help in grief
grief resources
Online grief Resources
Hitzeman Funeral Home is honored to support our community and has previously hosted Grief Support Gatherings.
We recognize how deeply a loss can impact a family. Whether a passing is unexpected or follows a long illness, every life has a story, and each person grieves in their own way. The emotional fog that follows can be difficult to navigate.
After losing someone close, we often lean on family and friends, but they may not always meet every need. In those moments, additional grief resources can be incredibly helpful—yet they’re only useful if you know they’re available.
There is a sacredness in tears.
They are not the mark of weakness, but of power.
They speak more eloquently than ten thousand tongues.
They are the messengers of overwhelming grief…and unspeakable love.
-Washington Irving
Local Resources
Begin Within
Counseling & Coaching Services
Addie Anderson LCPC Founder & CEO
115 N. Marion Street, Suite 5
Oak Park, IL 60301
Call 708-870-6255 for more information or schedule an appointment
Grief Share
Christ Church – Oak Brook
501 Oak Brook Road
Oak Brook, IL 60523
Call 630-321-3936 for more information
Registration fees may apply.
Websites and blogs
- The Dougy Center – The Dougy Center provides support in a safe place where children, teens, young adults and their families grieving a death can share their experiences. The Dougy Center has several support groups in Illinois.
- Grief Share – Find support groups or events near you. You can also sign up for “A Season of Grief” daily affirmations via email.
- Hospice of the Valley – Offers various articles on grief and loss as well as grief resources for teens
- What’s Your Grief? – A website made by a counselor and social work with lots of information and grief resources
- Open to Hope – A non-profit which offers resources for many various types of loss and grief.
- Grieving.com – Online bereavement forums for all different types of loss.
- Return to Zero: HOPE – Retreats, resources and information for those dealing with pregnancy and infancy loss.
- The Compassionate Friends – Offers support to families after the loss of a child. Has over 600 Chapters across the U.S., including one in Brookfield.
- MISS Foundation – Mothers in Sympathy and Support offers counseling, advocacy and education for families experiencing the death of a child.
- Grief Healing Blog – Useful information on care-giving, grief and transition for anyone coping with loss.
- Grief in Common – An online community designed to connect individuals who are grieving for messaging and opportunities to meet in person.
- The Grief Help Blog – Articles by various professionals to help you cope with bereavement and loss.
books
- Turning Toward the Sun: 7 Ways My Mom Inspires Me to Live Without Her by Denesha Chambers
- Modern Loss: Candid Conversation About Grief. Beginners Welcome by Rebecca Soffer and Gabrielle Birkner
- Widow to Widow: Thoughtful, Practical Ideas for Rebuilding Your Life by Genevieve Davis Ginsburg
- Understanding Your Grief: Ten Essential Touchstones for Finding Hope and Healing Your Heart by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D.
- The Grief Recovery Handbook by John W. James and Russell Friedman
- Talking with Children About Loss by Maria Trozzi
- It’s OK That You’re Not OK by Megan Devine
- Life After Loss: A Practical Guide to Renewing Your Life After Experiencing Major Loss by Bob Deits, M. Th.
- Writing as a Way of Healing by Louise DeSalvo
- Living with Grief After Sudden Loss by Hospice Foundation of America. Edited by Kenneth J. Doka, Ph.D.
- Grief Works: Stories of Life, Death and Surviving by Julia Samuels
- The Fall of Freddie the Leaf: A Story of Life for All Ages by Leo Buscaglia, Ph.D.
Workshops, courses and interactive resources
- Refuge in Grief – A 30 day writing course with prompts each day to explore different aspects of your grief.
podcasts
- Grief Support for Those Who Like to Listen: What’s Your Grief Podcast
- Good Grief with Cheryl Jones – Explores losses that define our lives by talking with people who have transformed themselves through the profound act of grieving.
- Dealing With My Grief – A blog and podcast started by Darwyn Dave as a way to discuss how he has been coping with grief and bereavement since his father died in 1978.
- NPR – Stories about grief.
ted talks about grief
- What Really Matters at the End of Life by BJ Miller
- The Journey Through Loss and Grief by Jason B. Rosenthal
- When Someone You Love Dies, There is No Such Thing as Moving On by Kelly Lynn
- Grief, it’s Complicated…10% of the Time by Dr. Susan Delaney
- Good Grief! What I Learned From Loss by Elaine Mansfield
- How Loss Helped One Artist Find Beauty in Imperfection by Alyssa Monks
grief journals
- 2Grieve 2Gether by Denise Hall Brown
- Forever in My Heart by Tanya Carroll Richardson
- The Understanding Your Grief Journal by Alan D. Wolfelt
