PHOTO SUBMITTED Megan Hamm

A Brookhaven counselor is creating a safe space to talk about grief and trauma.

The free hour-long session, hosted by A Time for Change Counseling, will be Tuesday, July 8, 6-7 p.m. at the Bi-Centennial Building, 200 Main St.

“We understand that although many people are impacted, most may not attend therapy. We want to make the information accessible,” said Megan Hamm.

She’ll be joined by Chad Yarborough, pastor of Friendship Baptist Church. Yarborough is on staff at A Time for Change Counseling.

Together they’ll offer a place for those experiencing grief or trauma to engage in real talk about the impact it has on their life and teach practical strategies that can be used by those attending or that can be taught to others who would benefit from them.

“There will be no judgment of questions that are asked and feelings about grief and trauma,” Hamm said. “We will also make sure that this is not a ‘trauma dump’ so that people can be open to sharing. We like to give people simple and practical tools. We want people to leave feeling like they can implement immediately without needing additional training or taking a long time to get started.”

Hamm will lead the conversations on trauma and Yarborough will take on discussions about grief.

“We will both add practical tools and strategies. He brings his expertise and experience as a pastor and mental health clinician. Grief, death, dying, and loss are definitely both practical and spiritual,” she said.

The session is the first in a series called “A Community Conversation.”

“It is a vision for us to create the Community Conversations on different mental health related topics. We are open to feedback to the community of what conversations they feel are needed,” she said. “Over the years, our community has experienced so much public loss. We talk about it on social media and in the newspapers for a week or two, then it’s crickets. But the impact of those experiences is not over. We are here to serve in the gap and continue to the conversation on healing.”

Hamm encourages anyone open to learning how to deal with trauma and grief to attend.

“Even if they don’t attend for themselves, they may be the connection for someone else who is unable to make it,” she said.

Text 601-207-9531 to register or ask questions. Registration is not required, but encouraged for planning purposes. A registration link can be found on the A Time For Change Counseling Facebook page.