Stephy's Place, 210 West Front Street, Suite 209, Swede Chevalier Bldg, Red Bank, NJ (2026)

04/18/2026

“I don't even recognize myself anymore. Grief has a way of transforming us, doesn't it? It pulls us into a world that many may never understand. You might feel heavy with the weight of love lost, and that's okay, it signifies how deeply you've loved. Remember, you're not alone on this journey; it's okay to feel the weight because it reflects the beauty of what you've experienced.”
www.stephysplace.org

04/17/2026

“When you lose someone you love, life does not return to what it was before. Something real has been torn, and the soul feels the absence. Grief is not a sign that love has failed. It is often the proof that love was true.

When death touches a cherished relationship, the heart does not simply “move on.” It learns to carry sorrow in a new way.

There are wounds that do not fully leave this world with us. They become woven into our prayers, our tenderness, our patience, and even our understanding of other hurting people.

Grief may change shape over time, but it often becomes part of the inner life. Comfort does not always mean removal of pain. Sometimes it means companionship within it. Sometimes it means strength for another day. Sometimes it means the quiet assurance that love is not ended by death.

So if life feels forever altered, that does not mean you are failing. It means you loved deeply. And where love has been real, grief often remains alongside with love.” - unknown

www.stephysplace.org

04/17/2026

“WHAT IF
EVERY MORNING
WHEN WE WAKE UP
THEY ARE IN HEAVEN
CHEERING US ON AND SAYING,
"I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE
WHAT YOU DO WITH TODAY!"
www.stephysplace.org

04/16/2026

“I ache for someone I know I'll never see again in this lifetime.
I’m still here, slowly figuring out how to keep going without someone who once meant everything to me.”

www.stephysplace.org

04/16/2026

Last chance to purchase your tickets!

We are looking forward to our 10th Anniversary Celebration on Saturday, April 25, 2026.

If you have not already purchased your ticket, this is our official last call!

We are closing the ticket sales at noon on Friday 4/17/26.

Tickets will not be sold at the door.

We look forward to seeing you there! 🦋

Please tap the below for more information and to reserve your spot
https://form.jotform.com/260178057637059

04/16/2026

“Some days, you'll want to slow down and remember.
Other days, you'll want to keep busy and forget. Both are necessary in grief.”
www.stephysplace.org

04/15/2026

Stephy’s Place Reflection
By: Kevin J. Keelen

It’s not what we do once in while that shapes our lives. It’s what we do consistently.” -Tony Robbins

Dear Stephy’s Place Family,

I wanted to take a moment this month to reflect on the heartbeat of our support groups: consistency. Before I do so, I want to applaud and thank all you who make your self-care a priority by coming to group faithfully and consistently, it makes a huge difference for your own healing as well as the group’s. In the past months, however, we’ve noticed attendance to be increasingly sporadic in many of our groups. This could be attributed to the weather, the holidays, and other factors, and we certainly understand the extenuating factors that might inhibit your attendance or our need to close, however, not attending regularly affects the healing that support groups offer. In order for a support group to work, it needs to be a group and so people have to show up. When only one, two or three are in the room it really isn’t a support group per se.

Grief isn’t a task to be finished; it’s a process to be honored. We have found that the most profound breakthroughs happen when members attend regularly. We understand that life is unpredictable and that emergencies and illnesses happen, however things like doctor appointments and other commitments can perhaps be made on other days and times in order to allow you to commit to regular attendance.

We encourage you to prioritize your group sessions as an essential part of your self-care routine. One needs to attend regularly and to make it a priority in order for healing to happen. Just popping into a support group once in a while will make no difference in your grief, and it certainly will not help the group.

At its heart, a support group isn’t just about the resources we share- it’s about the consistency and presence of the people within it. By showing up consistently, we build a foundation of trust that allows us to be open and authentic in our sharing, it also deepens our connection with one another and ensures our stability knowing who will be in the room, creating a safe space in which to share. Every voice is a vital piece of the puzzle and when one person is missing, the dynamic changes. We are not just here for ourselves; we are here for each other. Your presence might be the exact thing another member needs to hear that day. By showing up, you are taking courageous steps toward integration and hope.

So, if you haven’t already, we are asking everyone who comes to Stephy’s Place to please make the commitment to prioritize your group sessions as a dedicated time for both your own growth and healing as well as the support of your peers in your group.

Out of consideration for your group and your facilitator, we ask that if you need to miss a session because of an emergency or prior commitment, please inform Stephy’s Place or your facilitator. If you decide that you cannot make the commitment, or you feel ready to graduate from the group, please let us know, remember that the chair you sit in could be filled by someone else who has lost a loved one and seeks support.

