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Grief Resources

Whether the loss of a loved one is expected or sudden, we often experience emotional reactions that can be tough to grapple with. Grief can be defined as deep, sometimes prolonged sadness following a loss. We may experience grief as the result of any number of life experiences, but especially after the death of someone we hold dear.


When coping with grief after a death, it is important to understand what to expect as well as where to turn for information, help and comfort. We hope the following information will be helpful in this pursuit.

For additional support, consider signing up for one year of weekly grief messages from our partner, GriefSteps, designed to provide strength and comfort during the challenging first year after your loss.

a woman is holding a little girl in her arms .
By Tukios Websites 14 Feb, 2024
When talking about death, there are no easy answers, especially for children. Most people are unsure of what and how to tell their children, and are concerned about the child’s reaction and behavior. Children experience loss quite frequently. Through experiences such as divorcing parents, friends moving away and the death of a pet, they learn to grieve. The following information will help you help a child deal with the death of someone they love, or any life loss. Death is still somewhat of a taboo subject in our society and there is a tendency to not talk about it. We want to protect our children from the pain and sadness, and sometimes don’t even want to tell them about a death. But, a death disrupts the family’s emotional life and everyone, even the young ones are affected. Children can sense that something is wrong and they will experience grief one way or another. So, it is important that we communicate with them. How we talk with a child about death depends on many things--their age, personality, and relationship with the person who has died. It is essential that we provide them with simple and direct information and be open to their questions. We must give them answers to build on later, not ones that will have to be unlearned. Children will find their own fantasy explanations for unanswered questions, which can often be more frightening than the reality. Children take what we say literally, so avoid euphemisms such as passed away, passed on, went to sleep, etc. When explaining death, keep the information at a level they can understand. Young children can take in only small amounts of information at a time, so keep it brief and simple. The older the child, the more information they can understand and accept. Most children are curious about the physical aspects of death, and describing the death concretely lessens the confusion. For example, talk about the absence of familiar bodily functions--when someone dies their heart doesn’t beat, they don’t breathe, talk, eat or feel. Up until about nine years of age, it is difficult for them to grasp the finality of death. They may repeatedly ask you the same questions before the answers become reality to them. Talking with children is hard because we don’t have all of the answers, and that’s okay. There isn’t always an answer for every question. But, if we can be as open, honest and comfortable with our feelings as possible, we make it easier for children to talk about death and ask questions. This is important because it lets us know what they need and how we can help.
An elderly woman is sitting on a park bench.
By Tukios Websites 14 Feb, 2024
Whether the loss of a loved one is expected or sudden, we often experience emotional reactions that can be tough to grapple with. When coping with grief after a death, it is important to understand what to expect as well as where to turn for information, help and comfort. We hope the following information will be helpful this pursuit.
By Tukios Websites 13 Apr, 2023
When somebody we care about is dealing with a loss, we often find ourselves at a loss for words. We want to be comforting. We want to make them feel better somehow. At the very least, we don’t want to say anything that makes them feel worse.
By Tukios Websites 06 Oct, 2021
You did it. You have survived a whole year since your loved one passed – a year of holidays, birthdays, and special events without them. Now, the anniversary of their passing is approaching. You may be feeling a flood of different emotions, from lingering grief to an appreciation of the time you did get to spend with them. There is no right or wrong way to feel. If you think you are emotionally ready, doing something special, big or small, on the anniversary of their death can commemorate their life.
By Tukios Websites 13 Sep, 2021
Allow yourself to feel your feelings
By Tukios Websites 21 Jul, 2021
The digital age has changed the ways we mourn. What was once an obituary just in the newspaper can now be found on a funeral home website or Facebook, too. There are online communities that can provide a safe space for people in their time of need. Friends and family on the other side of the world can be in (virtual) attendance of a funeral or memorial ceremony as it happens. These ways of collectively mourning from afar were exemplified in 2020 with the COVID-19 pandemic when travel and gathering restrictions were in place for most of the year. While we may be tired of Zoom calls and gathering virtually after the year we’ve had, it is nice to have that option if all else fails.
By Tukios Websites 25 Jun, 2021
We can store thousands of photos on our electronic devices, but there is something special about having a physical copy of these moments that were captured on camera. Scrapbooking is a perfect way to save photos and commemorate the life of a loved one who has passed away. Here are some tips to create a beautiful scrapbook that can be passed down for generations.
By Tukios Websites 19 Aug, 2020
For thousands of years, artists of all kinds have used their work to express their sadness, anger, fear, love and hope. Of course, there is no painting or poem that can ever bring back our loved one, but the arts can help us process those feelings of grief.When a loved one dies, your world can seem like it’s been turned upside down. Creative outlets can help bring back a sense of control by allowing yourself to make choices over art mediums, colors and the creative process. The ‘making’ activity helps to fill the void when you may feel lost and unable to do much. It also acts as a vessel in which to safely express thoughts and feelings that might otherwise be overwhelming. When creating art to help with the process of grief, you don’t need to worry about anyone else seeing it or whether it even looks like anything. Through artistic expression you are able to tell your personal stories of connection to your loved one.Here is a list of some creative exercises to begin your artistic expression:- Poetry- Creating music- Dancing- Journaling- Writing letters- Drama/Theatre- Planting a garden- Drawing/Painting- Creative Writing- ScrapbookingRemember, when making art, it’s not about making something that will impress others. It’s about the process and letting your thoughts and emotions run free.
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