The Family Counseling Center of Central Georgia – a Macon Violence Prevention program partner – is hosting a free 10-week healing experience for mothers who have lost a child. Better Together Circles™: Healing After Loss will be facilitated by its creator, Dr. Deitre Cotton, and is open to mothers who have lost a child for any reason.

There will be an information session as the first step in the process on Wednesday, October 21, at 5:30 p.m. at the Family Counseling Center (277 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd, Suite 202). Attendance at the information session is not required to sign up. If unable to make the session and to sign up, contact the Family Counseling Center at 478-745-2811.

“Whether their child was an infant, young child, teenager, or adult, there is a place for them in the Circle,” says Christy Henry Family Counseling Center Executive Director. “Losing a child is such a profound loss, whether it was through miscarriage, infant loss, illness, accident, homicide, suicide, overdose, or other circumstances.”

“Taking care of our community means working with families so that a tragedy doesn’t occur, but if it does, we need to still be there to support them,” says Mayor Lester Miller. “No matter the cause or age of the child lost, this is a pain nobody should face alone, and I want people to know our community cares for them and is ready to support them.”

The 10-week experience will be held on Monday nights at the Family Counseling Center from 6:00-7:30 p.m. The first date has not yet been set as that will be discussed with the first cohort of mothers. There is a max of 18 people in a cohort, and if more than that sign up, a second cohort will be started.

“We want to provide this safe space for mothers dealing with a loss no one should experience, and then to help give them a path of healing tailored specifically for them,” adds Christy.

During the sessions, participants will:

• Connect with other mothers who understand this unique kind of loss.
• Learn practical ways to navigate grief, difficult emotions, triggers, relationships, and significant dates.
• Honor the life, memory, and continuing impact of your child.
• Participate in guided conversations, journaling, creative expression, remembrance activities, peer connection, and meaningful healing experiences.
• Rediscover your voice, recognize the strength that still exists within you, and explore what healing and growth can look like alongside grief.
• You will never be required to share more than you are comfortable sharing.

The experience is guided by the Broken to Better Transformation Framework, developed by Dr. Deirtre Cotton. Throughout the journey, mothers are supported through acknowledgement, stabilization, healing, reframing, creative expression, repurposing, leadership development, and purpose and community impact.

The goal is not to leave grief—or your child—behind. It is to discover that love, remembrance, grief, healing, growth, and hope can exist in the same life.

Dr. Deirtre Cotton is the founder of Better After Being Broken, LLC and creator of the Broken to Better Transformation Framework. She holds a Doctorate in Pastoral Counseling and has more than 30 years of experience supporting individuals, women, and families through grief, trauma, addiction, life transitions, emotional healing, and personal transformation.

Dr. Cotton also brings lived experience to this work as a mother who has experienced the loss of a child.

About the Family Counseling Center of Central Georgia

Established in 1957 by the Junior League of Macon and the United Givers Fund (now United Way of Central Georgia), the Family Counseling Center of Central Georgia has been dedicated to preserving and strengthening the well-being of individuals and families within the community. As a private, nonprofit agency, it offers accessible and affordable professional counseling services, including therapy for individuals, couples, and families, as well as specialized programs to assist people in making life changes to improve their quality of life.

Over the years, the center has expanded its services to meet the evolving needs of the community. In 1997, it initiated the Central Georgia CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) program to support children in the juvenile court system. By 2000, Central Georgia CASA became a self-sufficient entity, continuing its mission to advocate for abused and neglected children.

Today, the Family Counseling Center remains committed to promoting a healthier society through easy access to professional mental health services, serving thousands of individuals across Central Georgia.

About the Macon Violence Prevention Program

Macon Violence Prevention is an evidence-based, multifaceted program created to address public safety in Macon-Bibb County. Supported and funded by the consolidated government, MVP is a community-wide effort that brings together elected officials, community leaders and representatives from more than 20 agencies, organizations, and departments.

The MVP program operates under the guidance of the MVP Strategic Plan, which was created in June of 2021 by community stakeholders and violent crime experts. The plan combines data and research with community feedback to identify and implement proven solutions that reduce violent crime and strengthen the community over time.

Since its inception, more than $2.5 million has been granted to local nonprofit and community organizations. From 2022 to 2025, the Macon-Bibb homicide rate dropped by 60%, and the youth homicide rate fell by 87% between 2022 and 2025.