What You Can Do to Help Someone Who is Grieving

Listen

Listening is the most important thing you can do to help those affected by a tragedy.  Don’t judge.  Allow them to share their feelings, and tell them you want to help and support them.  You don’t have to say, “I know exactly how you feel” because you probably don’t.  Say something like, “I understand what a huge loss this is, and I want you to know that I will be here for you in any way that I can".

     
Be There

Some people work through their grief quicker than others. While you might want to give lots of support for the first several days and then plan on people being OK, that’s not always the case. Some people can take months or even years to recover from a loss. Don’t ever tell anyone it’s time to move on. No matter how long it’s been since the tragedy, be there for those who are hurting as long as they need you. Be tolerant of the different ways people grieve.


Show Support

Many people benefit from talking through their problems with other people.  There are many different support group opportunities available.  What you can do is help connect your friends to the available support groups in your community.  Make sure to contact the hospital, local agencies, the police department, your guidance counselor, clergy, and other groups in your community to find out what is available.  It's OK to go to these people for help!