Communities of Practice

“The Intersection of Grief, Trauma, and Mental Health (Part 2)” with Felica Harris

April 16, 2026    |    1:30PM – 3:00PM    |    Virtual – Zoom

This training explores the connection between grief, trauma, and mental health. It clarifies that grief is rooted in loss, while trauma is rooted in a loss of safety, and many individuals experience both at the same time especially in sudden or overwhelming losses. Participants learn how different types of grief and trauma show up in real life, often appearing as depression, anxiety, or disconnection. The focus is on how to support, not fix by creating safety, validating experiences, and following the peer’s lead. At its core, this training reminds us: Grief needs to be felt. Trauma needs to feel safe. Both need to be seen.

Felica Harris

Felica Harris is a Certified Peer Specialist, Certified Parent Peer Specialist Trainer, Maternal Mental Health Peer Support Specialist, Grief Specialist, and Grief Educator. She is a mother, advocate, and healer who has transformed personal pain into professional purpose. Drawing from her lived experience with profound loss, mental health challenges, and the complexities of parenting through grief, Felica stands at the powerful intersection of peer support, maternal mental health, and grief education. 

After the devastating loss of her son Zaire, Felica’s world was reshaped by the weight of sorrow and the pressure to keep going for her family, for herself, and for the legacy of her child. Instead of allowing that pain to consume her, she chose to channel it creating sacred spaces for other mothers and families navigating similar storms. Her work is not just professional; it is personal, spiritual, and deeply rooted in community care.

Felica specializes in trauma-informed, culturally responsive support that centers the lived experiences of Black families, birthing people, and caregivers. Through her roles as a peer and parent peer specialist trainer, she equips others with the tools to hold space, validate pain, and foster resilience especially in systems that have historically failed marginalized communities. Whether she’s leading trainings on emotional regulation and systemic navigation, providing peer-based grief support, or advocating for maternal mental health equity, Felica brings authenticity, courage, and unwavering compassion to every encounter. Her approach is grounded in radical empathy, mutual respect, and the unwavering belief that people heal in connection not in isolation.

Felica is the founder of Zaire’s Carriage, a grief-informed initiative that honors her son’s life and supports mothers who feel silenced by stigma, shame, or sorrow. Her motto “Zaire’s carriage is empty but filled with love and hope” is a testament to the transformative power of grief when held with dignity and purpose.
Felica’s voice is not just one of experience; it is one of leadership, education, and generational healing.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

—————————————————————————————————————————————–

“Bridge to Heal. Connection-Centered Suicide Postvention” with Shirley Drake

Thursday, May 28, 2026    |    1:30PM – 3:00PM    |    Virtual – Zoom

• Attendees will increase their awareness on the prevalence and impact of suicide loss, including risk factors and misconceptions about suicide loss.  
• Attendees will identify components of a public health model of suicide bereavement.
• Attendees will practice supportive responses when engaging with suicide loss survivors.

Shirley Drake

Shirley Drake is Director of Peer Specialists Limited (PSL). PSL provides Family Engagement and Advocacy services, long-term Parent Peer Support services for families enrolled in Children’s Mental Health Services and Wraparound systems of care. In addition, PSL offers a Teen Outreach Program to middle school and those that are juvenile justice system involved.

As a Certified Peer Specialist and State Trainer, she is Secretary of the Milwaukee County Mental Health Board representing the peer voice on County mental health budget and policy decisions.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

—————————————————————————————————————————————–

Continuing Education Hours and Recordings

Click Here to View Past Communities of Practice!

Note:
Starting with Community of Practice gatherings from September 2021 and beyond, you will be able to watch the recording and fill out an evaluation link for continuing education hours (CEUs), if you do so within two weeks of the recorded community of practice date.

Accessibility Note:
Starting in August 2021, we strive to ensure each Community of Practice gathering has ASL interpretation and live captioning. If you have reasonable accommodations requests regarding our Communities of Practice, click here to submit reasonable accommodations requests at least a week before the gathering.

More Information

• Privacy note: Community of Practice gatherings may be recorded for later on-demand viewing.
• CEHs: Attendance at the CPS & CPPS Community of Practice and some Supervisors of CPS & CPPS Community of Practice gatherings and completion of post-gathering evaluations will earn you 1.5 hours of continuing education credit good for recertification purposes in Wisconsin. The evaluation will be sent to the email with which you register to attend a Community of Practice gathering.

Like the community of practice gatherings in Wisconsin? Want to expand your learning in a national context?

Please check out the communities of practice hosted by the Peer Recovery Center of Excellence (click here), which are structured very similarly to the ones in Wisconsin.

This website is managed and maintained by staff at Access to Independence working on the Wisconsin Peer Specialist Employment Initiative. The words, views, and values presented herein are not necessarily representative of the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.