How Community-Based Healing Can Help Process Grief and Loss: A Q&A With Thrive Wellness Reno Therapist Megan Meaney, LCSW

Thrive • October 7, 2022

Sharing one’s struggle, especially concerning grief and loss, with others who are facing similar situations can help facilitate understanding, acceptance, and recovery, a concept known as community-based healing. Discover the power of community-based healing in this enlightening Q&A with Thrive Wellness Reno therapist and perinatal loss specialist, Megan Meaney, LCSW.

What is community-based healing?

Community-based healing describes the coming together of individuals experiencing alike circumstances within an environment of belonging and support. 

Why is community-based healing beneficial, especially for processing a loss?

As a therapist who specializes in helping parents process perinatal loss, my clients often share that they’ve experienced judgment when discussing their loss with others. As a result, although a person may desire to talk about their child who has passed, they refrain from doing so. Community-based healing offers a safe, welcoming space for individuals to talk about their pain, grief, and loss. Within an empathetic group of individuals facing comparable situations, those experiencing difficulties can heal according to their unique timeline.

How can community-based healing help a person through a loss? 

Talking about the loss of a loved one can be a crucial element of healthy grieving. Without processing one’s experience of loss, a person’s pain can fester and intensify over the years. Joining a group with individuals who have faced similar losses can provide a person with the opportunity to understand, accept, and cope with their grief. Although sharing one’s story of loss is generally painful, incredible healing can take place when surrounded by supportive individuals.

You mentioned that grieving individuals are frequently met with judgment. How can friends and family support a grieving loved one?

When a grieving person can speak about their loss with a loved one, profound healing can occur. Openly listening to your loved one’s loss experience when they’re ready to share can help them process their grief. Although you may not be able to understand the pain your loved one is experiencing, your openness, support, and love can comfort them. 

How does Thrive Wellness integrate community-based healing into its programming?

Thrive Wellness offers different community groups for individuals seeking support during difficult times. One such group is dedicated to those who have experienced a perinatal loss . All of Thrive Wellness’ integrated health services emphasize and involve community connection for deep-rooted healing and lasting recovery. We invite individuals to “come as they are,” and in turn, our specialists meet them there, especially when they’re dealing with a loss. To learn more about our mental, behavioral, and physical health services reach out

While all Thrive Wellness locations offer interdisciplinary clinical teams who collaborate to treat eating disorders, perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs), and additional mental and behavioral health conditions, programs and services may vary by location.

About the Contributor 
Thrive Wellness Reno Therapist Megan Meaney, LCSW

Megan Meaney earned both a bachelor’s degree in social work (BSW) and a master’s degree in social work (MSW) at Roberts Wesleyan College in New York. Throughout her career, she has worked in a variety of clinical and educational settings specializing in treating children and teenagers. As a therapist at Thrive Wellness Reno, she provides play therapy and outpatient therapy for children and adults dealing with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs), and perinatal loss and grief, among other mental and behavioral struggles.

Megan loves the career path she’s chosen as she finds fulfillment in fostering healing in a safe and supportive environment. She believes we aren’t meant to move through our lives alone and enjoys lifting others up as she actively listens to what clients are going through and provides an outside perspective on how to process their experiences and emotions.

When she’s not working one-on-one with clients, Megan enjoys spending time with her family and friends while exchanging stories and experiences. She’s also an avid fan of four-legged friends – especially dogs.

