Community Conversations
Moderated by award winning journalists and featuring the voices of Eluna families and support professionals, our Community Conversation series explores topics relating to grief and addiction, the effects of these issues on our communities, and what each of us can do to help.
Supporting Grieving Employees and their Families
When employees are navigating grief, the workplace can either be a source of added stress - or a pillar of support. This virtual panel explores how compassionate policies, empathetic leadership, and practical resources can help create a workplace culture where those experiencing loss feel acknowledged and supported.
Eluna Community Conversation: Supporting Grieving Employees and Their Families
Thank you to our moderator, panelists, and the many participants who joined this heartfelt and insightful conversation on June 17th, 2025
Eluna Community Conversation: Supporting Youth Grieving a Military-Related Death
Thank you to our moderator, panelists, and the many participants who joined this critical conversation on September 19th, 2024. Military grief often presents
Eluna Community Conversation: Supporting Youth Impacted by Addiction in Rural Communities
Thank you to our moderator, panelists, and the many participants who joined this critical conversation on May 23rd. Rural communities are disproportionately impacted
Eluna Community Conversation: Grief Through the Lens of LGBTQ+ Youth & Communities
This video is for educational purposes only. The views expressed in this video are those of the speakers and do not
Eluna Community Conversation: Grief Through the Lens of Black Communities
This video is for educational purposes only. The views expressed in this video are those of the speakers and do not
Eluna Community Conversation: Supporting Youth Grieving an Overdose Death
In this conversation, Eluna’s respected panelists of clinicians & caregivers addressed barriers & stigma associated with addiction and overdose loss, and
Eluna Community Conversation: Breaking the Cycle of Addiction Through Mentoring
On Thursday, April 7th at 2 PM ET, Eluna hosted a one-hour virtual panel focused on how mentoring can help children
Eluna Community Conversation Resources: Support for Survivors of Suicide
Resources for Survivors of Suicide Thank you to all that were able to attend the Community Conversation on Tuesday, May 18th.
Eluna Community Conversation: The Pandemic’s Impact on Grief
On March 2, 2023 Eluna is proud to have hosted another installment of our Community Conversations: The Pandemic’s Impact on Grief.
Eluna Community Conversation: Grief Through the Lens – Latino Resources
This video is for educational purposes only. The views expressed in this video are those of the speakers and do not
Eluna Community Conversation: What’s it Like Growing Up with Addiction?
We invite you to view award-winning broadcast journalist Kavitha Cardoza who led our first Community Conversation on supporting children and families
Eluna Community Conversations: Let’s Get Real About Grief
We invite you to view Eluna’s Community Conversation with Laura Ling, award-winning author and journalist, Litsa Williams, Co-Founder and Program Director
Moderators
TaRhonda Thomas
Reporter at Channel 6-ABC
Amelia Ferrell Knisely
Journalist
Srishti Prabha (They/Them)
K-12 Education Reporter at CapRadio - NPR, The Sacramento Observer
CD Davidson-Hiers (she/her)
Journalist and Writer
Kavitha Cardoza
Washington D.C.-based journalist
Jennifer Lewis-Hall
Journalist and Producer at PHL-17
Joy Soto
Assistant Director, Penn Alumni Regional Clubs
Stephanie Heitkemper, MA MFT, LPC, RPT, FT
Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and the owner of Resilient Minds Counseling
Laura Ling
Journalist and author
Past Participants
"I truly appreciated the authentic conversation and vulnerability shared by the panel. Hearing their stories and experiences, as well as their suggestions for working with this bereaved population was extremely powerful and beneficial. One phrase that really caught me was the importance of creating a “brave space” rather than a “safe space”. "
“A key takeaway for me was the importance and effectiveness of community-based models in providing care and support to children, adults, and families impacted by alcoholism or addiction.”
“I learned valuable approaches and activities to start conversations that I plan to use in the grief support groups I lead.”