Marcia Epstein

Marcia Epstein, LMSW, is a long-time member of the USA and beyond suicide prevention community. Her special areas are grief, suicide grief, reducing suicide risk, and support for trans and nonbinary youth and adults.  Her home is Lawrence, Kansas, USA where she served first as a volunteer then as Director for 34 years of Headquarters Counseling Center (KSPHQ). KSPHQ serves Kansas on 988, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.  

Her current social work practice is rooted in compassion, expertise, accessibility, and collaboration. Through individual and family work, support groups, retreats, and special events, she helps people learn the skills for thriving. Her support groups include: Healing After Suicide, for survivors of suicide loss; Stayin’ Alive, for people living with suicide thoughts, self-harm, and attempts; and Thriving Family-Friends, for family-friends of suicidal loved ones.

Marcia serves on the Steering Committee for NAMI Douglas County, Kansas. She is part of a grief support team with Robin Goff, founder of The Light Center. Since September 2021, she has been active in two international movements: Coalition of Clinician Survivors, for professional mental health caregivers with personal and/or professional experiences with suicide loss; and PAUSE, People Addressing and Understanding Suicide Experiences.  She also provides training, consultation, and she hosts a podcast and events at “The Intersection of Art and Emotional Wellbeing.”  Learn more here.