Pregnancy and infant loss can leave parents feeling isolated in their grief, especially when they struggle to find others who understand. Our partner, UC Davis Health, is helping families navigate these difficult experiences through HALO (Healing After the Loss of a Child). HALO is a support group that offers connection, compassion, and a safe space to grieve alongside others who have experienced similar losses.
Finding Support Through Shared Experiences
Founded in 2021 by UC Davis perinatal psychiatrist Shannon Clark, HALO meets weekly online to support parents grieving miscarriage or infant loss. The group combines peer connection with clinician-led care, helping participants work through grief, guilt, and trauma. Parents can attend for as long as they need, and both healthcare provider referrals and self-referrals are welcome.
Turning Personal Grief Into Remembrance
After experiencing a miscarriage in 2021, Michelle Jaromay found comfort in creating a memorial bench in honor of her baby, Ariel. Located along a walking path overlooking a lake near her home, the bench became a quiet place to remember her child and begin healing. Her experience also highlighted how difficult it can be for grieving parents to find understanding and support from others. With the help of Dr. Clark, Jaromay turned that personal act of remembrance into something larger: a gathering where families could honor their babies and connect with others who understand the pain of pregnancy and infant loss.
Helping Families Know They Are Not Alone
The annual ARIEL HALO remembrance event will take place October 18, bringing families together for music, reflections, and a memorial butterfly release. The gathering gives parents an opportunity to remember their babies, share their stories, and find comfort in a community that recognizes their loss. Through both the ongoing HALO support group and this annual event, our partner UC Davis Health is helping families find connection during an incredibly difficult time. Families interested in joining HALO can contact referral@halosupportgroup.net.
Read the full story from UC Davis Health to learn more about HALO, the families it supports, and the power of finding community after pregnancy or infant loss.
