For those who walk alongside
Stay.
That is the whole thing.
If someone you love is grieving, you may feel that you have nothing to offer. You do. What they need is not the right sentence. What they need is for you not to disappear.
Choose the loss they are carrying
- 01
Supporting someone who has lost a child
There are no right words. There is, however, you, staying.
- 02
Supporting someone who has lost a parent or caregiver
Even expected losses leave a hollow that is anything but small.
- 03
Supporting someone who has lost a partner or spouse
The quiet of their house is louder than you can imagine.
- 04
Supporting someone who has lost a sibling
The grief that often gets crowded out by everyone else's grief.
- 05
Supporting someone who has lost a friend or chosen family
Their love was real. So is the grief. So is your part in it.
- 06
Supporting someone who has lost a grandparent
Often a first grief. Always worth full witness.
- 07
Supporting someone who has lost a baby
There was a person. There is a grief. Please do not look away.
- 08
Supporting someone who has lost a pet
It is not 'just' an animal. Please do not say so.
- 09
Supporting someone whose loss was sudden, violent, or traumatic
Trauma and grief together. Move slowly, and stay.
- 10
Supporting someone who has lost a loved one to suicide
A grief heavy with questions. Your steady presence is more than enough.
- 11
Supporting someone whose loved one is dying
The grief has already begun, and they are still here. You can hold both.
What to say, and what to avoid
How to show up.
You don't need the perfect words. You just need to be there. A gentle guide for friends and family, what helps, what to gently avoid, and the small, steady ways to stay long after others have moved on.
If you would like to go deeper, the Be There Certificate is a free, self-paced course that helps anyone learn how to support someone who is struggling. It is clear, kind and practical, and worth the hour it takes.
