Emilio Parga, M.Ed.

Bereavement Education Coordinator

Emilio Parga, M.Ed., a former elementary school teacher and school counselor, is the Founder and Executive Director of The Solace Tree, a grief and loss support center for children, teens, and adults in Reno, Nevada. Over the past 20 years, he has coordinated support groups at The Solace Tree as well as for four School Districts in Nevada, providing on-site training and support to staff, families, and students who have been identified at risk, through the Good Grief Project that he specifically created for K-12 students.

In addition to his work at The Solace Tree, Emilio facilitates National Mens Grief and Loss Support Groups for the Nevada Donor Network’s - After Care Program.  These groups consist of support for first responders and men who need support.  He currently serves as an Adjunct Professor in the HDFS department at the University of Nevada, Reno teaching an undergraduate/graduate course in Death and Dying.  A national speaker, Emilio serves as a bereavement consultant/trainer to local schools, social services, hospitals, funeral homes, and businesses.

Emilio is the author of No Child Should Grieve Alone, Love Never Stops, and other journals on grief and loss for both children and teens.  Emilio’s books are published in three languages and sell both nationally and internationally. Additionally, he has co-founded four grief centers in Nevada and one in New York. He is a member of The National Alliance for Grieving Children.