Losing someone to suicide is a grief unlike any other. When Nina’s brother Jeff died by suicide in 1995, the pain was overwhelming—a mix of deep sadness and isolation.
“In the beginning stages, your world feels utterly shattered. You don’t know how you’re going to move forward.” At the time, Nina was in graduate school, surrounded by peers who didn’t understand her grief. Expected to move on, she kept her pain tucked away instead.
A turning point came when she was working at a community mental health center in Los Angeles. A client, devastated by his teenage stepdaughter’s suicide, came in at a complete loss–searching for support. Helping him find a grief group led Nina to seek one for herself.
That’s when she attended her first Survivors After Suicide (SAS) meeting at Didi Hirsch. “It was the first time I felt like I could talk about what happened without fear of being judged.” Being around other survivors allowed her to begin processing Jeff’s loss.
Now, more than 25 years later, she remains dedicated to this work–leading groups, suicide prevention trainings, and is renowned for her research and presentations around suicide and suicide bereavement.
“The constant throughout all these years is being able to take what initially felt like an unbearable pain and transform that into something meaningful. I use my experience to create spaces where people can share and process in ways that will cut down isolation and the stigma.”
In addition to her professional work, Nina is a dedicated donor of Didi Hirsch. Her annual contributions to the SAS program ensures it remains affordable for anyone grieving the loss of a loved one.
Healing, she has learned, is an ongoing journey. For survivors of a suicide loss, she offers hope: “The pain will become less intense. You’ll find joy again and you’ll find that your loved one will forever live within your heart.” Through every group she leads, she extends this message of healing.
