Co-founder and Executive Director of Tamarack Grief Resource Center, Dr. Tina Barrett, LCPC, has focused on stabilizing, strength-oriented support for trauma survivors and family systems since 1994. Specializing in nature-based grief support, Barrett has facilitated over 100 bereavement groups and grief camps since 1996 in Montana and six other states, and offered facilitator training and supervision for over 20 years. Barrett is honored to serve on the Board of Directors for the National Alliance for Children’s Grief (NACG) and as a Senior Consultant for the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) as well as on the Leadership Team of Project Tomorrow Montana. She provides interactive, inspiring trainings throughout Montana and at national conferences including Association for Death Educators and Counselors (ADEC); National Alliance for Children’s Grief (NACG); and National Bereavement Camp Conference and has published numerous chapters and articles. Barrett received the 2019 Community Educator Award from the Association of Death Educators and Counselors (ADEC).

my “why”:

Wild places have gifted me perspective, healing, confidence, and insight. The sudden death of my Grandma strongly impacted my teen years. Many people are incredibly uncomfortable addressing death, grief, hope and healing, even though we are all impacted by loss. Relationships are complex and tricky even in the best of circumstances. Death ends a life – not a relationship.  We often struggle with how to honor a relationship with a loved-one who is no longer walking on this earth. TGRC supports people to integrate losses into their lives in ways that are meaningful to them, and to re-access hope.

re-charging & delight-finding:

Work is part of life and I think it can be a set up to feel like “my time” is only that time outside of work. We choose work, and it is part of our lives. The more we all recognize and take ownership for creating vital, healthy, positive, active workplaces, the more “my time” we end up with.

That being said, outside of work I do not have my phone ringer turned on. This decreases distractions or disruptions by work calls and allows me to be more present and enjoy family or friends, or to soak in the goodness of a hike with my dog, a jaunt on a paddle-board or skis, or a really good book.

Community Outreach

• Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors Board of Advisers, Present

• Camp Mak-A-Dream, Oncology Camp Workshop Facilitator, 2000-2008

• National Bereavement Camp Conference, Presenter, 2011 & 2013

• Montana Nursing Association State Convention, Presenter, 2010

• Association for Death Educators and Counselors, Presenter, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016

• National Alliance for Grieving Children Symposium Presenter, 2008, 2014, 2015, 2016

• Bike and Build: Community Workshop – Trauma Support Coordinator/Facilitator

• Ronan School District: Personal Training - Grief In Schools

• Plains Medical Center Educational Workshop: Supporting Grieving Kids, 2007

• NASW Supporting Military Personnel and Families, Exhibitor, 2007

• Group Facilitator Training: Grief after Suicide, DPHHS, 2010, 2011, 2012

• Grief in Schools, Department of Public Health: Foster Parent Training – Kids & Grief

• Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, Camp and Seminar Facilitator,  2007-Present

Specialized Trainings

• Robert Neimeyer, PhD - Lessons of Loss: Working with complicated grief, 2011

• Association for Death Educators and Counselors, Being a Healing Presence in a Hurting World, 2012

• Open to Hope: Grief following trauma and tragedy with Heidi Horsley, PsyD, LCSW, 2012 

• Devastating Losses: New Understandings, New Directions, Jack Jordan, PhD, 2013

• Grief After Suicide: Understanding Consequences & Caring for Survivors, Jack Jordan, PhD, 2013

• Trauma Practice: Tools for Stabilization and Recovery, Eric Gentry, PhD, 2014

• Professional Resiliency: Fitness for the Frontline, Eric Gentry, PhD, 2014

• Montana Conference for Suicide Prevention, 2014

• Suicide Prevention Summit, 2014

• Association for Death Educators and Counselors, Riding the Dragon,  2014

• Association for Death Educators and Counselors, Strengthening the Inner life of the Caregiver, 2014

• Association for Death Educators and Counselors, Bridging Research & Practice DSM 5, 2014

• Mindfulness in Grief: Techniques for Post traumatic Growth - 2015

• Best Practices in Suicide Bereavement: A New National Report - John Jordan Phd; Robert Neimeyer PhD; Franklin Cook, MA, 2015

• Considering the Loss of a Child in the Context of Grieving Couples, 2015

•  The internal Worlds of Grieving Families - Janice Winchester Nadeau, Phd, LP, LMFT, RN FT-2015

• Teaching about Life and Living in Death & Dying Courses - Charles Corr, PhD, 2015

• Family Bereavement Program Effects on Bereaved Parents, Tim Ayers, PhD; Irwin Sandler, PhD, Jenn-Yun tein, PhD; Heining Cham, MA; Sharlene A Wolchik, PhD

• Transforming Trauma - How to do this work and not completely lose our minds, Laura Van Dernoot Lipsky

• Old Meets New, East Meets West: The Fusion of Grief Experience of Ritualization Among Chinese, Amy Chow PhD, 2015

• Meaning Centered Grief Therapy: Theory, Practice, and Promise, Wendy Lichtenthal PhD & Corinne Sweeney, MA, 2015

• Post Traumatic Growth Following the Loss of a Pet, 2015

• The National Alliance for Grieving Children Literature Compilation Project: Addressing the State of Research on Childhood & Adolescent Grief, 2015

• Suicide Assessment, Intervention, and Care with John Sommers-Flanagan, PhD, 2015

• Social, Emotional, and Cultural Dimensions of Grief, John Sommers-Flanagan, PhD, 2015

• Creative and Inclusive Approaches to Grief, Alesia K. Alexander, MSW, 2016

• Suicide Bereavement Clinician Training, Jack Jordan, PhD, 2016

• Grief and the Quest for Meaning: Trauma-Informed Interventions, 2020

• Grief and the Quest for Meaning: Attachment-Informed Interventions, 2020

• Debriefing Critical Incidents: Creating Healing Spaces - A Train the Facilitator Workshop, 2020

Publications

• Barrett, T. & Murphy, M. (2017). The dirt on sibling grief: A look at bereavement camps. In B.J. Marshall & H. R. Winokuer (Eds). Sibling Loss Across the Lifespan (pp. 184-192). New York: Routledge.

• Barrett, C. (2012). The grief spiral. In R. A. Neimeyer (Ed.). Techniques of grief therapy: Creative practices for counseling the bereaved (pp. 347-350). New York: Routledge.

• Barrett, T. (2012). The dirt on teen grief: Models of outdoor-based support programs for bereaved adolescents.  The Forum, 38  (2), 19-20.

• Mayer, D. & Barrett, C. (2012). Memory Boats . In R. A. Neimeyer (Ed.). Techniques of grief therapy: Creative practices for  counseling the bereaved (pp. 351-353). New York: Routledge.

• Thiel, C. & Barrett, C. (2012). Natural Reminders. In R. A. Neimeyer (Ed.). Techniques of grief therapy: Creative practices for  counseling the bereaved (pp. 247-249). New York: Routledge.

• Barrett, C. (2003). Bereavement Camp: A qualitative analysis of a therapeutic program for grieving youth. Unpublished manuscript. University of MT archives.

• Sommers-Flanagan, R; Barrett-Hakanson, T; Clarke, C; Sommers-Flanagan, J. (2000). Coping Skills for Adolescents. Journal for Specialists in Group Work, 25(2), p170-90.