Six Places To Find Grief Support

Death can be seen as a natural, but often unwelcome, part of life. When a friend or family member dies, many people experience sadness, anger, guilt, or despair. While grief can be a normal response to loss, not every person may be equipped to handle the challenges of working through the mourning process on their own. 

Grief support can be a valuable tool to help you explore your grief, learn healthy coping skills, and work toward healing. Support is available in many forms, including support groups, online forums, and more. Some people may benefit from online grief therapy, which generally allows individuals to meet with a therapist from the comfort of their own homes. 

Signs you could benefit from grief support

Sadness tends to be a normal emotion following the death of a loved one. However, if your grief has overtaken your life, and you struggle to complete your daily tasks, you may benefit from grief support. 

Six places to find grief support

Finding grief support can be crucial for children and adults who are navigating the difficult emotions associated with the loss of a loved one. While many people seek grief support immediately following the loss of a loved one, there is no correct timeline for grieving. Some people may choose to participate in a form of support months or years after the death of a friend or family member. 

1. Support groups

Grief support groups are generally designed to help individuals cope with loss. They typically provide a supportive place where participants can share their experiences, emotions, and challenges related to their grief. 

In a grief support group, you can connect with people who have had similar experiences and understand what you’re feeling. These social connections can promote healing and decrease the sense of isolation often associated with grief. 

Types of support groups

Virtual: A growing number of grief support groups are available online, hosted by organizations such as the following:

• GriefShare
• My Grief Angels
• Grief in Common
• The Compassionate Friends
• Children’s Bereavement Center
• Alliance of Hope for Suicide Loss Survivors
• First Candle

In-person: In-person groups may be available through local organizations. You can also learn whether face-to-face sessions are available in your area through various organizations, including several of those listed above.

General loss: General loss groups are typically open to anyone who has experienced the death of a loved one, such as a partner, parent, child, friend, sibling, or other family member. 

Specific loss: Some groups may focus on particular types of loss, such as groups for parents who have lost a child or groups for someone who lost a loved one to suicide. These groups may be helpful for connecting with others who have gone through similar loss experiences. 

Age-specific: Some grief support groups may be tailored to different age groups, spanning from children to senior adults. 

What to expect at grief support groups

Many factors of a grief support group tend to be determined by who is sponsoring the group. Generally, groups are led by a licensed professional, such as a counselor, therapist, or social worker. They typically meet on a regular basis, such as every Tuesday night or the fourth Thursday of each month. 

Some groups may be open, allowing new members to join at any time. Other groups may be closed so that a set list of participants attend for a specific duration of time. If you are considering joining a group, you may need to consider whether you’d prefer an open or closed group. 

In an open group, you may find encouragement and hope in seeing other participants who are further along in their grief journeys, though you may find it difficult to cope with frequent changes in attendees each session. A closed group typically lends itself to a smaller number of participants, which you may find beneficial or stifling, depending on your personality. A closed group traditionally has a set start and end date, so you may need to transfer to a different group if yours has ended and you would like additional support.

2. Online forums

Online forums are often available through organizations that provide virtual grief support groups. 

The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) has an online community with a section dedicated entirely to loss and grief. 

Meanwhile, Grieving.com has specific forums designed to support people with almost any loss, from the death of a parent to coping with terminal illness. 

3. Employee assistance programs

If your place of work offers an employee assistance program (EAP), you can contact a human resources representative to discover which tools are available for grief support. EAPs typically connect employees with free resources as part of their employment benefits, so you may be able to see a grief therapist at no additional cost. 

4. Religious organizations

Local religious organizations may host grief support groups or offer grief counseling. You may reach out to a community that aligns with your beliefs, such as a mosque, church, synagogue, or temple. Leaders can typically connect you to someone or make a recommendation for where to find grief support. 

5. Hospice or hospitals

Some hospice organizations and hospitals offer grief support services. For example, Sutter Health, a not-for-profit healthcare organization in California, offers several in-person grief support options, including individual counseling, creative workshops, and support groups. You can check the websites of nearby hospitals and hospice programs to learn what’s available in your area. 

6. Therapy

In grief therapy, you may speak with a licensed mental health professional about how you’re feeling. In counseling, you may learn to accept the loss, talk about your loved one, overcome any guilt associated with your loss, and decide how to transition into the next phase of life. Grief counselors are normally trained to provide the support you need to move forward.

If you’re experiencing debilitating grief, however, it may seem almost impossible just to get out of bed, let alone get dressed and drive across town to meet with a therapist. Online therapy can bridge this gap so that you can participate in therapy more easily. You can use your phone, tablet, or computer to meet with a therapist at a time and from a place that’s convenient for you. 

A 2021 meta-analysis of nine studies suggested that online therapy could successfully improve symptoms of grief, depression, and post-traumatic stress. Additionally, the therapy participants generally reported being satisfied with the treatment. 

Grief support for children

Helping children navigate grief can be especially challenging for parents and caregivers. A variety of organizations have websites where you can find handouts, support groups, training, and other resources that might be helpful to support children during a time of loss. 

National Alliance for Children’s Grief

The National Alliance for Children’s Grief (NAGC) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing support for grieving children and their families. It offers resources and advocacy to improve the quality of care for grieving children. 

The goal of NAGC is to ensure no child is left without the appropriate resources and guidance when they are grieving the loss of a loved one. You can find listings for almost 500 support centers and camps on their website.

Children’s Bereavement Center

The Children’s Bereavement Center is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to help children adjust after losing someone they love through the support of a peer community. It hosts a variety of online peer grief support groups, including specific meetings for children, adults, parents who have lost a child, and parents who lost a child before birth or as an infant. 

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Dougy Center

The Dougy Center is an organization based in Portland, Oregon that’s dedicated to supporting children and families who are grieving the loss of a loved one. It offers a comprehensive collection of grief support resources for kids, including support centers spread across the world and a library of training and education for parents and caregivers.