At Stephy’s Place we sincerely wish everyone who comes to us to experience healing and hope. That can only happen by showing up.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Wishing you peace and serenity,

Kevin

You can also click here to read Kevin’s April Reflection posted on our website. https://www.stephysplace.org/sp/Resources/Kevin%27s%20Reflections/2026/Consistency.pdf?1776209769

04/15/2026

“There are no words big enough to describe grief. It’s an incredibly lonely, empty place, a large hole that swallows your soul and threatens to destroy it. It’s a dark place with no light that blinds you, deafens you, and crushes your spirit. It’s a place full of memories you’re afraid to lose. I was in that place. No amount of tears washed away the loneliness. No amount of screams chased it away. There were simply memories, an avalanche of memories that I desperately needed to hold onto. There was so much that death didn’t prepare me for. It didn’t prepare me for the storm that would break my will.” -R.K. Ryals
www.stephysplace.org

04/14/2026

Nobody tells you that grief lives in your body.

They talk about sadness. About missing someone. About the emotional weight. But nobody tells you what it actually feels like. The physical sensation of carrying loss around inside you every single day.

It feels like drowning on dry land. Like there's a weight sitting on your chest that never lifts. You're breathing, technically, but it doesn't feel like enough air is getting in.

It feels like your body forgot how to work right. You're exhausted all the time—bone-deep, soul-crushing exhaustion—but you can't sleep. Or you sleep too much and wake up more tired than when you went to bed.

Your body can't figure out what it needs because what it needs is them back, and that's not happening.

Some days your heart physically hurts. Not metaphorically. Actually hurts. Like someone reached into your chest and squeezed it. You wonder if you're having a heart attack. You're not. It's just grief living in the space where they used to be.

Your stomach is a disaster. You're either starving or nauseous. Food tastes like nothing or makes you want to throw up. You forget to eat for an entire day and then eat everything in sight at midnight.

Your body doesn't know what to do with itself anymore.

And the panic attacks. The ones that hit out of nowhere. Your heart racing. Your hands shaking. Your breath catching in your throat like you're choking on air. You're standing in the grocery store or sitting at your desk or driving down the highway and suddenly your body is screaming that something is wrong—which it is, they're dead, but your nervous system acts like it just figured that out five seconds ago.

Everything aches. Your shoulders. Your neck. Your jaw from clenching your teeth in your sleep.

Your head from crying or not crying or crying so much you can't cry anymore. Your whole body is just tired of holding this.

And people don't see it.

They see you standing there. Functioning. Going through the motions. They think you're okay because you're upright.
Because you showed up. Because you're not actively sobbing in front of them.

But inside? Inside you're fighting just to keep your body from collapsing.

You're using every ounce of energy you have just to stay standing.
To keep breathing.
To not fall apart in the middle of wherever you are because your body feels like it's being held together with tape.

Grief doesn't just live in your head. It moves into your bones. It takes up space in your lungs. It sits heavy in your gut and makes your hands shake and steals your sleep and hijacks your nervous system.

And nobody tells you that. Nobody warns you that losing someone doesn't just break your heart—it breaks your whole damn body.

You're not imagining it.
You're not being dramatic.
Your body is trying to process a loss it was never designed to handle.
And it's doing the best it can.
Which some days means barely holding together.

That’s what grief actually feels like. Heavy. Exhausting. Physical.
And some days, just keeping your body going is all you can do.

04/14/2026

“Appearing strong in the face of grief doesn't make the burden any lighter. Everyone carries their sorrow differently, and the weight of loss is profound, regardless of how well someone seems to bear it.
It's important to remember that behind the composure, there's a depth of emotion and struggle.”
www.stephysplace.org

04/13/2026

A love letter from those who have passed on…

Take the love you have for me
And radiate it outwards
Allowing it to touch and impact others

Take the memory you have of me
And use it as a source of inspiration
To live fully, meaningfully and intentionally

Take the image you have of me in your mind
And allow it to fuel you
To take action
Seize the day
And be reminded of what is most important in life

Take the care you have for me
And let it remind you
To care for yourself fully
And shower yourself with your own love

And take the pain and grief you feel
Following my loss
And alchemize it into
Love, compassion and beauty

Build a castle
From the wreckage of my passing

And allow it to unlock your greatness and potential
And empower you to become more than you ever thought you were capable of being

And know that I can never truly leave you
And will always remain beside you
Watching over you in spirit
And that the love I have for you lives on
Through the connections you form
The kindness and compassion you share
And the future relationships and friendships you cultivate.

And until we are one day reunited
I will remain with you
Through the storms and chaos of life
And am always beside you
Walking with you, laughing with you, crying with you and smiling with you

And I am proud of you for being strong
I am proud of you for being brave
And I am proud of you for being you.

Words by Tahlia Hunter

Artwork by Márfy Art, Gabriella Márfy

www.stephysplace.org

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