Often when folks are seeking grief support (you might be one of them) part of what is hard is finding the right support that is geared toward your specific loss. I’ve tried to compile here a list of resources (groups, orgs, books, movies, etc) organized by the type of loss, since that can be a main contributor to the grief experienced. I’m adding to this list all the time, so please share if I’ve left something out.

Topics on this page: Loss of Partner/Spouse, Loss of Child, Loss of Parent, Loss of Sibling, Youth Grief Support, Loss Due to Suicide, Loss Due to Substance Overdose, Disenfranchised Loss/Grief, Men in Grief, Grief Support in Spanish / Apoyo al duelo en Espanol, Pet Loss, Faith-Based Support, and General Grief Support

Photo by The Good Funeral Guide on Unsplash

Loss of Partner/Spouse:

• Bill Wilson Centre for Living & Dying, Santa Clara County – Website
• Kara Adult Grief Groups – Website
• Hospice of Santa Cruz County – Website / 831-430-3000
• VITAS Health Spousal Loss Group – Website
• It’s OK That You’re Not Ok by Megan Devine – Read
• The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion – Read
• Surviving the Death of Your Spouse Workbook by Deborah S. Levinson  – Read
• New Moon Mira, Widow Resources & Retreats – Website
• Soaring Spirits Widowed Village – Website

Loss of Child:

• The Compassionate Friends (Adult Child Loss Group), Santa Cruz / Santa Clara Counties  – Website
• Kara Adult Grief Groups – Website
• Helping After Neonatal Death (HAND) Bay Area  – Website  /  En Espanol /  650-367-6993
• Empty Cradle Pregnancy & Infant Loss – Website
• Postpartum International Support Groups – Website
• First Candle SIDS Group – Website
• POM (Parents of Murdered Children) , San Jose Group – Website
• Star Legacy Bereaved Parents – Website
• VITAS Health Loss of Adult Child Group – Website
• Bill Wilson Centre for Living & Dying, Santa Clara County – Website
• A Love that Never Dies- Movie that follows two parents who travel across the world as they process the loss of their son and speak with other bereaved families – Watch

Loss of Parent:

• Kara Adult Grief Groups – Website
• Bill Wilson Centre for Living & Dying, Santa Clara County – Website
• Hospice of Santa Cruz County – Website / 831-430-3000
• The Orphaned Adult book by Alexander Levy – Website

Loss of Sibling:

• The Compassionate Friends (Adult Sibling Loss) – Website
• Kara Adult Grief Groups – Website
• Twinless Twins – Website
• Okizu Bereaved Teen Camp- Website
• Experience Camps for Bereaved Youth – Website
• Always a Sibling book by Annie Sklaver Orenstein – Website

Youth Grief Support:

• Kara Youth & Teen Grief Groups, Peninsula – Website
• Healing Heart Program, Santa Clara County – Website
• Dougy Center Articles & Resources – Website
• Camp Kara, Overnight Bereavement Camp, Bay Area – Website
• Camp Erin, Overnight Bereavement Camp, Santa Cruz – Website
• Kesem, Supporting Youth Whose Parents Have Cancer, Bay Area – Website
• Josie’s Place , San Francisco & Online – Website
• Eluna Network Supporting Families Affected by Grief – Website
• East Bay Circle of Care – Website
• Experience Camps for Bereaved Youth – Website
• Okizu Bereaved Teen Camp (specifically for youth who’ve lost a sibling due to pediatric cancer) – Website

Loss Due to Suicide

• Family Service Agency, Santa Cruz/Monterey Counties – Website / 831-459-9373
• Suicide Loss Group, Alameda County – Website
• Mission Hospice Suicide Loss Group –  Website  / 650-554-1000 / 408-554-2434
• Kara Adult Grief Groups – Website
• Samaritan’s Hope- Website
• Alliance of Hope- Website
• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Healing Conversations – Website
• From Grief to Growth: Healing After a Suicide Loss Workbook – Download PDF
• A Handbook for Coping with Suicide Grief – Download PDF / En Espanol
• David Kessler’s Free Suicide Loss Support Series – Website

Loss Due to Substance Overdose:

