In Memoriam - Suppression 2 Expression Counseling

This Page is Dedicated to Therapists who we have lost.

Eric Weaver

06/10/1987-08/05/2025

Eric was a beloved friend and colleague to many of us here at Suppression 2 Expression Counseling. Several of us here had worked with Eric for years and in multiple different work settings. We had relationships with him outside of just our work together as therapists.

A donation has been made in his memory to the American Lung Association.
This post is in memoriam to Eric and all of the lives that he touched.

An obituary has also been set up in his memory with the Grand Rapids Cremation Services.

Below are statements collected from friends, colleagues, and clients.
Please note that no names have been listed for clients for privacy reasons.

“He was too young. He was a literal earth angel. Someone that always had a quick witted comment or statement to bring you back from the darkest experience. When we worked at our old job there were many times when this would happen where we would have callers that were struggling with suicidal thoughts or have to do an active emergency intervention and he was always the calm amidst the storm. We would share notes with each other to remind each other we were badasses and doing work that many folks could not do. I would ask him for hugs when we got closer because he was the best hugger in the world! Thankfully he came to work with our team at SEC and was able to have a reasonable caseload because at times I would hear him say he had 30-40 clients where he was working. He seemed to be thriving within the last couple of years with his chosen family that he spoke fondly of and more recently his beloved kitty Niles whom he adopted from Sam. I always admired his love of books and his voracious reading capacity. He was the best counselor: kind, gentle, always learning, and always preoccupied with being a better therapist. He was one of my favorite people to consult with because he had an answer he just needed to slow down and process through what he wanted to do and always had great insight even in the most complicated of situations.

Friend, I love you and know this isn’t forever, we will meet again. I am so sad that we can’t do the IFS training we were planning on doing together but I’ll do it and keep consulting with you in the mantra of, “what would Eric say or do in this situation.” I wish we had more time to have more adventures with one another but I will be forever grateful for the time I had with you on this rock flying through space.” – Lyza Ballard

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“I worked with him for years and he always was compassionate, understanding, and insightful. He was nervous to try to new things and was cautious, but he still challenged and pushed himself despite that! Even though he was nervous to step out of his comfort zone and try private practice, he still pushed himself to do it. Even though he was nervous about adopting his cat, Niles, he still did it. He wanted to make sure he would be the best cat dad and could give Niles a good life. He was always concerned about putting others before himself and making sure that he felt prepared for anything before he made the decision to step into something new. He always tried to do his best by his clients, and prioritize their care. Eric will be remembered well and fondly.” – Sam Shump

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“I only met Eric about three times but I liked him right away. Eric was a special person, who was in the right career. He was authentic and open. Although, I had only known him for a short time, it stood out that he had a natural gift of connecting with others. He made me feel seen and heard and I am deeply saddened by his sudden loss. Rest in peace Eric.” – Holly Normington