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December 2, 2025
Like the fir tree, a symbol of endurance rooted in hope, our Family Inclusive Recovery (FIR) approach reflects the strength that grows when families face challenges together. At our new residential center “The Greenhouse”, FIR is more than a treatment model, it’s a philosophy of healing that places families at the heart of recovery for adolescents and young adults navigating eating disorders, anxiety disorders, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). We believe lasting healing doesn’t happen in isolation; it’s built with the support of families through perseverance, hope, and compassionate care. What Is Family Inclusive Recovery (FIR)? Family Intensive Recovery (FIR) is a specialized and immersive approach that actively engages caregivers as central agents in their child’s healing process. Rather than seeing families as contributors to a problem, we view them as essential partners in recovery. Drawing from two evidence-based frameworks, Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE) and Family-Based Treatment (FBT), FIR helps families cultivate resilience, confidence, and connection throughout the journey to recovery. Grounded in SPACE and FBT Through the SPACE model, parents learn how to recognize and reduce well-intentioned but unhelpful behaviors known as accommodations that can reinforce anxiety and OCD symptoms. By shifting from rescuing to supporting and challenging, parents develop the confidence to guide their child through discomfort, helping them build distress tolerance and self-trust. Simultaneously, Family-Based Treatment (FBT) empowers families to take an active, compassionate role in their child’s nutritional and emotional recovery. Parents learn how to support weight and nutritional restoration, disrupt the eating disorder’s patterns, and reestablish boundaries that promote health and growing autonomy. Together, these approaches strengthen both the individual and family system, allowing recovery to take root within an environment of empathy and optimism. From Blame to Collaboration A cornerstone of the FIR model is removing blame. At Thrive, parents are not viewed as the cause of their child’s struggles, but rather as key partners in recovery. Treatment focuses on joining forces to create a safe, supportive environment where: Families learn to sit with their child's discomfort alongside them without rushing to fix or control it. Parents practice compassionate firmness, setting boundaries grounded in care and safety. Teens and caregivers rebuild trust through open, honest communication. This collaborative framework helps families reestablish a sense of connection and confidence, fostering long-term resilience and open communication that extends beyond the treatment setting. Why Family Matters in Recovery Recovery from eating disorders, OCD, or anxiety isn’t a one-person job, it requires integrated care including the family. When families learn to navigate challenges together, they can model emotional regulation, reinforce healthy boundaries, and create conditions for sustained recovery. Through FIR, we aim to strengthen attachment bonds, reshape family interactions, and empower every member of the family to grow. The result is not only symptom reduction but also a deeper sense of unity, hope, and shared endurance, just like the steadfast fir tree that stands resilient through every season. Moving Toward Hope Family Inclusive Recovery invites caregivers and loved ones to become active participants in change. It’s a journey of learning, letting go, and leaning into love and acceptance. Together, families and clinicians can cultivate the courage in clients to face uncertainty, and in doing so, help them discover that recovery is not just possible, but enduring. If you’d like to learn more about Family Intensive Recovery at The Greenhouse or how we support families in eating disorder and OCD treatment, reach out to our team today.
November 14, 2025
The Greenhouse at Thrive Wellness A New Chapter of Hope and Healing in Nevada On Friday, November 14 , we gathered with our partners at Molina Healthcare to share an important moment for our community. Together, we celebrated Molina’s generous $50,000 grant , an investment that is helping bring The Greenhouse to life. Their support is not only a financial contribution—it’s a statement of belief in the young people and families of Nevada who deserve access to compassionate, evidence-based mental healthcare close to home. This gathering marked the beginning of something we’ve dreamed about for years: a place designed specifically for adolescents and emerging adults to receive the care, connection, and support they need during some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives. Something New Is Growing In early 2026 , Thrive Wellness will open The Greenhouse , Nevada’s first residential treatment center devoted to adolescents and emerging adults navigating eating disorders, anxiety, and OCD . For too long, families have faced a heartbreaking dilemma—send their child far from home for treatment or go without the specialized care they need. The Greenhouse is our answer to that gap. It will be a place where young people can settle into an environment built for healing, where they are understood, supported, and surrounded by a team that believes in their capacity to recover. The Greenhouse represents a natural extension of our mission. It’s a living expression of our belief that recovery is possible—and that with the right support, families can find their footing again. 
November 11, 2025
Are you looking for a meaningful way to give back this holiday season? Thrive Wellness is excited to continue our 6th Annual Giving Tree Program in collaboration with Perenn Bakery this winter. This year, Thrive Wellness Reno and Perenn Bakery are proud to partner with Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Northern Nevada. The organization supports families with children receiving treatment at area hospitals, providing comfort, hope, and a home-away-from-home during challenging times. Ronald McDonald House Charities offers essential services, removes barriers, strengthens families, and promotes healing when children need healthcare the most. How It Works Simply take one (or a few) tags from the Giving Tree, each listing an item you can purchase and donate for residents of the Ronald McDonald House. Then, drop off your item(s) at one of our designated donation locations by Friday, December 19. Items Needed: Restaurant gift cards Walmart or Target gift cards Games, puzzles, and coloring books Toys (Barbie, Hot Wheels, Lego sets, craft sets, magnet blocks, baby dolls, action figures, journals, infant toys, etc.) Children's books (picture, chapter, and graphic novels) Toiletry sets (for adults) Lotion/self-care gift sets (for adults) Sweatshirts/hoodies (adults, XS-XXL) Scarves, gloves, fuzzy socks, pajamas (all sizes) Infant diapers, onesies, and baby bottles Bulk individually wrapped snacks (granola bars, chips, etc.) Please ensure all donations are new, in original packaging, and unwrapped. Donation Drop-Off Locations Please deliver donations by Friday, December 19, to one of the following sites: Thrive Wellness 201 W Liberty St., Suite 201, Reno, NV 89501 Perenn Grocery 7600 Rancharrah Pkwy, Suite 130, Reno, NV 89511 The first 50 people to return their donations will receive a complimentary ornament gift!  Why We Give Back Through our Giving Tree program, we’re honoring one of our core values at Thrive Wellness: staying rooted in community. This annual tradition allows us to give back to those who need support most during the holiday season. We invite you to join us by taking a tag at any Thrive or Perenn location and helping spread kindness throughout our community. There’s no better way to embrace the holiday spirit than by supporting local families with thoughtful, heartfelt donations. We are deeply grateful for your generosity and continued support. Thank you for helping us make a difference!
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