Coping with Grief

Grief is not a permanent state, but a personal process that one goes through as a means of coping with loss. While everyone experiences it differently, the pain is universal. Emotions such as sadness, guilt, anger, or fear are natural during this time. Support services can provide a safe space to express your feelings, whether with a professional or alongside others navigating their own loss. You don’t have to face grief alone.

Common types of grief services & support

• In-person and online support groups: Support groups offer companionship and give you the opportunity to share your story openly and guilt-free. You also have the opportunity to hear the stories of others and talk about coping day-to-day, as well as on the most difficult days of your grief.
• Grief camps and retreats: These services incorporate therapeutic activities and programs to help families, children and individuals through the healing process.
• Private counseling: Counseling offers the opportunity to talk things over with a trained counselor, which can help you make sense of your feelings. Counselors can offer you encouragement, support and advice through the grieving process.
• Remembrance memorials: Many organizations, including funeral homes, hold community remembrance/memorial services throughout the year on special occasions like during the holiday seasons. This is done to honor those lost throughout the year and to help families remember their loved ones.

Coping with Holidays

Holidays are especially difficult if you've recently lost someone through death. By planning ahead, however, and dealing realistically with your expectations, you can turn holidays from something to simply be gotten through to instead be a time for reflection and even rejuvenation. We've compiled a list of resources and advice for this specific season of life.

Questions to ask your funeral director

1. Is there someone in our community who provides grief support for someone who has experienced a loss similar to mine?
2. Do grief support services cost anything? Are there any free support services in our area or online?
3. How long after the death should a family wait before looking for grief services?
4. What can I expect to get out of a support group?
5. How long should I expect to attend support groups before feeling better?
6. How do I choose a support group?

Free Grief Support Group from OGR

As you begin to face life without the one you love, know that you can rely on us to guide, advise and support you. Sharing your grief with others who understand what you’re going through may help you cope with your loss.  You and your family are invited to participate in a monthly grief support group that meets via video conference, facilitated by OGR's in-house bereavement expert Nancy Weil. You’ll be free to ask questions, express what you’re feeling or simply listen in without speaking. You may participate in as many or as few monthly sessions as you wish, always within a compassionate and confidential setting.

You'll find a connection with others who understand the pain you are feeling because they are grieving, too. You'll find a highly skilled facilitator who will teach you tools to help you navigate the journey of grief. You'll find that you can make it through another day. If you have a friend or family member who is also grieving, please share our program information with them, as our programs are open to anyone who is in need of our services. 

How to Join: The "Hope After Heartache" grief support group is held the third Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m. EST / 4 p.m. PT.  There are two ways you can join:

• Video and/or Audio Chat from your computer, tablet or smartphone: tinyurl.com/Hope-After-Heartache
• Phone/Audio Only: (646) 876-9923, meeting ID 917 7868 2953
• You do not need a participant ID - hit the # key when asked. 

Additional Grief Support Resources

General Resources

Specialized Support

Loss of a Child

Children & Grief

Children cope with grief differently than adults. After losing a loved one, a child may go from crying one minute to playing the next. Playing can be a defense mechanism for children to keep them from becoming overwhelmed. It is also normal for a child to feel depressed, guilty, anxious and even angry towards the person who has died or even at someone else entirely.

More than adults, children need time to take a break from grief. Mood changes or feelings of grief, even several years after the event, are common as a child adapts to the loss of someone. It is important to listen to children, meet them on their terms and come to understand their unique grief reactions.

We've compiled some practical ideas and guidelines for helping children in your life learn to grieve. If needed, below is a list of organizations and programming specifically aimed at helping children learn to grieve.

Resources for Grieving Children

Sources for information on this page include OGR's 2011 booklet, "Learning to Cope," as well as HelpGuide.org's Coping with Grief & Loss and The Dougy Center's Support Group Frequently Asked Questions.