“Eric became my therapist when I started grad school to become a clinical mental health counselor. I am now at the end of my field work and I can say without a doubt, I would not have made it here with most of my sanity if I did not have Eric in my corner. Although our cultural backgrounds are different, we had a lot of similarities and Eric’s keen understanding of what I was experiencing personally and academically really helped me grow and recognize and accept some challenging truths. Eric was not just a kind, relatable, dependable, and funny individual, in my case he was a life saver, an inspiration, and the best therapist I have ever had. He will be greatly missed and his absence will be felt for a long while to come.”
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“Eric, wherever you are now after death, I want you to know that you made a big difference in my life. You helped me through one of the hardest times in my life, and assisted me in thinking rationally when I was way too emotional. I felt like you really “saw me.” Very few people possess the ability to truly “see you,” without invaliding, gaslighting, dismissing, or minimizing. I know that you were my therapist, but there were times in my life where I felt like you were my only friend in the world. Wherever you are, I hope you are happy and doing well. I wish you only the best and I will never forget you.”
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“Each week, over the last few months, I looked forward to speaking with Eric because I have never been able to be as honest with another human being about my true self and feel as accepted as Eric made me feel, as quickly as he did. Because of Eric, I found a way to embrace my truest self in a sea of clouded emotions and a tangled mess of external expectations. Eric guided me through my journey of discovering that I am a neurodivergent Autistic adult, but he taught me that I am not wrong or broken for that. In this way, Eric didn’t feel like a therapist, he felt like mentor who never forced his own life experience or advice on me.
Recently, I did neuropsychological testing, and during my interview I told the neuropsychologist about the things Eric has taught me. Near the end of our interview, my neuropsychologist said to me “Eric sounds like an excellent therapist, you are very lucky that you somehow got it on the first try. Keep him around.”
Eric was my first therapist.
I have much to say, but I think this small story about one of our sessions sums up all of Eric’s character.
In one of our sessions, Eric jumped online, and he asked me how I was doing. I told him I was okay. Eric then calmly, after recognizing I was having a good day, explained that one of his other clients was struggling quite a bit today, and they collectively decided the client needed emergency care. He asked me if it would be okay if he waited and stayed on call with his client to ensure that the client made it into the Emergency Care safely. I, of course, said yes. But as we talked for a minute, I could tell that Eric’s concern went beyond being purely occupational. Eric had genuine human concern, and he wanted to ensure his client was well and safe. He felt it was his personal duty and responsibility as a human being to speak with his client as the transportation was happening and stay on the line with them.
I never imagined that I would feel appreciation for another person in as short a period of time as I have for Eric, or the feeling of loss I feel now, but I think that’s just the kind of person Eric was.
If you want tangible, logical, irrefutable proof that Eric was one of the best damn therapists to ever grace this planet.
I have been unemployed for 1 year and 7 months and struggled to find pace and schedule myself and build confidence in my abilities to find employment and rebuild a semblance of normalcy in my life.
Yesterday, I received a job offer.
I know, 100%, that I would have never been able to do that without Eric’s help.
Because of Eric, now I know who I am, even if that person isn’t who I thought it was.
Because of Eric, I know that I am capable of anything, even if it takes a bit more time than others.
Because of Eric, I know that my life belongs to me, and it is worth living every day.”
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“The first time I met Eric, he reminded me of a Simpsons character, Dr. Marvin Monroe. Both are bearded, bespectacled mental health professionals and that’s about where the similarities end, though. Still, something about that made me instantly like him. As we worked together over the course of a year, I would come to know him as one of the best people I’ve ever met. Eric had a wonderful sense of humor, was extremely patient and kind, and was smart and engaging and great to talk to. He had a wonderful ability to accept people as they are and focus on the positive aspects of life without ignoring or dismissing the challenges in life. I loved talking about books, music, and old videogames and sitcoms with him and hearing about how he had been bonding with his cat Niles. He was really easy to talk to and a wonderful friend, counselor, confidant, advocate and ally that made me feel like I could be better. He made being kind and patient look effortless.”
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“I don’t even know where to start. This isn’t a letter I imagined myself writing. You were always a call or message away, and now you’re gone. I can’t believe I’ll never hear your voice again, or have you help me untangle my thoughts when they’re knotted up. I keep thinking about how much you’ve been there for me, through the absolute toughest times in my life.
No one in my life has ever had the healthy emotional impact on me that you did. You knew me better than I knew myself sometimes. You never judged me, you never gave up on me, and you always made me feel like it was okay to be exactly where I was. You’d tell me right now that it’s okay to grieve and be sad. You’d say it’s not weakness—it’s human. You’d have that calm, comforting tone, and sometimes, even without saying much, you’d make me feel better again.
You always told me to write letters when I needed to sort out my thoughts. This is actually the first time I’m really doing it. And just like in our sessions, you never pressured me—you just let me come to it when I was ready. That was one of the things I appreciated most about you.
I’m angry and scared that you’re gone. I wish I could just reach out one more time and know you’d be there. But I also know I’ll always carry your voice with me, and I’m going to try to let it guide me the way you always did.
Thank you for being my lifeline. Thank you for being my friend. I’m going to miss you terribly, but I’ll keep you with me in everything you taught me and try to give myself the same compassion you gave me.
I’ll miss you”
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“Eric Weaver was my favorite therapist, and one of my favorite people, such a great sense of humor and banter. Often we read the same books, and he was very supportive of the novel writing I started doing. Eric was a lovely kind soul and we will really miss him. “
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“Eric was one in a million. I sometimes shared what I learned from my sessions with my brother and sister, and as D&D nerds ourselves, we lovingly referred to Eric as Eric the Cleric, then Therapist Eric the Cleric, which eventually was shortened to Theric. I loved his analogies, his stories he’d weave into his advice, and his thoughtfulness. He assisted me through some very tumultuous times of personal loss and change, especially last year, and gave wise words that helped me grow in confidence into the person I am today. He advocated for me, as I am sure he did for many others, to show myself kindness, and I truly hope that he was able to feel that from others in his life as well. He deserved that and so much more. His humor, gentleness and compassion will not be forgotten.”

Jahan Farzam

11/26/1985-09/19/2023

Jahan had not been with us here at Suppression 2 Expression very long before his passing, and we sadly did not have the time to get to know him very well. In the short time we had with him, it was clear that he was someone that truly did his best to make a difference in the world.

A donation has been made in his memory to the Michigan Deaf Association.

This post is in memoriam to Jahan and all of the lives that he touched.

As he was not with us long, we do not have any statements from his clients to share.

An obituary has been set up in his memory with Dignity Memorial.

“Jahan was an incredible person. I am really bummed that I didn’t get to know him better over the time of working with him, however what I was able to understand was that he was a kind hearted, funny, and creative person. He desperately wanted to help people and to be the therapist he wished he had access too. The world has lost a bright star especially his ASL/Deaf community! We will miss him terribly and send so much love and healing to his family and friends!”
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“He was a cheerleader and unwavering supporter of Camp Chris. For over 20 years, Jahan shared and demonstrated his love of Camp Chris campers, staff, and its mission.”
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“He was a wonderful person. He was a therapist who often seemed to put others before himself. He was proactive in the community and striving to connect with and help those around him.
He was loved, appreciated, and will be missed.”