Helping Someone Who Grieves
First of all, kudos to you, for being you. You care, you want to help, you found your way to this page on our website. You are looking for ways to help someone you love who is grieving.
To begin, just be you. Be next to your person, and be you, and breathe. Honestly, that’s great.
To learn more, Start HERE. This page is from Speaking Grief, such an excellent resource all around, and they have assembled these great super short videos on all the best topics. Click down the sidebar on the left.
And here are some good short articles from grief professionals at What’s Your Grief that might help you frame your thinking, as you are near your person, breathing.
For more go here and watch the 10 minute video: Being There for Grieving Friends and Family: Comfort vs Support. Good article too.
How to Support a Grieving Family Member or Friend: 6 Principles, by Eleanor Haley click here
64 of the Best Things Ever Said to a Griever by Litsa Williams click here
How to Write a Sympathy Card by Litsa Williams click here
What to Send to a Funeral Instead of Flowers by Litsa Williams click here
64 Grief Support Regrets: You Don’t Know Til You Know - Instagram Poll of 1,945 people by Litsa Williams click here
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Ring Theory - How Not to Say the Wrong Thing to the Wrong Person at the Wrong Time
LA Times article by Susan Silk and Barry Goldman from 2013. If you want to scream or cry or complain, if you want to tell someone how shocked you are or how icky you feel,, that’s fine. It’s a perfectly normal response. Just do it to someone in a bigger ring. Comfort IN, dump OUT.
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How to Help a Grieving Friend
It's hard to know what to do when someone is going though a difficult time. The thing is, you can't cheer someone up by telling them to look on the bright side, or by giving them advice. It just doesn't work. Watch this video to learn the one thing that will help you support your friends in the most helpful and effective ways. This is from Megan Devine at Refuge in Grief. For sure check out her other great resources here.
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Grief Support Via Text
A paid subscription service ($99/yr) where the griever and two loved ones get multiple, customized weekly texts of support and encouragement.
Note: Some of us at Beyond Hospice are just beginning to test drive this new technology, impressed with the reviews, particularly among older, male grievers, a demographic that typically doesn’t get reach out much for grief support. If you try this, we’d love to hear your feedback!