WOMEN WHO INSPIRE
Empathetic Support
KELLY KARAVOUSANOS’ GRIEF SUPPORT IS INDIVIDUALIZED
By Vi c k i B e n n i n g t o n
K
elly Karavousanos’ own personal experiences have
made her more empathetic, and as she put it, “opened
my eyes wider as to what people are feeling while
grieving.”
When she was 21, her grandmother died at the
age of 58.
“She was like my second mother, and nobody in my family
– including me and my parents - knew how to cope. There wasn’t that
much help available then, or at least nobody offered it to us. There
wasn’t even a book that we knew about,” she said. “It was truly at least a
five-year process for me to get through it.”
Just two years ago, Karavousanos lost her father, ironically, also at
the age of 58.
“His loss has been extremely traumatic,” she said. “He battled cancer
for five years, but that still didn’t prepare me. I don’t think anything ever
makes that kind of loss easier.”
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However, nearly 20 years after her grandmother’s death, bereavement
services have vastly improved, she said.
“I always say that all good counselors have a good counselor of their
own, and I do,” she said. “It is very helpful. I try to live by my own advice
– which isn’t always easy to do.”
A licensed professional counselor, Karavousanos is grateful for the
appreciation of life that her position as director of grief services at
Baue Funeral Homes and Center for Hope and Healing has instilled in
her. She cherishes the time she spends with her two children and her
husband, Colby Hitchcock, who is an embalmer and director of funeral
service operations at Baue.
“Working as a grief counselor has changed the way I interact with
my own family and friends, and made me realize just how precious life
is,” Karavousanos said. “It is so fleeting, and I’ve learned to be especially
thankful for the time we have. Even if I leave the house angry, I still say,
‘I love you.’ You never know how life can change.”
A 20-year veteran as a counselor in areas of bereavement, mental
health, social services and substance abuse, Karavousanos joined Baue
about 13 years ago.
“I was looking for my own niche, and at Baue, I knew I had found
it,” she said.
In 2013, the Baue-affiliated Center for Hope and Healing opened,
offering counseling beyond the company’s free bereavement services.
“Not everyone needs the same amount of help dealing with grief.
People have their own way of coping,” Karavousanos said. “Many times,
complicated grief needs more support. Dealing with a young death, a
suicide or a car accident can often make it much more difficult without
help.”
That’s where Karavousanos - one of four counselors - and her
therapy dog, Teddy, a 2-year-old golden doodle, come in.
“Teddy can help in ways that I cannot,” Karavousanos said. “When
there are no words to say, Teddy helps without them. He’s a comfort
dog, and he goes to work with me every day.”
The canine can be especially helpful when Karavousanos is helping
children, encouraging them to talk to Teddy, which can be much more
comfortable for those who are reticent about revealing their feelings
to an adult.
“Teddy is good therapy not only for families, but for me and my co-
workers,” she said.
And Karavousanos tries to keep in mind that there are really no