Grief Support & Recommended Resources

The Grief Container

Immediate On-Device Support

• A structured, timed space to let yourself fall apart safely.
• Set a boundary around your grief when you feel overwhelmed.
• Guides you back out with gentle physiological anchors when time is up.

It's OK That You're Not OK

Essential Validation • by Megan Devine

• Validates the experience of loss in an uncomprehending culture.
• Written from lived experience after the author lost her partner.
• Offers an honest and refreshingly real perspective.

Calm

• Premium meditation content for grief, loss, and sleep.
• Includes soothing sleep stories for difficult nights.
• High-quality audio and nature-themed meditation tools.

14-day free trial available

GriefShare

Local & Online Support Groups

• A network of thousands of grief recovery support groups meeting in person and online.
• Features weekly video seminars and group discussions.
• Searchable database to find support in your exact area.

The Compassionate Friends

For Child & Sibling Loss

• Dedicated peer support for families who have experienced the death of a child at any age.
• Offers private Facebook groups categorized by specific types of loss.
• Hosts local chapter meetings and virtual support.

The Grief Recovery Handbook

Practical Action • by John W. James & Russell Friedman

• Step-by-step action program for moving beyond loss.
• Focuses on learning to live with grief in a healthier way.
• Moves past the "getting over it" mentality.

Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience

Resilience Strategy • by Sheryl Sandberg & Adam Grant

• Personal insights on rebuilding life after sudden loss.
• Combines personal narrative with research-backed resilience strategies.
• Focuses on facing adversity and building strength.

When Breath Becomes Air

Personal Story • by Paul Kalanithi

• Neurosurgeon's memoir written while facing terminal cancer.
• Profound reflections on mortality and finding meaning.
• Explores what makes life worth living during loss.

The Year of Magical Thinking

Personal Story • by Joan Didion

• Unflinching examination of grief after the sudden death of a spouse.
• Explores the surreal and irrational nature of intense loss.
• Acclaimed, beautifully written personal narrative.

No Death, No Fear

Spiritual Perspective • by Thích Nhất Hạnh

• Wisdom on life, death, and impermanence from a Buddhist teacher.
• Offers a peaceful, spiritual perspective on the nature of existence.
• Provides comfort through mindfulness and understanding.

The Wild Edge of Sorrow

Deep Wisdom • by Francis Weller

• Explores grief as a necessary and deeply human experience.
• Reframes loss as something to be lived, not a pathology to be cured.
• Focuses on the sacred nature of deep sorrow.

Bearing the Unbearable

Compassionate Guide • by Joanne Cacciatore

• Compassionate wisdom for those facing catastrophic or traumatic loss.
• Written by an experienced grief counselor and researcher.
• Guidance for navigating the most difficult moments of grief.

A Grief Observed

Short Reflections • by C.S. Lewis

• Raw and honest reflection on the messiness of loss.
• Explores the crisis of faith following the death of a spouse.
• Short, profound observations on the reality of mourning.

The Grieving Brain

Science & Healing • by Mary-Frances O'Connor

• Explores how our brains process the difficult neurological map of loss.
• Combines neuroscientific research with compassionate insights.
• Provides an understanding of why grieving takes so much energy.

Headspace

• Guided meditations designed for coping with loss.
• Approachable, research-backed tools for meditation beginners.
• Focuses on mental clarity and emotional resilience.

Free trial available

Insight Timer

• Massive library of free meditations focused on grief and loss.
• Includes community features to connect with others.
• Completely free option with diverse teacher perspectives.

Completely free option available