Supporting family, friends, coworkers, and others through grief and loss

Knowing how to support a loved one who is grieving can be challenging. You may have trouble deciding what to say on a sympathy card. Or you may be uncertain about the different stages of grief and what they entail.

Grief is different for every person. Still, having a better understanding of the grieving process may help guide your decisions.

You want to support your loved ones in the best way possible. Taking time to expand your knowledge can make a difference. To help you in this process, we invite you to use the following resources as a guide.

How to support loved ones through grief

Learn what research has found about supporting friends and family members through the grieving process.

Grief resources for friends and family

Find guidance to help you navigate everyday opportunities to support a loved one in need.

Why Choose Sylvester?

Advancing professional training opportunities for medical professionals. We’re working to improve community access to vital grief services through training and education. This begins by training bereavement specialists and healthcare professionals who support and counsel patients every day. This helps build a more informed, robust bereavement support network.

Conducting and sharing grief research. Understanding the grieving process is the first step in providing meaningful support. This is the heart of our approach, which uses research and science to guide the services we provide. Grief studies are a key component. These studies provide valuable insights and help us develop evidence-based practices that improve lives.

Providing resources for grievers and the community. Coping with grief can be overwhelming. Our team provides resources to help light the way for grievers and their loved ones. For example, what are the different ways people grieve? How can friends and family members comfort a loved one who is grieving? Sometimes, just a small insight or gesture can make a big difference.