Mila Tecala, social worker, grief counselor and longtime
diocesan volunteer and employee, died June 24. She was a
parishioner of St. Andrew the Apostle Church in Clifton.
Tecala was born in the Phillipines, and earned her master of
social work from the University of Michigan in 1966. She
worked as a clinical social worker in Michigan before moving
to Washington, where she started a private practice as a
therapist and consultant. Her practice, the Center for Loss
and Grief, focuses on helping people rebuild their lives
after experiencing the death of a loved one.
She is the co-author of a book written to help attorneys and
mental health professionals better understand their client’s
needs, titled Grief and Loss: Identifying Damages in
Wrongful Death Cases.
In 1999, the Washingtonian named Tecala one of the top
psychotherapists in the metro area. She was the National
Association of Social Worker’s Social Worker of the Year in
2000. After Sept. 11, 2001, Tecala worked as a grief
counselor for the affected employees of American Airlines in
addition to many others throughout the diocese.
Tecala was involved with Catholic Charities for more than 30
years. She served on Catholic Charities’ board of directors,
and provided training to staff on loss and grief. She was
also the board liaison for Charities’ Family Services
Department.
David Cavanaugh, director of Family Services, said Tecala was
a source of comfort in the wake of traumas. “She was able to
leaven a calm and gentle curiosity around the hardest things
we have to face,” he said. “All of us are invited into the
knowing love of God. I experienced Mila, just being herself,
as extending that invitation.”
She is survived by her two sons, Raoul of Vienna and Chris of
Centreville, and five grandchildren – David, Grace, Johnny,
Noah and Jack.
Visitation will be held July 7 from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8
p.m. at Money and King Funeral Home in Vienna. A Mass of
Christian burial will be offered at St. Andrew the Apostle
July 8 at 10:30 a.m, with interment immediately following at
Fairfax Memorial Park.
Husar can be reached at [email protected]
