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Resources for Working Through Grief

When you experience a loss or death, grief and its aftermath may take you by surprise. The resulting emotions take time to process. Although many people work through grief with little outside help, others need additional resources to help them heal.

  1. Support Groups

    • Support groups provide encouragement as each person shares their story. Others empathize and offer a listening ear and a safe place to vent or just cry. Support groups can be closed, meaning they have a specific start and end date and do not allow new members past the start date; others are open, allowing attendees to drop in as the need arises.

    Individual Counseling

    • For those who feel threatened by a support group or who just need further individual attention, individual counseling presents a healthy alternative. Local hospitals and online resources can provide recommendations for qualified grief counselors in your area.

    Books

    • Books on grief, death and dying also incorporate the experiences of others and wisdom from the author. These may have a spiritual focus or simply offer further insight on the stages of grief, such as that provided in the famous book by Dr. Elisabeth Kúbler-Ross, "On Death and Dying."

    Spiritual Guidance

    • Some people find great comfort in spiritual support and guidance. Chaplains, pastors, ministers, rabbis or other religious leaders can provide encouragement from a spiritual perspective. A belief in an afterlife gives many hope that death is not the end. Spiritual leaders usually allow people to ask tough questions while guiding them back to a focus on God or a higher power.

    Journal

    • Journaling helps you vent and release your feelings in a safe, nonthreatening manner. As time progresses, many people look back on initial journal entries to find the healing process has moved along more quickly than they first thought it would. There is no wrong or right way to journal. Using poems, photographs and memorabilia in a combination of journal and scrapbook formats provide a creative outlet for grief as well.

    Online Resources

    • A wealth of online information offers a variety of support to the grieving person. Websites provide constructive ways of dealing with the stages of grief and describe common reactions to grief, in addition to providing online bereavement groups. In addition, online resources can help you find support groups or other services locally to encourage you.

    Family and Friends

    • Your personal support system cannot be underestimated during this time. As you go through day-to-day life, little reminders of the loved one will bring emotions to the surface. By talking about these and processing feelings as they occur, you will be able to work through the pain.

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