• GRASP San Jose Group / Website
• Overdose Grief Resource Hub / Website
• San Francisco Village Grief for People While in 12-Step Recovery – Website

Disenfranchised Loss/Grief:

• Understanding Disenfranchised Grief – Website
• VITAS Health LGBTQ+ Grief Group – Website
• COVID Loss – Website
• Homicide Loss Ya-NEEMA Healing Circle – Facilitated by Minister DeWanda Joseph (510-776-5453) and Kaiser Chaplain Jerome Adeyemi (510-752-6873)
• California Victims Witness (may be able to pay for therapy if you qualify) – Website / 1-800-777-9229
• Medical Aid in Dying (MAiD) Grief Group – Website
• Autism & Grief – Website
• San Francisco Village Online Traumatic Loss Groups – Website
• Grandparents & Extended Family Grief – Website
• Exhale Pro-voice After-Abortion Support – Website

Grief Support in Spanish / Apoyo al duelo en Espanol:

• YoloCares – Website
• Helping After Neonatal Death (HAND) Bay Area  – Website  /  En Espanol /  650-367-6993
• VITAS Health Grupo de Apoyo General para Hispanoparlantes – Website
• Kara Grief Support – Website
• El Camino del Duelo – Download
• Join CovidConnections in Spanish / COVIDconnections: Grupo de debate y apoyo en español – Website
• Star Legacy Grupo de apoyo para padres en duelo – Website
• Un manual para afrontar el duelo por suicidio – Download
  

Men in Grief:

• Men in Grief – Facebook Group
• VITAS Health Men in Grief Group – Website
• Dad’s Grief Discussion – Website
• Men’s Grief Network – Website
• Ride or Die book by Jarie Bolander – Website

Pet Loss:

• SAGE Support Groups – Website
• Humane Society of Silicon Valley Pet Loss Group – Website
• Best Friends – Website

Faith-Based Support:

• Twin Lakes Church, Santa Cruz – Website
• GriefShare (search by location) – Website
• MEND (Mommies Enduring Neonatal Death) – Website
• Insight Meditation Center Video Series – Watch
• Insight Santa Cruz, Sitting with Grief Class – Attend
• Jewish Grief Counseling , San Francisco / Peninusla – Website
• Jewish Grief Counseling, Easy Bay – Website

General Grief Support:

These organizations offer groups for adults & youth with a variety of topics. Many offer groups in person & online. Please visit their websites to see which groups are currently running:

• Death Cafe Drop-In Support Santa Clara County / Santa Cruz County
• Kara Grief Support, Santa Clara/San Mateo County – Website  /  650-321-5272 
• Mission Hospice, Santa Clara/San Mateo County –  Website  / 650-554-1000 / 408-554-2434
• Bill Wilson Centre for Living & Dying, Santa Clara County – Website / 408-850-6145 
• Hospice of Santa Cruz County – Website / 831-430-3000
• Eluna Network Supporting Families Affected by Grief / Website
• What’s Your Grief – Website / Podcast
• The Dinner Party for Young Adults – Website
• Let’s Reimagine Virtual Grief Gatherings – Website
• A Sacred Passing Community Care Events – Website
• Writing Through Grief with Joan A. Monheit – Website
• Institute on Aging Drop-In Support – Website

MISC Resources

• Grief Out Loud Podcast by the Dougy Center – Listen
• The Wild Edge of Sorrow by Francis Weller – Read
• When Things Fall Apart by Pema Chodron – Read
• What’s Your Grief Podcast – Listen
• David Kessler/ Grief.com – Website
• Queer Grief Club – Website
• Journey of Grief Handbook – Download
• 10-Minute Grief Meditation with Roshi Joan Halifax – Website

Leanna Immel, LMFT specializes in providing compassionate, effective grief counseling to adults and teens. Grief can be a complicated vortex of emotions and experiences. In one moment you may be perfectly fine, and the next you are swept into an emotional intensity you’ve never experienced. It’s unfair, and it’s exhausting. In an increasingly isolated world, getting therapy after loss can help you feel less alone and more able to feel like yourself again. Grief isn’t meant to be experienced alone. If you are feeling isolated, stuck, or could use a helping hand, its time to reach out.