Edgardo Lugo, MS, LCSWR, RPT-S, CGP

Edgardo Lugo, Director of Bereavement, joined Calvary Hospital in October 2022. Edgardo oversees all administrative and clinical aspects of the department. He currently leads a bereavement support group for adults who have experienced the death of a spouse due to Covid-19. He also provides individual grief support and lectures on topics related to grief and loss.

Prior to joining Calvary, Edgardo worked for numerous outpatient mental clinics sponsored by the New York Office of Mental Health. He provided psychotherapy to children, adolescents and adults. He developed a specialty in play therapy with children 5-9 and group psychotherapy. Edgardo supervised therapists and served as director and administrator of five mental health clinics.

Edgardo brings to this position both personal and clinical experience related to loss, which informs the way he leads loss and bereavement groups for children, adolescents and adults. In addition, Edgardo practiced in all of the clinics that he was in and provided counseling and psychotherapy to persons who were experiencing both healthy and complicated bereavement. Edgardo lost his brother in 1995 at the age of 33, his father in 2009 and his mother in 2011. Edgardo’s brother and mother died after long illnesses with chronic disease. Edgardo’s father died suddenly of heart failure. The grief that he experienced as a result of these deaths provided him with the insight to help those who have experienced a sudden or anticipated death. Edgardo received counseling support for the deaths that he experienced and he understands the importance of having a safe place to express and process thoughts and feelings about the circumstances related to the death, the stories of the relationship that he had with each family member and how he derived meaning to adapt and continue to have a healthy remembrance of each family member.

Edgardo’s knowledge of past and current grief theories and models of treatment, his energy and desire to help those in need, his ideas on how to build collaboratively and grow the good work that has been done in the department, and his keen interest in keeping up with the most current research on how to help people are just some of the factors that shape his commitment to Calvary.

Edgardo holds a Master’s Degree in Pastoral Counseling from Iona College and a Master’s Degree in Social Work from Fordham Graduate School of Social Service. He is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, a Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor with the Association for Play Therapy and Certified Group Psychotherapist with the American Group Psychotherapy Association.