Included below are resources to help those in the midst of grief. It’s hard to know where to turn to for help, but it’s important to know that there are supports and resources available.
Understanding the grieving process and what you can do to cope
“Losing someone or something you love or care deeply about is very painful. You may experience all kinds of difficult emotions and it may feel like the pain and sadness you’re experiencing will never let up. These are normal reactions to a significant loss. But while there is no right or wrong way to grieve, there are healthy ways to cope with the pain that, in time, can renew you and permit you to move on.”
Click here to read more from HelpGuide.Org
Helping others through grief, loss, and bereavement
“It’s often hard to know what to say or do when someone you care about is grieving. You may be afraid of intruding, saying the wrong thing, or making the person feel even worse.While you can’t take away the pain of the loss, you can provide much-needed comfort and support. There are many ways to help a grieving friend or family member, starting with letting the person know you care.”
Click here to read more from HelpGuide.Org
Tips for supporting grieving teens
Teenage and adolescents are going through an often confusing time period in their lives and have unique needs especially when it comes to handling grief and recovering from incidents of loss. “If you know a teen who has experienced a death, you might be wondering, ‘How can I help?’ Here are some tips to keep in mind. In general, if you find yourself unsure of what to do or say, remember to take your cues from the teen. It’s likely that they know, or will be able to figure out, what they need.”
Click here for a tip sheet from Dougy.org
Click here for an article from Kara-Grief.org
Survivor’s Guilt
Survivor’s guilt is a sense of deep guilt that comes when one survives something when others may have not. Major traumas such as war, natural disasters, and other violent events are common incidents associated with cases of survivor’s guilt. Often times feelings of guilt, and thoughts of what might have been different if another scenario plays out in the mind of the person who is experiencing this type of trauma. Click below to read more about survivor’s guilt, what it looks and feels like and what to do to help yourself or someone you know who may be experiencing this.
Click here to read more from Whatsyourgrief.com
Help children cope with death by developmental age
Children experience the grief and anxiety that comes from loss in different ways at different stages in their developmental growth. Their outward manifestations may seem surprising if you don’t know what to expect. Use this tip sheet to help guide your understanding and approach as you help children cope with death.
Click here for a tip sheet from Tiporangecounty.org
Children grieve differently than adults do. This brief guide describes 10 basic principles of grieving for children and teenagers and how to help them through understanding their developmental needs as they relate to grief and loss.
Click here to read more from Kara-Grief.org
Understanding the stages of adult grief
Click here for the expanded infographic from Passare.com
Resources for Mental Health Professionals
Survivor’s Guilt
This thorough analysis discusses the kinds of guilt that may occur following any traumatic event. The paper includes an examination of actual culpability as well as the sense of culpability found in many trauma survivors. It offers some possible methods of dealing with guilt. The paper is divided into three segments: 1) understanding and assessing guilt, 2) guilt after surviving, and 3) guilt for actions taken or not taken that endanger others.
Click here for more from GiftFromWithin.org
Teen Trauma
Group Interventions for Treatment of Psychological Trauma
This academic paper discusses group interventions for the treatment of trauma in adolescents. The authors point out how to differentiate normative from problematic responses to trauma in adolescents. The authors also address the benefits of group interventions in treating adolescents, specifically adolescents who have suffered trauma together. And finally, it notes how to develop a workable group for treating adolescents who have suffered trauma.
Click here for paper from The American Group Psychotherapy Association
Suicide Support
This detailed guide explains how to facilitate a suicide survivors support group. Although, this guide is specific to death by suicide the concepts in the guide can be helpful for facilitating any support group of people who have been affected by trauma or loss. This guide helps people channel their grief into productive ways in order to mitigate further tragedy.
Click here for more from the Suicide Prevention Action Network
Check out The FYI’s Suicide Prevention Toolkit
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