Our Stories Link Us

Embrace grief.

Equip hearts.

Empower healing.

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How to Support

Mission and Vision

Transformation & Growth

The BRAVE Family: Our mission at Bereaved Together is God-breathed — We create safe, supportive spaces for bereaved mothers, families, and supporters, offering wellness-based resources, workshops, and community spaces to help transform grief — mind, body, and soul.

Grief doesn’t have to isolate us; it can bring us together. We transform bereavement into a path of healing to honor our children and our own lives.

The BRAVE Space: Our vision is to open a wellness collective in southeastern Wisconsin — a place where the bereaved can come together to heal through various therapeutic modalities, surrounded by compassionate support.

We are building a BRAVE movement within the grief community, shifting the focus of bereavement from death to life. Together, we are BRAVE-ing grief and healing.

Values

Equip Hearts

As bereaved individuals, we know the power of adversity and heartache. We also know the incredible power of community.

We stand in the power of possibility in love with purpose through supportive values.

Bravery: Facing grief with courage and an open heart, empowering each other to move forward as we carry the love of our child.

Respect: Honoring every individual's unique journey through loss, with compassion and dignity.

Authenticity: Creating genuine, transparent connections that foster healing and community.

Vitality: Shifting the focus from loss to life, nurturing wellness and personal growth through grief.

Empathy: Understanding and supporting others' pain, creating a space for shared healing and strength.

Founder's Story

Lisa Price, I am BRAVE

Experiencing my life’s greatest challenge has driven me to support the bereaved community and educate their support networks. In April 2017, I became a bereaved mom after the fatal diagnosis and subsequent death of my infant daughter, Ari. I knew her short life carried a great purpose—greater than my pain.

Ari’s death, and more importantly, her life, changed my heart forever. Her name means “lion of God,” and she taught me what it truly means to be BRAVE—embracing others with support, community, and purpose.

Working alongside grief and bereavement experts, prioritizing wellness, and engaging in the hard work of grief, I felt a deep calling to help other bereaved mothers rebuild their lives after loss. Early on, I noticed a gap: while support is often available immediately after loss, such as in the hospital where grief often begins, those resources don’t endure or evolve to meet the ongoing needs of a grieving mother's heart.

In my experience, and through conversations with fellow grieving mothers, I recognized a profound need for something beyond immediate grief resources—a next step for those living with grief long after the world seems to have moved on. This understanding led me to become a certified Life Coach through the Institute of Life Coach Training, specializing in grief and bereavement.

As a grief wellness coach, I launched an online grief support program, offering group coaching centered on holistic wellness. This initiative provided a safe, nurturing space for grievers to heal, connect, and find growth, which quickly inspired the vision for hosting in-person events that unite grievers in meaningful and transformative ways.

Out of this vision, Bereaved Together was born, with a mission to foster a culture of constructive community support. Our purpose is to create supportive opportunities for grieving mothers to honor their children's' lives by honoring their own - heart, mind, body, and soul.

It’s an incredible privilege to be welcomed into the sacred spaces of grief and healing. Through Bereaved Together, I’m honored to share my daughter Ari’s life and legacy with this extraordinary community—our BRAVE family. I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity to co-create a space where Ari’s BRAVE legacy thrives, where mission and vision are realized, and where the bereaved can rediscover purpose and possibility in their lives.

With big, BRAVE dreams, I look forward with hope and excitement to all that lies ahead!

Our 'BRAVE team'

Denise Opansky

With a background in merchandising for Mattel and over a decade of service at the US Department of Labor, I bring strong organizational and coordination skills to the board.

After experiencing the loss of my granddaughter, Ari, I’ve seen firsthand the need for grief support and am committed to helping Bereaved Together provide the community and resources so many families need. In my free time, I enjoy exploring nature, attending local theater, and spending time with my family and grandchildren.

Treasurer

Shelly Cannistra

As a Shorewest Realtor with a background in digital marketing, I bring over a decade of experience in client relations and digital strategy to the board.

Having witnessed the impact of loss on my loved ones, I’m passionate about Bereaved Together's mission and the vital role it plays in offering real support to grieving mothers and their families. In my free time, I enjoy yoga, biking with my husband, and spending quality time with family and friends.