Grief is the very natural response to the loss of a significant person or thing from our life. Grief takes time, and the length of time is different for everyone as they move through the process. Our brochure The Process of Grief elaborates on this point.

Death is the loss which most often causes intense emotional pain and many other different responses. Often the cause of the death brings with it its own complexities. An example of this is when death occurs through a completed suicide. Our brochure Surviving Suicide gently outlines some helpful ways to cope with this devastating event. 

Perhaps when we are grieving we find ourselves behaving in ways which surprise us and/or others. There is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way to grieve. There are many reasons which influence our responses. Our information sheet Factors Influencing Grief Responses may assist in understanding your own feelings and/or those of family members and friends.

A significant factor which influences our responses is our age at the time of the loss. Children develop over a period of years in their ability to grasp concepts such as time and the permanency of death. Our brochure Children and Death offers a concise overview of this development of understanding which will assist parents, teachers, caregivers and others who support grieving children.

Sometimes, in life, we experience losses which are not recognised publicly and therefore we do not receive the support we need. Our information sheet Grief Can Come in Many Forms and at Many Times acknowledges this fact, and offers insights into what an individual may be dealing with privately.

What can I say to help someone who is grieving? A very commonly asked question. Our information sheet Some Helpful Suggestions will assist you to give the quality of help you wish to offer.

For more information, please go to Podcasts.