Books to support grief

Some people prefer something very practical with tools to survive a loss. Reading about other people's experiences may also be helpful. These books have all been recommended by professionals who work closely with bereaved people.

Practical guides to grief

  • This Too Shall Pass and Every Family has a Story – by Julia Samuel
  • Griefworks - by Julia Samuel
  • The Grieving Brain: The Surprising Science of how we learn from love and loss – by Mary-Frances O’Connor
  • The Modern Loss Handbook - by Rebecca Soffer
  • The Grief Survival Guide – by Jeff Brazier
  • Manual for Heartache - by Cathy Rentzenbrink
  • Talking with Bereaved People: An Approach for Structured and Sensitive Communication – by Dodie Graves

Stories of grief

  • A Grief Observed - by C S Lewis 
  • The Madness of Grief - by Richard Coles
  • The Red of My Blood - by Clover Stroud
  • Redemption - by John Gardner
  • The State of Disbelief - by Juliet Rosenfeld
  • When Words are Not Enough - by Jane Harris & Jimmy Edmonds
  • You are not alone – by Cariad Lloyd
  • Notes on grief – by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
  • The Last Act of Love  - by Cathy Rentzenbrink

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This free Specialist Bereavement Service, delivered by Amparo for residents in mid and south Essex, provides emotional and practical support for anyone who has felt the impact of suicide at any time (recent or historical).

The  service is completely confidential and can provide short-term or longer-term support. It is also available to bereaved children (Aged between 4 and 11 with agreed appropriate adult)  and young adults (Age 11 upwards).

Experienced Liaison Workers, aim to make initial contact within 24 hours of a referral being received, offer residents:

  • Support in their homes or wherever is most comfortable to the resident.
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Please complete the referral form: https://amparo.org.uk/refer/

At a Loss
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Bereavement support for all ages including children.

Bereavement Support available with a bereavement counsellor online: https://www.ataloss.org/live-chat

Bereavement Advice Centre
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Bereavement Advice Centre

T. 0800 634 9494

W. https://www.bereavementadvice.org/

Bereavement Advice Centre provides practical help when you need it most. They support and advise people on what they need to do after a death.

Child Bereavement UK
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Offer a telephone support service for bereaved young people up to age 25, their families/ carers or individuals or families who have lost a child. 

 

Child Death Helpline
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Child Death Helpline is operated by a dedicated team of volunteers who are all bereaved parents. The helpline provides support to a parent who has lost a child of any age, under any circumstances, and however recently or long ago, we’re here to help. They also offer support to grandparents, siblings and the extended family, as well as professionals who have been impacted by the death of a child.

CRUSE Bereavement care
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CRUSE Bereavement care

T. 0808 808 1677

W. http://www.cruse.org.uk/

CRUSE Bereavement care helps children and adults through bereavement with support, information and campaigning.

Jewish Bereavement Counselling Service
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Jewish Bereavement Counselling Service

T. 020 8951 3881

W. https://jbcs.org.uk/

Jewish Bereavement Counselling Service has counsellors that understand the specific issues raised by bereavement within a Jewish context. This service is sensitive, aware and knowledgeable about social, cultural and religious needs.

Lullaby Trust
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The Lullaby Trust raises awareness of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), provides expert advice on safer sleep for babies and offers emotional support for bereaved families.

Muslim Bereavement Support Service
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Muslim Bereavement Support Service

T. 020 3468 7333

The Muslim Bereavement Support Service supports Muslim women who are facing bereavement and/or are bereaved. They will speak with Muslim men and signpost them to appropriate bereavement support. 

St Luke's Hospice Pre & Post Bereavement Support
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St Luke's Hospice Pre & Post Bereavement Support

T. 01268 526259

W. https://www.stlukeshospice.com/bereavement-support

The Dove Community Counselling Service team at St Luke's Hospice offer bereavement support to adults living with a life limiting illness, from diagnosis through to end of life or into survivorship. 

Bereavement support is also available to those who may have experienced a bereavement from suicide, sudden, traumatic or accidental deaths, or within the last 5 years due to a life limiting illness.

Stillbirth and neonatal death
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Stillbirth and neonatal death (Sands) is the leading stillbirth and neonatal death charity in the UK. They ensure that anyone affected by the death of a baby receives the best possible care and support for as long as they need it. 

Sands provides bereavement support services both nationally through its Freephone helpline, mobile app, online community and resources, and locally through a UK-wide network of around 100 regional support groups. 

Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood Foundation
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Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood Foundation

W. https://sudc.org/

The Foundation is a worldwide organisation, American based, whose purpose is to promote awareness, fund research and serve those affected by sudden unexplained death of children.

Sue Ryder Grief Support
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Sue Ryder Grief Support

W. https://www.sueryder.org/

Online expert information provides ways to deal with the practical and emotional issues after someone has died.

The online Bereavement Community is a place to share experiences, get things off your chest and chat to people who understand.

Grief Guide is a safe space, free from other distractions where you can find self-help tools and information to help you cope with grief.

Talk to a qualified counsellor by video, up to 6 online sessions, at times that suit you speak from the comfort of your own home.

Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide
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Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide

W. https://uksobs.org/

Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide are a national charity providing dedicated support to adults who have been bereaved by suicide. The volunteers come from all walks of life but nearly all have been touched by suicide themselves, this experience enables them to connect with others.

The Bereavement Journey
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The Bereavement Journey runs an online course three times per year for anyone in the UK who isn’t able to access an in-person course near to where they live, or who would prefer an online course.

The Compassionate Friends
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The Compassionate Friends (TCF) is a charitable organisation of bereaved parents, siblings and grandparents dedicated to the support and care of other similarly bereaved family members who have suffered the death of a child or children of any age and from any cause.

Get support using the telephone helpline or online support groups.

The Good Grief Trust
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The Good Grief Trust helps all those affected by grief in the UK and brings bereavement services together, to ensure that everyone receives the tailored support they need to move forward with their lives.

The trust is run by the bereaved, for the bereaved and aim to normalise grief and raise awareness of the impact of grief on a national platform. 

 

Widowed and young
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Widowed and young (WAY) is a UK charity that offers a peer-to-peer support network for anyone who's lost a partner before their 51st birthday – married or not, with or without children, inclusive of sexual orientation, gender, race and religion.

Young lives vs Cancer
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Young lives vs Cancer support young people under 25 with cancer, and their families, to get the help they need during their cancer treatment and beyond, including bereaved families living with emotional distress. 

Young Minds
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Young Minds is a national charity which supports both young people, their parents and loved ones through loss.

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