About Us

FOUNDER & GRIEF COACH

Marcia Parkinson is a certified grief coach and a licensed Associate Marriage and Family Therapist with a master's degree in Counseling Psychology. She leverages her skills in crisis, abuse, and trauma response, as well as many training and certifications, to aid people of all ages and backgrounds and many training and certifications. Marcia is committed to offering counseling services to all people to promote psychological recovery, personal strength, and emotional well-being. Through DPP, Marcia channeled her own pain and has become a source of support for others. Her purpose is to assist individuals in improving their mental health treatment to facilitate and improve the quality of their lives.

GRIEF COACH

April Dauterive is a grief coach with an exceptional talent for nurturing and bringing others to serenity. She knows sadness well, having lost both her parents, two stepparents, and her only sister. In addition, she also went through a divorce after 20 years of marriage. Her experience as a Certified Life Coach has sharpened her ability to assist others in their mourning journey. April enjoys theater, acting, singing, cookie decorating, traveling, and coaching.

GRIEF COACH

Ernesto Arreola Jr. is a passionate and empathetic counselor with a Master's Degree in School Counseling and a PPS certificate. With over 20 years of experience assisting diverse communities, Ernesto has created a repertoire of strategies and tools to support both children and adults who have experienced trauma. His purpose is to assist his clients in achieving their goals as they undergo life transitions. Ernesto enjoys hikes, traveling, watching movies, and visiting Disney World when not coaching students and families.

GRIEF COACH

Calise S. Taylor is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and a certified grief coach with Master's degrees in Psychology and Counseling & Guidance. She aspires to compassionately support people in their grief after losing her husband, son, and mother to death. Calise served as a volunteer with Mourning Star, a children's grief support organization, and led a therapeutic grief group in the California Department of Behavioral Health. Calise enjoys spending time with her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchild, as well as walking her dog, and being outside in nature.

GRIEF COACH

Selene Monroy-Arreola is a family advocate and bilingual instructor with 9 years of experience. She has spent time studying how to better help her pupils academically and socially, especially in the area of social-emotional health. With a deeper understanding and empathy for offering resources and skills to better serve those who have experienced traumas, Selene's mission is to reduce mental health stigma, especially among the Spanish-speaking population. Selene enjoys spending time in her castle at Disneyland, painting, reading, and walking by the beach when not teaching.

GRIEF COACH

James Maher has over 40 years of experience in the social services field as a front-line worker, supervisor, and manager. He has served as a Child Protective Services worker, Adult Protective Services Supervisor, and a clinician at a county mental health clinic, as well as a home health and hospice social worker and supervisor for a private sector and for Behavioral Health at a military base. With extensive experience in grief counseling, he has supervised students working toward their Master's in Social Work and Marriage & Family Counseling, as well as their LCSW/MFT license. He is passionate about helping individuals and families overcome their struggles to achieve their goals. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his family, hiking, and playing golf.