doing healthy things like writing, talking to a trusted adult, calling a hot line, exercise and more. She made me feel good to know that someone is always there to help me. 

Lisa taught us how to make a bad situation better. She gave us information on how to talk to someone if we can't talk to our parents. She gave us different ways on how to handle uncomfortable situations and it is really good advice. 

I thought that the speaker was very helpful. She made me realize that my life isn't that bad and that I actually have it pretty good. She helped me to be positive and to avoid all bad things that may come my way in high school. She made me want to help those people in need. I am so happy she came into my school. She changed my life.

I thought the information you gave us was very important because when you are feeling very sad, you should that that you are not alone and that it helps to let it all out in your own way and that suicide is never the answer. I think this presentation is useful at some point in everyone's life.  

Grief Speaks goes into schools and speaks in  classrooms to address classes or conducts an entire assembly on grief, loss and healthy ways to cope.  This is a very popular presentation. Students often tell Lisa that it was the most important talk they have heard in their schooling as it pertains to each and every student, no matter what grade level. Everyone experiences some type of loss: death of a loved one, break up, loss of friends, pet loss, not making a team, not getting into college of choice, living with someone physically or mentally ill, being bullied, dealing with learning disabilities and more.

“It was so refreshing to have someone talk to us about dealing with different kinds of grief.  For me, this was the first time anyone has even spoken to me about how to handle loss.  It took so much tension from my life when I realized that all of the anger I was feeling was really just masked grief.” 

" Thank you for helping me with my friend who has a dad who was diagnosed with cancer a year ago. He is going to die and now I have learned things to do and say that can be helpful and help her as well through it.  Thank you for helping".

"Thanks for coming in. I learned that I am in grief over begin overweight  My friends tease me a lot and I go along with it and make fun of myself when really it hurts, and I wish so bad that I wasn't overweight."

 "I think every student from Kindergarten up through high school should hear these presentations. This is so much more important than math."

" I never knew how to react to my friend's father's death. Now I know it is important to say that I am sorry. Listening to your heartfelt talk, made me realize that it is okay to express my emotions with my friends and to seek help when necessary.  It was the best assembly I've ever been in. Thank you so much for teaching such important information."   NJ high school senior

"You helped me realize that although I haven't had anyone die, I am facing a loss anyway. I have an addiction and it is the hardest thing to deal with."

"A really good friend of mine cuts herself. Now I know I did the right thing by trying to get her help."

"This was very enligntening. I have a friend in school who just lost her father. For the past week I truly didn't know what to say to her. Thanks for this assembly, I am not able to be a good friend and comfort her by telling her how sorry I am about her losing her father."  high school senior

"This helped me a lot to understand my own feelings.  My grandpa died a few months ago and it was confusing to me. He lived in another country and I didn't see or talk to him much. I felt like I should have been more upset and grieved like my parents did. Your talk helped me to see that it is okay for me to feel the way I feel."  high school junior

Your presentation to our health class was extremely helpful. It helped me realize how I can deal with grief. I never was able to find a healthy way to cope with my cousin's death. But after your presentation, I now know I can handle it in a healthy manner. I hope you come again soon.  HS freshman

Now that you came to our school and talked about grief I now know how to act and what to say to friends who are grieving. I like that you gave us good things to do with our feelings of grief.

These could have been hard and uncomfortable topics to talk about, but it didn't seem that bad when you were talking about it. Being a person who experienced some of the things you spoke about, helped me to get a lot out of it. Thanks,  a freshman. 

Your presentation on grief really helped me better understand what grief is. Considering that I have had to deal with a lot of grief this past year, it is comforting to know what is normal when it comes to grief. I feel more enlightened and knowledgeable about the subject of grief and the next time I experience it, I won't be as overwhelmed.  HS Freshman

 Comments from HS freshmen 10/09:

Your presentation was informative and good. Thanks.

"Your presentation was very inspiring and your really helped me to realize that you don't need to cry when you lose someone".

I really liked that we did the index card thing. It was good to be able to write what I wanted onto a card without anyone knowing who wrote it."

I think you are such an amazing and inspirational person and you are great at what you do!

 Some reaction letters following my presentations to high school students in the fall of 2009:

Lisa taught our class that it is important to talk to someone about our problems. It was great to learn about grief and loss and ways to handle it. She gave us Play Doh and to play with and it helped a lot. This was a great presentation to experience. Now I know what to do when I am either depressed or lost someone close to me. 

I liked Lisa and I like that I got Play Doh. I realized that we all have problems. I learned that if I ever need someone or help I can call the hotline. the part when we filled out anonymous index cards showed me that a lot of people do have problems and bottle it up.

My reaction to the speaker was that I found it relaxing and helpful. The PlayDoh was fun to play with but the lesson was very helpful. I learned a lot. I know that sometimes it is hard to cope with tough times or losses because I have already experienced some. She had some great ways of expressing your feelings. The message came across very well.

The presentation helped me know what to say to a friend after he has had a loss, or is down or depressed. I thought the Play Doh was a great idea so we had something to do. She helped me to talk about my grandpa's death and how to cope with it. The presentation was very good and we found out what some kids do just because they are upset or angry. There are many helpful ways to get your feelings out when you are grieving.

Feedback from a 6th grader in Woodbridge School District following a classroom presentation on Coping with Grief, Loss and Other Tough Stuff

"I liked the assembly because it taught me ways to handle my emotions. It taught me how to handle anger and sadness. I learned it is important to find safe ways to let it out. I realized that I bottle up my feelings and then I eventually blow up on someone. I think this was a very useful assembly because now I understand more about my feelings. I learned that we never have to be alone with our problems and that there are people to talk to even at school. If I am depressed I can tell someone who can help me. Thanks."

A Parent following a Parent Program in Chatham: Raising Resilient Children through Difficult Times
 April 27, 2010

" I went to your program to gain a deeper insight into kids. I got that, but I got so much more, too! See, the more I listened, the more I began to think about myself.

I thought about how the times I may have unknowingly trivialized the grieving of others and how often others have unknowingly done the same to me. I also thought of how often I have ignored my own losses by accepting the illusion that time will heal each and every wound. I, too, know this to be untrue.

I just wanted to write and thank you for today. I hope you are able to come back to Chatham. I would love to hear more of your presentations. I wish so many more could, too."