Resources for the Grieving Adult
National/International organizations
- David Kessler’s resources Grief.com ; certified Grief Educator support (therapists, coaches, peer-to-peer) available here: https://grief.com/grief-help/
- Friends for Survival; resources specific to death by suicide: https://friendsforsurvival.org
Including:- Talking to Children and Teens about death by suicide: https://friendsforsurvival.org/children-%26-teens-grief
- GriefShare (Christian support groups): https://www.griefshare.org/
Parents Grieving the Loss of a Child (any age)
- Compassionate Friends (child loss); has local chapters: https://www.compassionatefriends.org
- Emmaus Ministry for Grieving Parents (Catholic; approved by US Conference of Catholic Bishops): https://www.emfgp.org/
- Emmaus Ministry Bibliography: https://cdn.emfgp.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/1-22-Bibliography-for-Grieving-Parents.pdf
- Red Bird Ministries (approved by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops) for any child loss (pregnancy through adult children): https://www.redbird.love
- Therapy, spiritual direction, app for online support https://apps.apple.com/us/app/red-bird-ministries/id1640873677
Resources specific to traumatic loss (accident, heart attack, homicide, suicide, overdose)
- Call 988, the suicide and crisis lifeline
- Catholic teaching regarding suicide: https://catholicmhm.org/whenalovedonediesbysuicide
- Peer-to-Peer Support in Orange County: Mon - Fri | 7:30 AM - 9:30 PM; Sat - Sun | 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM: 714-New Hope or 714-639-4673
- https://friendsforsurvival.org/helpful-books
https://www.wingsgrief.org/nans-published-articles
https://friendsforsurvival.org
Books for Grieving Adults
Bernstein, Judith R. When the Bough Breaks. Forever After the Death of a Son or Daughter.
Bolton, Iris with Curtis Mitchell. My Son...My Son... A Guide to Healing After Death, Loss or Suicide.
Buechner, Frederick. Telling Secrets. A Memoir.
Cacciatore, Joanne: Bearing the Unbearable
Cobain, Beverly, and Larch, Jean. Dying to be Free. A Healing Guide for Families after a Suicide.
Collins, Judy. Sanity and Grace. A Journey of Suicide, Survival, and Strength.
D'Arcy, Paula: Gift of the Red Bird, A Spiritual Encounter.
Didion, Joan: The Year of Magical Thinking
Dobson, James. When God Doesn't Make Sense. Holding onto your faith during the hardest times.
Griefshare. Your Journey from Mourning to Joy (manual to accompany groups).
Griefshare. Surviving the Holidays. A Survival Guide.
Holzer, Jason. Shattered by Suicide, Renewed by Resilience. How to Move Forward After Being Left Behind.
Hutchinson, Gloria. Damage Done. Suicide of an Only Son.
Kessler, David. Finding Meaning. The Sixth Stage of Grief.
Kushner, Harold S. When Bad Things Happen to Good People.
Leon, Elizabeth. Let Yourself Be Loved: Big Lessons From a Little Life
Lewis, CS: A Grief Observed
Lindbergh, Anne Morrow Lindbergh. Gift From the Sea
Mansbach, Adam. I Had a Brother Once. A Poem. A Memoir
Noel, Brook and Blair, Pamela. I Wasn’t Ready to Say Goodbye: Surviving, Coping and Healing After the Sudden Death of a Loved One.
Richardson, Jan. The Cure for Sorrow. A Book of Blessings for Times of Grief.
Rohlheiser, Ronald. Bruised and Wounded. Struggling to Understand Suicide.
Shulman, Nancy. Before and After Loss: A Neurologist's Perspective on Loss, Grief and Our Brain
Sittser, Jerry. When God Doesn't Answer Your Prayer. Insights to Keep You Praying with Greater Faith and Deeper Hope.
Taylor, Barbara Brown. Learning to Walk in the Dark.
Whitmore Hickman, Martha. Healing After Loss: Daily Meditations
Wolfelt, Alan. Healing a Parent's Grieving Heart. 100 Practical Ideas After Your Child Dies.
Resources for Loss of a Spouse/Partner
Didion, Joan. The Year of Magical Thinking.
Hernandez Michelle Neff. Different After You: Rediscovering Yourself and Healing after Grief and Trauma
Josefowitz, Natasha. Living Without the One You Can’t Live Without. Talk for UC San Diego https://youtu.be/VIxYj8FEZ34
Josefowitz, Natasha. Living Without the One You Can’t Live Without. Hope and Healing After Loss.
Laz, Medard. Coping When Your Spouse Dies.
Lewis, C.S. A Grief Observed.
Richardson, Jan. The Cure for Sorrow
Richardson, Jan. A Book of Blessings
Meekhof, Kristin and Windell, James. A Widow’s Guide to Healing: Gentle Support and Advice for the First 5 Years
Noel, Brook and Blair, Pamela. I Wasn’t Ready to Say Goodbye: Surviving, Coping and Healing After the Sudden Death of a Loved One.
Runawaywidow.blog: https://runawaywidow.blog/10-best-grief-books/
Widowmight.org: https://www.widowmight.org/books/
Wolfelt, Alan. Healing a Spouse’s Grieving Heart: 100 Practical Ideas When You Husband or Wife Dies.
Reading specific to suicide loss
https://friendsforsurvival.org/helpful-books
https://www.wingsgrief.org/nans-published-articles
https://friendsforsurvival.org
Bolton, Iris with Curtis Mitchell. My Son...My Son... A Guide to Healing After Death, Loss or Suicide.
Buechner, Frederick. Telling Secrets. A Memoir.
Cobain, Beverly, and Larch, Jean. Dying to be Free. A Healing Guide for Families after a Suicide.
Collins, Judy. Sanity and Grace. A Journey of Suicide, Survival, and Strength.
Wolfelt. Alan D. The Wilderness of Suicide Grief. Finding Your Way,
Reading specific to traumatic death (homicide, suicide, overdose, and accident)
Wolfelt, Alan D. Healing Your Traumatized Heart
Helping someone you love who is grieving
You might want to look at the lists above to see if perhaps one of these books might make an appropriate gift. My favorites were (and still are) Jan Richardson's The Cure for Sorrow, A Book of Blessings for TImes of Grief and Martha Whitmore Hickman's Daily Meditations. I now also give my book Buttons and the Butterfly which is an appropriate, heartfelt gift for all ages.
Also, Wolfelt, Alan. 100 Practical Ideas for Helping Someone You Love Through Loss