Grief Resources

Grief is the normal response to a loss or the anticipation of a loss.  Still, the sadness, anger, guilt and loneliness that are common and expected in grief can be overwhelming, yet are all part of the healing process.  Helping people through grief is a very important part of hospice care.  Good Sam’s specially-trained bereavement counselors help patients and their loved ones understand grief and work through it. This service is particularly beneficial following the death of a loved one and, if desired, continues the year following a loss.

Good Sam has a long-standing tradition of community leadership in bereavement care and support.  We are committed to enhanced, comprehensive bereavement services, well beyond the Medicare mandate, because we believe this is a vital role and responsibility for a non-profit, community-based hospice.

General Grief

These thoughtful articles provide guidance and direction for anyone touched by grief.

Helping Yourself with Grief

If someone you love has died, you are now faced with the difficult, but important, need to mourn. Mourning is the open expression of your thoughts and feelings regarding the death and the person who died. It is an essential part of healing. The following articles provide many practical suggestions to help you move toward healing in your unique grief journey.

• Helping Yourself Heal When Someone Dies
• Helping Yourself Heal When Your Child Dies
• Helping Yourself Heal When Your Spouse Dies
• Helping Yourself Heal When a Parent Dies
• Helping Yourself When a Baby Dies
• Helping Yourself Heal During the Holiday Season
• Helping Dispel 5 Common Myths About Grief
• Helping Yourself Live When You Are Seriously Ill
• Helping Yourself Live When You Are Dying

Helping Others with Grief

If a friend has experienced the death of someone loved, how can you help? The following articles provide many practical suggestions for helping others with grief.

• Helping a Friend in Grief
• Helping a Man Who is Grieving
• Helping a Friend Who is Dying
• Helping a Friend Who is Seriously Ill
• Helping a Suicide Survivor Heal
• Helping a Homicide Survivor Heal
• Helping a Grandparent Who Is Grieving
• Helping a Grieving Friend in the Workplace
• Helping AIDS Survivors Heal
• Helping SIDS Survivors Heal
• Helping Your Family When a Member is Dying
• Helping Your Family When a Member is Seriously Ill
• Helping Your Family Cope When a Pet Dies
• Helping Your Family Decide if Organ and Tissue Donation is Right for You

For and About Grieving Children and Teenagers

Children and teenagers have special needs following the death of a friend or family member. The following articles provide wonderful insight in helping children and teens understand and express their grief.

• Helping Children Cope with Grief
• Helping Teenagers Cope with Grief
• Helping Infants and Toddlers When Someone They Love Dies
• Helping Children with Funerals
• Helping Children Understand Cremation
• Helping a Child Who is Seriously Ill
• Helping a Child Who is Dying
• Helping Grieving Children at School
• Helping Bereaved Siblings Heal

Funerals, memorials, cremation and related topics

The days following the death of a loved one can be filled with sadness and confusion. The following articles can help you understand the importance of the rituals surrounding death.

• Helping Your Family Personalize the Funeral
• Helping Create a Meaningful Eulogy
• Ten Freedoms for Creating a Meaningful Funeral
• Why is the Funeral Ritual Important?

Resources for Grief Caregivers

Caregivers have special needs of their own. The following articles are designed to help caregivers take care of themselves as well as those who are suffering from loss.

• Companioning the Bereaved: An Introduction
• Tenet 1: Companioning Principle
• Tenet 2: Companioning Principle
• The Awesome Power of “Telling The Story”: Why I’m Proud to be a Grief Counselor
• Caregiver as Gardener: A Parable
• Companioning vs. Treating: Beyond The Medical Model of Bereavement Caregiving
• Growing Through Grief: The Role of Support Groups
• Responding to Problems in the Support Group Setting
• The Bereavement Caregiver’s Self-Care Guidelines