GRIEF SUPPORT

grief support for when the flowers fade

A NOTE FROM JOHANNA & DENISE AT LAURELBOX

From the very bottom of our hearts... We both want to say how incredibly sorry we are for your loss. It's hard to convey through a computer screen the humanity behind that statement, but please know that we are a team of women who are holding you closely in our hearts, even if we might never learn your name.   

 

However you are feeling right now, that is allowed. Grief doesn't move in a straight line, and there is no schedule you're supposed to be keeping. 

 

Support tends to show up all at once in the early days. It's often later, after the visits taper off and the casseroles stop coming, that the quiet permanence of loss sets in, and that is usually when people need somewhere to turn the most. We built this page for that moment. Come back to it today, next month, or next year. 

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wherever you're coming from...

I'm the one grieving

Support, resources, and rituals for you

Continue

I'm here to support someone

Gentle ways to show up

Continue

If today feels like more than you can carry

Grief can bring up feelings that are frightening or overwhelming, and there's no shame in needing to talk to someone.

 

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org. Free, confidential, and available 24/7.

 

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741 to reach a trained crisis counselor by text, 24/7.

 

Outside the U.S.? Befrienders Worldwide and findahelpline.com can connect you to a crisis line in your country.

FOR YOU

Coping with Life After Loss

Grief has a way of making people feel untethered from their body, their sense of self, and their future. We've pulled together resources that help address the different ways that grief can show up.

Understanding what grief actually feels like

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Resources for caring for the body

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Feeling isolated in grief

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Finding your sense of self 

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Holidays or milestone dates

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Ways to Honor Your Loved One

From big holidays to small moments of remembrance, we've put together guides with ways to weave remembrance into your life. 

Plant a Memorial Garden

Read the Guide

Light a Memorial Candle

Read the Guide

Create a Holiday Keepsake Box

Read the Guide

Honor a Death Anniversary

Read the Guide

Create a Butterfly Garden

Read the Guide

Rituals for Wedding Anniversaries

Read the Guide

Holiday Remembrance Traditions

Read the Guide

What to Do with Keepsakes? 

Read the Guide

FOR SOMEONE YOU LOVE

How to Support Someone in Grief

When someone is grieving, small gestures can go a long way in showing you care. 

Say their person's name: People often worry that mentioning someone who died will bring up pain that wasn't already there. It won't. It just tells your friend they're not carrying it alone. 

Don't wait to be asked: Grief makes it hard to ask for anything. A specific offer, like "I'm bringing dinner Thursday," is easier to accept than "let me know if you need anything." 

Show up for the hard dates: Anniversaries, birthdays, and holidays might be harder than the funeral itself. A text, call, or gesture on those days can mean more than you might expect.

For more resources

For more ways to help

UNDERSTANDING GRIEF

Recommended Resources

Over the years, we have met others doing meaningful work to support grieving people. Here are a few of our favorites. 

Online Grief Support

Non-Profits & Further Support